2019 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 2013.

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

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 1,050 m in 2015

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

0 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

30% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

20% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

0% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

10% (2011 est.)

Forest

25% (2011 est.)

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

12 nm

Natural Hazards

volcanic eruptions; severe hurricanes (June to November)volcanism: Soufriere Hills volcano (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; the island of Montserrat is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

Natural Resources

NEGL

Population Distribution

only the northern half of the island is populated, the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity

Terrain

volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Age Structure

0 14 Years

15.99% (male 436 /female 414)

15 24 Years

21.39% (male 588 /female 549)

25 54 Years

47.58% (male 1,224 /female 1,305)

55 64 Years

8.81% (male 214 /female 254)

65 Years And Over

6.23% (male 191 /female 140) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

10.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Death Rate

6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

99% of population

Improved Total

99% of population

Improved Urban

99% of population

Unimproved Rural

1% of population

Unimproved Total

1% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

1% of population

Education Expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2009)

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.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

14.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

9.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

English

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

73.5 years

Male

76.1 years

Total Population

74.8 years (2018 est.)

Median Age

Female

34.4 years

Male

33.1 years

Total

33.8 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Montserratian

Noun

Montserratian(s)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Population

5,315 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.43% (2018 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

Improved Rural

82.9% of population (2007 est.)

Improved Total

82.9% of population (2007 est.)

Improved Urban

82.9% of population (2007 est.)

Unimproved Rural

17.1% of population (2007 est.)

Unimproved Total

17.1% of population (2007 est.)

Unimproved Urban

17.1% of population (2007 est.)

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.05 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.07 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

0.94 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.84 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

1.36 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.04 male(s)/female

Total Population

1 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.34 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

0.64% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

9.1% of total population (2019)

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, the de facto capital, 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

Amendments

amended 2011 (2018)

History

previous 1960; latest effective 1 September 2010 (The Montserrat Constitution Order 2010)

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

none

Conventional Short Form

Montserrat

Etymology

island named by explorer Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 after the Benedictine abbey Santa Maria de Montserrat, near Barcelona, Spain

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 Andrew PEARCE (since 1 February 2018)

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 Constitution Order 2010, effective 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

parliamentary democracy; self-governing overseas territory of the UK

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International Organization Participation

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

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 1 assigned to Montserrat; Montserrat is also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, and independent body of judicial officials; 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 Assembly (11 seats; 9 members directly elected in a single constituency by absolute majority vote in 2 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 50.0%, MCAP 35.4%, other 14.6%; seats by party - PDM 7, MCAP 2; composition - men 7, women 2, percent of women 22.2%

Elections

last held on 11 September 2014 (next scheduled for 30 September 2019)

National Anthem

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

National Holiday

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, usually celebrated the Monday after the second Saturday in June (1926)

Political Parties And Leaders

Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Easton Taylor FARRELL] People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Donaldson ROMERO]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures

47.04 million (2017 est.)

Revenues

66.67 million (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2009

6.5%

31 December 2010

10.99%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

7.21%

31 December 2017

6.95%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$12.2 million

2017

-$15.4 million

Debt External

1997

$8.9 million

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. Montserrat is tied to the EU through the UK. Although the UK is leaving the EU, Montserrat’s aid will not be affected as Montserrat maintains a direct agreement with the EU regarding aid.

Exchange Rates

2013

2.7

2014

2.7

2015

2.7

2016

2.7

2017

2.7

Currency

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$5.2 million

2017

$4.4 million

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

US 29%, France 23%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 22.2% (2017)

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

29.5% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

50.4% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

90.8% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-88.6% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

17.9% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

-0.1% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

1.9% (2017 est.)

Industry

7.8% (2017 est.)

Services

90.3% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$167.4 million (2011 est.) (2011 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2009

$32,300

2010

$31,100

2011

$34,000

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2009

$162.7 million

2010

$155.9 million

2011

$167.4 million

GDP Real Growth Rate

2010

-4.2%

2011

7.4%

Imports

2016

$36.1 million

2017

$39.44 million

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

US 72.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 6%, UK 4.1% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

-21% (2017 est.)

Industries

tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

-0.2%

2017

1.2%

Labor Force

4,521 (2012)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

1.4%

Industry

12.7%

Services

85.9% (2017 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2015

$51.47 million

31 December 2017

$47.58 million

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$23.04 million

31 December 2017

$28.33 million

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$1.481 million

31 December 2017

$5.185 million

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$23.04 million

31 December 2017

$28.33 million

Unemployment Rate

1998

6%

2017

5.6%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

57,180 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Consumption

22.32 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

5,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

24 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

400 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

406 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2015 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

54.6% (July 2016 est.)

Total

2,860

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line 57 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity 95 per 100 persons (2018)

General Assessment

modern and fully digitalized; high dependency on tourism and offshore financial services; operators expand FttP (Fiber to Home) services; LTE launches and operators invest in mobile networks (2018)

International

country code - 1-664; landing point for the ECFS optic submarine cable with links to 14 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

57 (July 2016 est.)

Total Subscriptions

3,000

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

95 (July 2016 est.)

Total Subscriptions

5,000

Airports

1 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

Total

1 (2017)

Under 914 M

1 (2017)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

VP-M (2016)

National Air Transport System

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

3 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

1 (2015)

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 on the north end of the island

Military And Security Forces

no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Defence Force (ceremonial, civil defense duties), Montserrat Police Force (2019)

Military Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes International

none

Illicit Drugs

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