Map of Montserrat | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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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.


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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
Total: 102 km²
Land: 102 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 226
Comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: volcanic island mostly mountainous with small coastal lowland

Elevation
Mean elevation: NA
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m: 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 2015

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Agricultural land: 30%
Forest: 25%
Other: 45%

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: volcanic eruptions; severe hurricanes (June to November)
Volcanism: Soufriere Hills volcano 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

Geography
Note: the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages


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Population
Distribution: only the northern half of the island is populated the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity: 5,292
Note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
Rank: 228
Growth rate: 0.45% (2017 est.)
Growth rate rank: 152
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Montserratian
Adjective: Montserratian

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.)

Languages: English

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.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.5%
15-24 years: 21.52%
25-54 years: 47.43%
55-64 years: 8.45%
65 years and over: 6.1% (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 33.2 years
Male: 32.6 years
Female: 33.7 years
Rank: 94

Population growth rate: 0.45% (2017 est.)
Rank: 152

Birth rate: 10.8 births/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 183

Death rate: 6.2 deaths/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 154

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 89

Population distribution: only the northern half of the island is populated the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity

Urbanization
Urban population: 9% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.7% annual rate of change

Major urban areas

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male/female
15-24 years: 1.08 male/female
25-54 years: 0.92 male/female
55-64 years: 0.83 male/female
65 years and over: 1.6 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 12.3 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 9.7 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 15.1 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 116

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.6 years
Male: 75.9 years
Female: 73.2 years
Rank: 122

Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (2017 est.)
Rank: 216

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 5.1% of GDP (2009)

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 17 years

Youth unemployment


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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

Government type: parliamentary democracy (Legislative Council); self-governing overseas territory of the UK

Capital
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
Geographic coordinates: 16 42 N 62 13 W
Time difference: UTC-4

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

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution: previous 1960; latest effective 1 September 2010; amended 2011 (2016)

Legal system: English common law

International law organization participation

Citizenship: see United Kingdom

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II ; represented by Governor Elizabeth CARRIERE (since 5 August 2015)
Head of government: Premier Donaldson ROMERO ; note - effective with the new Constitution Order of October 2010 the office of premier replaced the office of chief minister
Cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor the premier 3 other ministers the attorney general and the finance secretary
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections the leader of the majority party usually becomes premier

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Legislative Assembly
Elections: last held on 11 September 2014
Election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 50.0% MCAP 35.4% other 14.6%; seats by party - PDM 7 MCAP 2

Judicial branch
Highest court: the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court 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 travelling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside at 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

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: Caricom CDB Interpol (subbureau) OECS UPU

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 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

National symbols

National anthem
Note: as a territory of the UK 'God Save the Queen' is official

National heritage


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Economy overview:

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $43.78 million (2006 est.)
Rank: 225

Real gdp growth rate: 3.5% (2008 est.)
Rank: 80

Real gdp per capita: $8,500 (2006 est.)
Rank: 146

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 86.9%
Government consumption: 52.4%
Investment in fixed capital: 21.2%
Investment in inventories: -0.1%
Exports of goods and services: 24%
Imports of goods and services: -84.4%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.6%
Industry: 21.8%
Services: 76.6%

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

Industries: tourism rum textiles electronic appliances

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2016 est.)
Rank: 112

Labor force: 4,521 (2012)
Rank: 223

Unemployment rate: 6% (1998 est.)
Rank: 80

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $37.04 million
Expenditures: $37.04 million

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 40

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 20

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 113

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 193

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 195

Stock of domestic credit: $1.481 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Rank: 190

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports:
Rank: 218
Commodities: electronic components plastic bags apparel; hot peppers limes live plants; cattle

Imports:
Rank: 220
Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment foodstuffs manufactured goods fuels lubricants

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 171

Debt external: $8.9 million (1997)
Rank: 201

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 24 million kWh (2015 est.)
Production rank: 213
Consumption: 22.32 million kWh (2015 est.)
Consumption rank: 211
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 166
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 171
Installed generating capacity: 5,000 kW (2015 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 214
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 12
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 137
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 187
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 196

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 166
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 159
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 157
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 164

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products production rank: 170
Products consumption: 570 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption rank: 209
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products exports rank: 177
Products imports: 416.4 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products imports rank: 207

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 165
Consumption: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 205
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 145
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 152
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 es)
Proven reserves rank: 168

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 88,010 Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 209

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 3,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 57
Fixed lines rank: 210
Mobile cellular total: 5,000
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 95
Mobile cellular rank: 215

Telephone system
General assessment: modern and fully digitalized
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 150 per 100 persons
International: country code - 1-664; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System optic submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad (2016)

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
Users total: 2,860
Users percent of population: 54.6%
Users rank: 212

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
Number of registered air carriers: 1
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: VP-M (2016)

Airports: 1 (2013)
Rank: 226
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

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

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Little Bay Plymouth


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Rank: li>a href='../rankorder/rankorderguide.html'>Guide to Country Comparisons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe