You are here: Travel Guides >

Montserrat travel guides

Montserrat - General Country Information

Introduction
Geography
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Military
Transnational Issues

Introduction

General Information: Montserrat

The capital of Montserrat is Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to 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).

Major cities of Montserrat are:
Montserrat.

Geography

Location:	Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Coordinates:	16 45 N, 62 12 W
Area:	total: 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area Comparative:	about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
Land Boundaries:	0 km
Coastline:	40 km
Maritime Claims:	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:	tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:	volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Elevation Extremes:	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m
Natural Resources:	negligible
Land Use:	arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2001)
Irrigated Land:	NA sq km
Natural Hazards:	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
Note:	the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes

People

Population:	9,245 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2004 est.)
Age Structure:	total: 28.2 years male: 28 years female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)
Population Growth Rate:	1.03% (2004 est.)
Birth Rate:	17.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death Rate:	7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Migration Rate:	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex Ratio:	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate:	total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Expectancy Birth:	total population: 78.53 years male: 76.39 years female: 80.78 years (2004 est.)
Fertility Rate:	1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)
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.)

Gouvernment

Country Name:	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat
Capital:	Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to 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:	present constitution came into force 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 Deborah Barnes JONES (since 10 May 2004) head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001) 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 April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2 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 Leaders:	National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]
International Organization Participation:	Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU
Diplomatic in US:	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic from 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

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 volcano 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.
GDP:	purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)
GDP Growth Rate:	-1% (2002 est.)
GDP Capital:	purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)
GDP Composition:	agriculture: 5.4% industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.)
Household Income:	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation Rate:	2.6% (2002 est.)
Labor Force:	4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)
Labor Force Occupation:	agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
Unemployment Rate:	6% (1998 est.)
Budget:	revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)
Agriculture Products:	cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, livestock products
Industries:	tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
Electricity Production:	2.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity Consumption:	2.325 million kWh (2001)
Electricity Exports:	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity Imports:	0 kWh (2001)
Oil Production:	0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil Consumption:	400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil Exports:	NA (2001)
Oil Imports:	NA (2001)
Exports:	$700,000 (2001)
Exports Commodities:	electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle
Exports Partners:	US, Antigua and Barbuda
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
Debt External:	$8.9 million (1997)
Currency:	East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency Code:	XCD
Exchange Rates:	East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal Year:	1 April - 31 March

Communications

Mobile Cellular:	70 (1994)
Telephone System:	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664
Radio Stations:	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television Stations:	1 (1997)
Internet Code:	.ms