Statistics Montserrat 
Montserrat in the World
Montserrat - Introduction 2017
top of pageBackground: 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.
Area
Total: 102 km²
Land: 102 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 226
Comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Washington DC
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
Land use
Agricultural land: 30%
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pasture: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pasture: 10%
Forest: 25%
Other: 45%
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
Montserrat - People 2017
top of pagePopulation
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%
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.)
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.)
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.)
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
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
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
Drinking water source:
urban: 99% of population
rural: 99% of population
total: 99% of population
urban: 1% of population
rural: 1% of population
total: 1% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 99% of population
total: 99% of population
urban: 1% of population
rural: 1% of population
total: 1% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
urban: 82.9% of population
rural: 82.9% of population
total: 82.9% of population
urban: 17.1% of population
rural: 17.1% of population
total: 17.1% of population (2007 est.)
rural: 82.9% of population
total: 82.9% of population
urban: 17.1% of population
rural: 17.1% of population
total: 17.1% of population (2007 est.)
Montserrat - Government 2017
top of pageCountry 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
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:
Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Reuben MEADE]
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Shirley OSBORNE]
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Shirley OSBORNE]
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
Montserrat - Economy 2017
top of pageEconomy 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 airport 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. Half of the island remains uninhabitable. In January 2013 the EU announced the disbursement of a $55.2 million aid package to Montserrat in order to boost the country's economic recovery with a specific focus on public finance management public sector reform and prudent economic management.
Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. Half of the island remains uninhabitable. In January 2013 the EU announced the disbursement of a $55.2 million aid package to Montserrat in order to boost the country's economic recovery with a specific focus on public finance management public sector reform and prudent economic management.
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%
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.26% (31 December 2016 est.)
7.82% (31 December 2015 est.)
7.82% (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 113
Stock of narrow money:
$23.04 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$17.64 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$17.64 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 193
Stock of broad money:
$91.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$90.69 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$90.69 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 195
Exports:
$5.2 million (2016 est.)
$5.4 million (2015 est.)
$5.4 million (2015 est.)
Rank: 218
Commodities: electronic components plastic bags apparel; hot peppers limes live plants; cattle
Imports:
$31.02 million (2016 est.)
$31.29 million (2015 est.)
$31.29 million (2015 est.)
Rank: 220
Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment foodstuffs manufactured goods fuels lubricants
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$49.36 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$51.47 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$51.47 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 171
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
2.7 (2016 est.)
2.7 (2015 est.)
2.7 (2014 est.)
2.7 (2013 est.)
2.7 (2012 est.)
2.7 (2016 est.)
2.7 (2015 est.)
2.7 (2014 est.)
2.7 (2013 est.)
2.7 (2012 est.)
Montserrat - Energy 2017
top of pageElectricity
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
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
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
Montserrat - Communication 2017
top of pageTelephones
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)
Montserrat - Military 2017
top of pageMontserrat - Transportation 2017
top of pageNational air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3
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
Montserrat - Transnational issues 2017
top of pageRefugees and internally displaced persons
Rank: li>a href='../rankorder/rankorderguide.html'>Guide to Country Comparisons
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