Map of Montserrat | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of the population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano that began on 18 July 1995.


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Location: Caribbean island in the Caribbean Sea southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N 62 12 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims

Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: volcanic islands mostly mountainous with small coastal lowland

Elevation

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (full-scale eruptions of the Soufriere Hills volcano occurred during 1996-97)

Geography


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Population: 6,409
Growth rate: 20.53% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: black white

Languages: English

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 20.53% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 17.48 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 7.49 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 195.35 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 9.1 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: NA

Capital: Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)

Administrative divisions: 3 parishes; Saint Anthony Saint Georges Saint Peter's

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second Saturday of June)

Constitution: present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Legal system: English common law and statutory law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats 7 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)

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: Movement for National Reconstruction or MNR [Percival Austin BRAMBLE]; National Development Party or NDP [leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Bertrand OSBORNE]

International organization participation: Caricom CDB ECLAC (associate) ICFTU Interpol (subbureau) OECS WCL

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)
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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Severe volcanic activity which began in July 1995 put a damper on this small open economy throughout 1996-99. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the air and sea ports 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. Construction was the dominant activity in 1997 and 1998. GDP declined again in 1998. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK committed about $100 million in 1996-98 to help reconstruct the economy and has programmed additional aid for 1999-2001.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -16% (1998 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $N/A

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: cabbages carrots cucumbers tomatoes onions peppers; livestock products

Industries: tourism rum textiles electronic appliances

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 4,521 (1992); note - recently lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity
By occupation agriculture: NA%
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA%

Unemployment rate: 20% (1996 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5% (1998)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $1.5 million (1998)
Commodities: electronic components plastic bags apparel hot peppers live plants cattle
Partners: US Antigua and Barbuda (1993)

Imports: $26 million (1998)
Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment foodstuffs manufactured goods fuels lubricants and related materials
Partners: US UK Trinidad and Tobago Japan Canada (1993)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $8.9 million (1997)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)


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Electricity
Production: 10 million kWh (1998)
Consumption: 9 million kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 4,000 (1992)
Mobile cellular: 70 (1994)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: NA

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (1999 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs