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.

Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N 62 12 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
Territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: volcanic islands mostly mountainous with small coastal lowland

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Arable land: 20%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996)

Geography
Note: the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes

Population
Note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: 8.43% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Montserratian
Adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups: black white

Languages: English

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 23.6% (male 1,001; female 986)
15-64 years: 65% (male 2,624; female 2,864)
65 years and over: 11.4% (male 508; female 454) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 8.43% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.54 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.47 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 74.2 migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male/female
65 years and over: 1.12 male/female
Total population: 0.96 male/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.98 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.2 years
Female: 80.4 years (2002 est.)
Male: 76.1 years

Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
Total population: 97%
Male: 97%
Female: 97% (1970 est.)

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Montserrat

Government type: NA

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 Anthony LONGRIGG (since NA May 2001)
Elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister
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

Legislative branch
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
Elections: last held NA April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2

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: National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. 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

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.

Real gdp growth rate: -1.5% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,400 (1999 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 5%
Industry: 14%
Services: 81% (1996 est.)

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 - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity
By occupation agriculture: NA%
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA%

Unemployment rate: 6% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Budget
Revenues: $31.4 million
Expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5% (1998) (1998)

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)

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

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

Electricity
Production: 5 million kWh (2000)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (2000)
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 4.65 million kWh (2000)
Exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 4,000 (1997)
Mobile cellular: 70 (1994)

Telephone system
General assessment: NA
Domestic: NA
International: NA

Internet
Country code: .ms
Service providers isps: 17 (2000)
Users: NA

Airports: none; only airport was destroyed by volcanic activity; a helicopter service to Antigua is used

Railways: 0 km (2003)

Waterways: none

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Disputes international: none

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