2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,125/female 1,079) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,957/female 3,245) 65 years and over: 10.9% (male 532/female 501) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products

Airports

2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2

under 914 m

2 (2006)

Area

land

102 sq km

total

102 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Background

English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later. The British and French fought for possesion of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century. 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. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003. Geography Montserrat

Birth rate

17.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$31.6 million; including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)

revenues

$31.4 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

16 44 N, 62 14 W

name

Plymouth

note

Plymouth was 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

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

40 km

Constitution

effective 19 December 1989

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Montserrat

Currency (code)

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code

XCD

Death rate

7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$8.9 million (1997)

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Disputes - international

none

Economic aid - recipient

Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.)

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 volcanic activity 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.

Electricity - consumption

1.86 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - production

2 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Ethnic groups

black, white

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), note, fixed rate since 1976

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary

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 Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006)

Exports

$700,000 (2001)

Exports - commodities

electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle

Exports - partners

US, Antigua and Barbuda (2004)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Communications Montserrat

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

1.2%

industry

23.1%

services

75.7% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-1% (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$29 million (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

16 45 N, 62 12 W

Geography - note

the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages People Montserrat

Government type

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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 (2004)

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Infant mortality rate

female

5.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

8.35 deaths/1,000 live births

total

7.19 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.6% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU

Internet country code

.ms

Internet hosts

386 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

17 (2000)

Internet users

NA Transportation Montserrat

Irrigated land

NA

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)

Labor force

4,521

note

lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

20%

other

80% (2005)

permanent crops

0%

Languages

English

Legal system

English common law and statutory law

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - MCAP 36.1%, NPLM 29.4%, MDP 24.4%, independents 10.1%; seats by party - MCAP 4, NPLM 3, MDP 1, independents 1

elections

last held 31 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011)

note

expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.14 years (2006 est.)

male

76.67 years

total population

78.85 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over has ever attended school

female

97% (1970 est.) Government Montserrat

male

97%

total population

97%

Location

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49

2,298 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49

1,899 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49

84 (2005 est.)

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

3 nm

Median age

female

29.2 years (2006 est.)

male

28.6 years

total

28.9 years

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK Transnational Issues Montserrat

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2005)

National holiday

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Nationality

adjective

Montserratian

noun

Montserratian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)

Natural resources

NEGL

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

380 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

9,439

note

an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

1.05% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Plymouth Military Montserrat

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

7,000 (1997)

Religions

Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

Roadways

note

volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003)

total

227 km

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

modern and fully digitalized

international

country code - 1-664

Telephones - main lines in use

NA

Telephones - mobile cellular

70 (1994)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

3,000 (1997)

Terrain

volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Total fertility rate

1.77 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

6% (1998 est.)