2010 Edition

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.

Area

land

102 sq km

total

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

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

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%

other

80% (2005)

permanent crops

0%

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

3 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

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.6% (male 731/female 678) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,599/female 1,738) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 232/female 119) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

11.72 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

7.82 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 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

female

19.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

11.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

15.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

female

70.91 years (2010 est.)

male

74.82 years

total population

72.91 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

female

97% (1970 est.)

male

97%

total population

97%

Median age

female

29.4 years (2010 est.)

male

28.8 years

total

29.1 years

Nationality

adjective

Montserratian

noun

Montserratian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

Population

5,118 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

0.391% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2007)

male

14 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.033 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.25 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

14% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Capital

geographic coordinates

16 42 N, 62 13 W

name

Plymouth

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

cabinet

Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, 3 other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter A. WATERWORTH (since 27 July 2007)

elections

the monarchy 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 Rueben MEADE (since 10 September 2009)

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 arms feature a woman in green dress, Erin, the female personification of Ireland, standing beside a yellow harp and embracing a large dark cross with her right arm; Erin and the harp are symbols of Ireland reflecting the territory's Irish ancestry; blue represents awareness, trustworthiness, determination, and righteousness

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

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

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 members popularly elected to serve five-year terms; the attorney general and financial secretary sit as ex-officio members)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MCAP 6, independents 3

elections

last held on 8 September 2009 (next to be held by 2014)

National anthem

note: as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)

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

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2009) 6.5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.04% (31 December 2009 est.) 9.89% (31 December 2008 est.)

Debt - external

$8.9 million (1997)

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 (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

22 million kWh (2007 est.)

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 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

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); $17 million

Imports - commodities

machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force

NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

521 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Stock of broad money

$69.63 million (31 December 2009) $62.13 million (31 December 2008)

Stock of domestic credit

$9.93 million (31 December 2008 est.) $5.537 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$14.13 million (31 December 2009) $14.51 million (31 December 2008)

Unemployment rate

6% (1998 est.)

Broadcast media

Radio Montserrat, a public radio broadcaster, transmits on 1 station and has a repeater transmission to a second station; repeater transmissions from the GEM Radio Network of Trinidad and Tobago provide another 2 radio stations; cable and satellite TV are obtainable (2007)

Internet country code

.ms

Internet hosts

552 (2010)

Internet users

1,200 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone systems available

general assessment

modern and fully digitalized

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

2,700 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

3,000 (2008)

Airports

2 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 under 914 m: 2 (2010)

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)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,339 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,127 females age 16-49: 1,217 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

36 (2010 est.)

male

38

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2010)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe page last updated on January 11, 2011 ======================================================================