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 2013.
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
16 45 N, 62 12 W
Central America and the Caribbean
total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 226
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
0 km
40 km
territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200nm
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
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 1,050 m in 2015
NEGL
agricultural land: 30% (2011 est.)
arable land: 20% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 10% (2011 est.)
forest: 25% (2011 est.)
other: 45% (2011 est.)
0 sq km (2012)
only the northern half of the island is populated, the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity
volcanic eruptions; severe hurricanes (June to November) volcanism: Soufriere Hills volcano (915 m), 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
land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages
5,315 (July 2018 est.)
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
country comparison to the world: 228
noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian
African/black 88.4%, mixed 3.7%, hispanic/Spanish 3%, caucasian/white 2.7%, East Indian/Indian 1.5%, other 0.7% (2011 est.)
English
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.)
0-14 years: 15.99%(male 436 /female 414)
15-24 years: 21.39%(male 588 /female 549)
25-54 years: 47.58%(male 1,224 /female 1,305)
55-64 years: 8.81%(male 214 /female 254)
65 years and over: 6.23%(male 191 /female 140) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:
total: 33.8 years (2018 est.)
male: 33.1 years
female: 34.4 years
country comparison to the world: 90
0.43% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
10.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
only the northern half of the island is populated, the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity
urban population: 9.1% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.64% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.36 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
total: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 9.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.5 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 116
total population: 74.8 years (2018 est.)
male: 76.1 years
female: 73.5 years
country comparison to the world: 121
1.34 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216
improved: urban: 99% of population
rural: 99% of population
total: 99% of population
unimproved: urban: 1% of population
rural: 1% of population
total: 1% of population (2015 est.)
improved: urban: 82.9% of population (2007 est.)
rural: 82.9% of population (2007 est.)
total: 82.9% of population (2007 est.)
unimproved: urban: 17.1% of population (2007 est.)
rural: 17.1% of population (2007 est.)
total: 17.1% of population (2007 est.)
NA
NA
NA
5.1% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 59
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
overseas territory of the UK
parliamentary democracy; self-governing overseas territory of the UK
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 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology and note: now entirely deserted because of volcanic activity, the city was originally named after Plymouth, England; de jure, Plymouth remains the capital city of Montserrat; it is therefore the only ghost town that serves as the capital of a political entity
3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, usually celebrated the Monday after the second Saturday in June (1926)
history: previous 1960; latest effective 1 September 2010 (The Montserrat Constitution Order 2010)
amendments: amended 2011 (2018)
English common law
see United Kingdom
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Andrew PEARCE (since 1 February 2018)
head of government: Premier Donaldson ROMERO (since 12 September 2014); note - effective with The Constitution Order 2010, effective 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
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes premier
description: unicameral Legislative Assembly (11 seats; 9 members directly elected in a single constituency by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds to serve 5-year terms and 2 ex-officio members - the attorney general and financial secretary)
elections: last held on 11 September 2014 (next scheduled for 30 September 2019)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 50.0%, MCAP 35.4%, other 14.6%; seats by party - PDM 7, MCAP 2; composition - men 7, women 2, percent of women 22.2%
highest courts: the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) 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, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in 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
Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Easton Taylor FARRELL]
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Donaldson ROMERO]
Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU
none (overseas territory of the UK)
none (overseas territory of the UK)
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
note: as a territory of the UK, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
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. Montserrat is tied to the EU through the UK. Although the UK is leaving the EU, Montserrat’s aid will not be affected as Montserrat maintains a direct agreement with the EU regarding aid.
$167.4 million (2011 est.)
$155.9 million (2010 est.)
$162.7 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 223
$167.4 million(2011 est.) (2011 est.)
7.4% (2011 est.)
-4.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
$34,000 (2011 est.)
$31,100 (2010 est.)
$32,300 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
household consumption: 90.8% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 50.4% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 17.9% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 29.5% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -88.6% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 1.9% (2017 est.)
industry: 7.8% (2017 est.)
services: 90.3% (2017 est.)
cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
-21% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
4,521 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 222
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 12.7%
services: 85.9% (2017 est.)
5.6% (2017 est.)
6% (1998 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
NA
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
revenues: 66.67 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: 47.04 million (2017 est.)
1 April - 31 March
1.2% (2017 est.)
-0.2% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
10.99% (31 December 2010)
6.5% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 20
6.95% (31 December 2017 est.)
7.21% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
$28.33 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$23.04 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
$28.33 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$23.04 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
$5.185 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.481 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
-$15.4 million (2017 est.)
-$12.2 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
$4.4 million (2017 est.)
$5.2 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 218
US 29%, France 23%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 22.2% (2017)
electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle
$39.44 million (2017 est.)
$36.1 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 221
machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants
US 72.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 6%, UK 4.1% (2017)
$47.58 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$51.47 million (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
$8.9 million (1997)
country comparison to the world: 200
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
2.7 (2017 est.)
2.7 (2016 est.)
2.7 (2015 est.)
2.7 (2014 est.)
2.7 (2013 est.)
24 million kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
22.32 million kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
5,000 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
400 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
406 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
57,180 Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
total subscriptions: 3,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 57 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
total subscriptions: 5,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 95 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
general assessment: modern and fully digitalized; high dependency on tourism and offshore financial services; operators expand FttP (Fiber to Home) services; LTE launches and operators invest in mobile networks (2018)
domestic: fixed-line 57 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity 95 per 100 persons (2018)
international: country code - 1-664; landing point for the ECFS optic submarine cable with links to 14 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad (2019)
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)
.ms
total: 2,860
percent of population: 54.6% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 219
no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Defence Force (ceremonial, civil defense duties), Montserrat Police Force (2019)
defense is the responsibility of the UK
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3 (2015)
VP-M (2016)
1 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 229
total: 1 (2017)
under 914 m: 1 (2017)
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
major seaport(s): Little Bay, Plymouth
none
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe