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
Montserrat
Location:
Caribbean, island in the
Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
severe hurricanes (June to
November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted
continuously since 1995)
Environment - current issues:
land erosion occurs on slopes
that have been cleared for cultivation
Geography - note:
the island is entirely volcanic
in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages
People
Montserrat
Population:
9,638 note: an
estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of
volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2008 est.)
total: 29.7 years
male: 29.3 years female: 30.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.038% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.33 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.95 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64
years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.04
male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008
est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.86 deaths/1,000
live births male: 7.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.15
years male: 76.93 years female: 81.47 years (2008
est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.76 children born/woman (2008
est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian
Ethnic groups:
black, white
Religions:
Anglican, Methodist, Roman
Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian
denominations
Languages:
English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and
over has ever attended school total population: 97%
male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.)
Government
Montserrat
Country name:
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Montserrat
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
NA
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
Administrative divisions:
3 parishes; Saint Anthony,
Saint Georges, Saint Peter
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the
UK)
National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II,
second Saturday in June (1926)
Constitution:
effective 19 December 1989
Legal system:
English common law and
statutory law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
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
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
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)
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
International organization participation:
Caricom, CDB, Interpol
(subbureau), OECS, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the
UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the
UK)
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
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.
electronic components, plastic
bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle
Exports - partners:
US, Antigua and Barbuda (2006)
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, Montserrat (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Country Policy Plan (2001) is a
three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary
assistance (2002 est.)
Debt - external:
$8.9 million (1997)
Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
XCD
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US
dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
note: fixed rate since 1976
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications
Montserrat
Telephones - main lines in use:
NA
Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA
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
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
7,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)
Televisions:
3,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ms
Internet hosts:
367 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)
Internet users:
NA
Transportation
Montserrat
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 under
914 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 227 km
note: volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed most of
the road system (2003)
Ports and terminals:
Little Bay, Plymouth
Military
Montserrat
Military branches:
no regular military forces;
Royal Montserrat Police Force (2008)
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 military service age annually:
males age 16-49: 67
(2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility
of the UK
Transnational Issues
Montserrat
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South
American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
