2015 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

Soufriere Hills volcano pre-eruption height was 915 m; current lava dome is subject to periodic build up and collapse; estimated dome height was 1050 m in 2013

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%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 10%

agricultural land

30%

forest

25%

other

45% (2011 est.)

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

volcanic eruptions; severe hurricanes (June to November)

volcanism

Soufriere Hills volcano (elev. 915 m), has erupted continuously since 1995; a massive eruption in 1997 destroyed most of the capital, Plymouth, and resulted in approximately half of the island becoming uninhabitable

Natural resources

NEGL

Terrain

volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Age structure

0-14 years

17.99% (male 485/female 458)

15-24 years

20.89% (male 567/female 528)

25-54 years

47.89% (male 1,202/female 1,308)

55-64 years

6.98% (male 163/female 203)

65 years and over

6.24% (male 201/female 126) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

11.26 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Death rate

6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 99% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 99% of population

urban: 1% of population

rural: 1% of population

total: 1% of population (2015 est.)

Ethnic groups

African/black 88.4%, mixed 3.7%, hispanic/Spanish 3%, caucasian/white 2.7%, East Indian/Indian 1.5%, other 0.7% (2011 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

16.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

10.22 deaths/1,000 live births

total

13.17 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.57 years (2015 est.)

male

75.64 years

total population

74.14 years

Median age

female

32.5 years (2015 est.)

male

31.5 years

total

31.9 years

Nationality

adjective

Montserratian

noun

Montserratian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Population

5,241

note

an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

0.5% (2015 est.)

Religions

Protestant 67.1% (includes Anglican 21.8%, Methodist 17%, Pentecostal 14.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 10.5%, and Church of God 3.7%), Roman Catholic 11.6%, Rastafarian 1.4%, other 6.5%, none 2.6%, unspecified 10.8% (2001 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 82.9% of population

rural: 82.9% of population

total: 82.9% of population

urban: 17.1% of population

rural: 17.1% of population

total: 17.1% of population (2007 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2007)

male

14 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.07 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.92 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.8 male(s)/female

65 years and over

1.6 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.3 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.65% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

9% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Capital

geographic coordinates

16 42 N, 62 13 W

name

Plymouth; 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

time difference

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

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

previous 1960; latest effective 1 September 2010; amended 2011 (2015)

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 premier, 3 other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Elizabeth CARRIERE (since 5 August 2015)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes premier

head of government

Premier Donaldson ROMERO (since 12 September 2014); note - effective with the new Constitution Order of October 2010, the office of premier replaced the office of 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 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

highest court(s)

the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the itinerant superior court of record for the 9-member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States to include Montserrat; the ECSC - with its headquarters on St. Lucia - is headed by the chief justice and is comprised of the Court of Appeal with 3 justices and the High Court with 16 judges; sittings of the Court of Appeal and High Court rotate among the 9 member states; 1 judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of Montserrat and presides over the High Court; note - Montserrat is also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice

judge selection and term of office

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62

subordinate courts

magistrate's court

Legal system

English common law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats; 9 members directly elected in a single constituency by absolute majority vote in two rounds to serve 5-year terms and 2 ex-officio members - the attorney general and financial secretary)

election results

percent of vote by party - PDM 50.1%, MCAP 35.3%; seats by party - PDM 7, MCAP 2

elections

last held on 11 September 2014 (next to be held by 2019)

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

Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Reuben MEADE]

People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Shirley OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$37.04 million (2014 est.)

revenues

$0

Central bank discount rate

10.99% (31 December 2010)

6.5% (31 December 2009)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

8.02% (31 December 2014 est.)

8% (31 December 2013 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 airport 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. Half of the island remains uninhabitable. In January 2013, the EU announced the disbursement of a $55.2 million aid package to Montserrat in order to boost the country's economic recovery, with a specific focus on public finance management, public sector reform, and prudent economic management.

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

2.7 (2014 est.)

2.7 (2013 est.)

2.7 (2012 est.)

2.7 (2011 est.)

2.7 (2010 est.)

Exports

$3.6 million (2014 est.)

$6.1 million (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

21.5%

government consumption

50.2%

household consumption

87.9%

imports of goods and services

-84.5%

investment in fixed capital

24.9%

investment in inventories

0%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.6%

industry

22.2%

services

76.2% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$8,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.5% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$43.78 million (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$30 million (2014 est.)

$35.5 million (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2014 est.)

Industries

tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5% (2014 est.)

0.9% (2013 est.)

Labor force

4,521 (2012)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$32.08 million (31 December 2012 est.)

$40.51 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$88.59 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$79.75 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$5.185 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$3.704 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$16.69 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$19.86 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Unemployment rate

6% (1998 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

88,010 Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)

Electricity - consumption

23.25 million kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

10,000 kW (2012 est.)

Electricity - production

25 million kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

570 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

568.5 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2012 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 available (2007)

Internet country code

.ms

Internet users

percent of population

23.5% (2009)

total

1,200

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2008)

Telephone system

domestic

combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons

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 (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

59 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

3,100

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

86 (2014 est.)

total

4,500

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Airports

1 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1

under 914 m

1 (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

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 on the north end of the island (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49

1,353 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

1,223 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

1,135

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

34 (2010 est.)

male

35

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2011)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe