Anguilla
Anguilla's small size, both in terms of geographic area and population, has contributed to the creation of a tight-knit society. Indeed, Anguillians are known for their friendliness towards their neighbors and foreigners. Island in the Eastern Caribbean Sea, British Overseas Territory, it is the northernmost of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles and is located about 19 km north of the island of Saint Martin and 100 km to the northwest of Saint Kitts. Known for its laid-back atmosphere and beautiful beaches, Anguilla is a popular tourist destination. Its main economic activities revolve around tourism and financial services. Fishing is the traditional means of subsistence although other activities, in particular shipbuilding and breeding, are gradually developing.
Customs and way of life
Family ties in Anguilla are often strong. Although the nuclear family is dominant, single parent families are common, usually headed by a mother and comprising on average two or three children. Its national sport is boat racing which started at the end of the 19th century. Boat races attract huge crowds and are usually held on public holidays. These are important and idyllic cultural events where people meet people, indulge themselves to the rhythm of popular calypso music, discover the local gastronomy. Other sports and games that Anguillians play are cricket, beach soccer, volleyball, lawn tennis, etc.
Unmissable events
The biggest cultural event on the island is the annual summer festival which takes place between late July and early August. Other events such as beauty pageants, calypso monarch contests, musical performances and parades of troops, are organized or improvised in the streets. Anguilla Day which is held on May 30 of each year commemorates the culmination of the 1967 revolution, during which Anguilla severed its constitutional ties with Saint Kitts.
