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| Montserrat |

Introduction | Montserrat

Background: | Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995.

Geography | Montserrat

Location: | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: | 16 45 N, 62 12 W
Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean
Area: | total: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 102 sq km
Area - comparative: | about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 40 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate: | tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: | volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m
Natural resources: | negligible
Land use: | arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2001)
Irrigated land: | NA sq km
Natural hazards: | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)
Environment - current issues: | land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
Geography - note: | the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes

People | Montserrat

Population: | 9,245 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,092; female 1,062) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,889; female 3,162) 65 years and over: 11.2% (male 543; female 497) (2004 est.)
Median age: | total: 28.2 years male: 28 years female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate: | 1.03% (2004 est.)
Birth rate: | 17.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate: | 7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 78.53 years male: 76.39 years female: 80.78 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA
Nationality: | noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian
Ethnic groups: | black, white
Religions: | Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations
Languages: | English
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.)

Government | Montserrat

Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat
Dependency status: | overseas territory of the UK
Government type: | NA
Capital: | Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)
Administrative divisions: | 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter
Independence: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Constitution: | present constitution came into force 19 December 1989
Legal system: | English common law and statutory law
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Deborah Barnes JONES (since 10 May 2004) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary
Legislative branch: | unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2
Judicial branch: | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court)
Political parties and leaders: | National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description: | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross

Economy | Montserrat

Economy - overview: | Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade.
GDP: | purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | -1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 5.4% industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: | NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 2.6% (2002 est.)
Labor force: | 4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
Unemployment rate: | 6% (1998 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)
Agriculture - products: | cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, livestock products
Industries: | tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
Industrial production growth rate: | NA
Electricity - production: | 2.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption: | 2.325 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA (2001)
Oil - imports: | NA (2001)
Exports: | $700,000 (2001)
Exports - commodities: | electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle
Exports - partners: | US, Antigua and Barbuda
Imports: | $17 million (2001)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials
Imports - partners: | US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada
Debt - external: | $8.9 million (1997)
Economic aid - recipient: | As of 31 March 2003, UK's DFID had provided about $328 million in economic relief from volcanic activity, and by 31 March 2006, DFID aid is expected to total $411 million.
Currency: | East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code: | XCD
Exchange rates: | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March

Communications | Montserrat

Telephones - main lines in use: | NA
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 70 (1994)
Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: | 7,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 1 (1997)
Televisions: | 3,000 (1997)
Internet country code: | .ms
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 17 (2000)
Internet users: | NA

Transportation | Montserrat

Highways: | total: 227 km paved: NA km note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003) unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: | Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay
Merchant marine: | none
Airports: | 1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military | Montserrat

Military branches: | no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force
Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues | Montserrat

Disputes - international: | none
Illicit drugs: | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005