The Anguilla hotel and activities guide offers stay over guests and cruise ship visitors information and discount reservations for hotels, villa rentals, car rentals, activities and shore excursions in Anguilla.
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Anguilla has probably been inhabited by the Caribs since 1300 BC. The oldest remains of a settlement date from 600. The cave of Fountain Cavern contains petroglyphs. Sherds of pottery in the cave have been dated between 400 and 1200 AD.[4] Petroglyphs have also been found in a former cave at Big Spring near Island Harbor and are dated between 600 and 1200 AD.[5] The island is believed to have been discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493, but it is certain that the Frenchman Pierre Laudonnaire visited the island in 1565.
Geography
Anguilla is located east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, north of Sint Maarten and is part of the Lesser Antilles. The island is flat and there is little vegetation to be found as the soil is quite poor.
Anguilla is part of the Anguilla Bank, a volcanic arc of which Saint-Barthélemy, Sint Maarten, and Anguilla form the visible main islands. The volcanoes were active 39 to 43 million years ago, and the island is the result of volcanic eruptions. It consists mainly of limestone, clastic rock and sand. The bank originally formed one island, but part of it has been submerged, and three main islands with many small islets and rocky outcrops remain.
Economy
The dry and infertile soil makes Anguilla unsuitable for agriculture. Fishing is an important part of the economy, but most food is imported. Tourism and offshore banking form the basis of the economy, and the country is known as a tax haven.[20][21] Anguilla has a large trade deficit. The majority of exports consist of products from the pharmaceutical industry. The largest trading partner is Chile for both imports and exports.[22] Tourism is important, but cruise ships are not welcome on Anguilla, and all beaches are public.[23][18]
Transportation
Anguilla is served by the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport in The Valley, but it is an average sized airport.[24] In 2021, the airport was expanded to handle transatlantic flights.[25] Ferries depart from Blowing Point to Marigot and Philipsburg on Sint Maarten,[26] and most tourists use the ferry.[27] There is no public transport on the island,[20] and traffic drives on the left.
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