A general theory which describes the elastic response of a curved anisotropic plate subjected to stretching and bending will be developed by considering the nonlinear effect that reflecting the non-flat geometry of the structure. By applying a newly derived $6{ imes}6$ matrix constitutive relation between force resultants, moment resultants, mid-plane strains and deformed curvatures, the governing differential equations for a curved anisotropic plate is developed in the usual manner, namely, by consideration of the constitutive relation and equilibrium equations. Solutions are obtained for simply-supported boundary conditions and compared to corresponding solutions that neglecting the nonlinear effect in the analysis. The comparisons indicate that the nonlinear terms in the equations that caused by the curvature of the structure is crucial for the curved plate analysis. Under certain curved plate geometries the unreasonable results will be induced by neglecting the nonlinear effect in the analysis.