00 (fixed
rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Anguilla Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 5,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: NA

domestic: modern internal telephone system

international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin
(Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ai

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Anguilla Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 279 km

paved: 253 km

unpaved: 26 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Blowing Point, Road Bay

Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)

Airports: 3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Anguilla Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Anguilla Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics
destined for the US and Europe

======================================================================

@Antarctica

Antarctica Introduction

Background: Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was
not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American
commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions
began exploring the Peninsula region and areas south of the
Antarctic Circle. Not until 1838 was it established that Antarctica
was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands. Various
"firsts" were achieved in the early 20th century, including: 1902,
first balloon flight (by British explorer Robert Falcon SCOTT);
1912, first to the South Pole (five Norwegian explorers under Roald
AMUNDSEN); 1928, first fixed-wing aircraft flight (by Australian
adventurer/explorer Sir Hubert WILKINS); 1929, first flight over the
South Pole (by Americans Richard BYRD and Bernt BALCHEN); and 1935,
first transantarctic flight (American Lincoln ELLSWORTH). Following
World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific research on the
continent. A number of countries have set up year-round research
stations on Antarctica. Seven have made territorial claims, b