2008 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2008 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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 possession 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
Area
total: 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
40 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)
Environment - current issues
land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
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
Irrigated land
NA
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2005)
Location
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)
Natural resources
NEGL
Terrain
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 27.8% (male 738/female 675) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 1,575/female 1,716) 65 years and over: 7.4% (male 245/female 130) (2008 est.)
Birth rate
12.01 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate
8.86 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditures
3.3% of GDP (2004)
Ethnic groups
black, white
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Infant mortality rate
total: 16.46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Languages
English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72.6 years male: 74.66 years female: 70.44 years (2008 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.)
Median age
total: 28.1 years male: 28 years female: 28.1 years (2008 est.)
Nationality
noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian
Net migration rate
NA (2008 est.)
Population
5,079 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate
0.315% (2008 est.)
Religions
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2006)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter
Capital
name: Plymouth geographic coordinates: 16 42 N, 62 13 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of 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
Constitution
effective 19 December 1989
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat
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)
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter A. WATERWORTH (since 27 July 2007) head of government: Chief Minister Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister
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
Government type
NA
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
International organization participation
Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU, WFTU
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)
Legal system
English common law and statutory law
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 31 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011) 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 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
National holiday
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products
Budget
revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million (1997 est.)
Central bank discount rate
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate
10.4% (31 December 2007)
Currency (code)
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code
XCD
Debt - external
$8.9 million (1997)
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
20.46 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production
22 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976
Exports
$700,000 (2001)
Exports - commodities
electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle
Exports - partners
US, Antigua and Barbuda (2006)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
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.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
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 (2006)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.6% (2002 est.)
Labor force
4,521 note: lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Oil - consumption
505.5 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports
482.6 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - production
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Stock of domestic credit
$5.537 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of money
$17.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money
$43.9 million (31 December 2007)
Unemployment rate
6% (1998 est.)
Communications
Internet country code
.ms
Internet hosts
409 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
17 (2000)
Internet users
NA
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
7,000 (1997)
Telephone system
general assessment: modern and fully digitalized domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad
Telephones - main lines in use
NA
Telephones - mobile cellular
NA
Television broadcast stations
1 (1997)
Televisions
3,000 (1997)
Transportation
Airports
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Ports and terminals
Little Bay, Plymouth
Roadways
note: volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed most of the 227 km road system; a new road infrastructure has been built in the north end of the island (2008)
Military and Security
Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49: 2,528 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49: 2,097 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 31 female: 39 (2008 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches
no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2008)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008