Montserrat

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 2,700 (2018 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 55 (2018 est.)

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

Internet users

percent of population: 54.6% (2011 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 3,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 67 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 5,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2020 est.)

Agricultural products

cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products

Budget

revenues: $55.651 million (2014 est.) expenditures: $43.652 million (2014 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Economic overview

formerly high-income economy; volcanic activity destroyed much of original infrastructure and economy; new capital and port is being developed; key geothermal and solar power generation; key music recording operations

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2024 est.) 2.7 (2023 est.) 2.7 (2022 est.) 2.7 (2021 est.) 2.7 (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

gravel and crushed stone, sand (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

Exports - partners

USA 25%, Antigua & Barbuda 13%, Guyana 13%, Egypt 12%, France 10% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$84.537 million (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

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.)

Imports

$15.3 million (2021 est.) $39.44 million (2017 est.) $36.1 million (2016 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, electric generating sets, cars, stone processing machines, x-ray equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

USA 62%, Antigua & Barbuda 6%, UK 5%, Belgium 4%, Trinidad & Tobago 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industries

tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (2022 est.) 1.7% (2021 est.) -1.9% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$89.254 million (2024 est.) $86.875 million (2023 est.) $80.972 million (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars

Real GDP per capita

$19,300 (2024 est.) $18,200 (2023 est.) $16,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 6,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 15.968 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 370,000 kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2020)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 87.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 12.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 200 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

24,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 24,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Environmental issues

land erosion on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Land use

agricultural land: 30% (2023 est.) arable land: 20% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 10% (2023 est.) forest: 24.2% (2023 est.) other: 45.8% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 9.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Area

total : 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.6 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

40 km

Elevation

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 lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Geographic coordinates

16 45 N, 62 12 W

Geography - note

the island is entirely volcanic in origin and composed of three major volcanic centers of differing ages

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 30% (2023 est.) arable land: 20% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 10% (2023 est.) forest: 24.2% (2023 est.) other: 45.8% (2023 est.)

Location

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

volcanic eruptions; severe hurricanes (June to November) volcanism: Soufri re Hills volcano (915 m) has erupted continuously since 1995; a massive eruption in 1997 destroyed most of the capital, Plymouth, and made about half of the island 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

Natural resources

NEGL

Population distribution

only the northern half of the island is populated; the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity

Terrain

volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Administrative divisions

3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Capital

name: Plymouth geographic coordinates: 16 42 N, 62 13 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: now entirely deserted because of volcanic activity, the city was named after Plymouth, England note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, the de facto capital, at the northwest end of Montserrat

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

history: previous 1960; latest put into force 20 October 2010 (The Montserrat Constitution Order 2010)

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in 1493 after the Benedictine abbey Santa Maria de Montserrat, near Barcelona, Spain

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK); alternate contact is the US Embassy in Barbados [1] (246) 227-4000; US Embassy Bridgetown, Wildey Business Park, St. Michael BB 14006, Barbados, WI

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Sarah TUCKER (since 6 April 2023) head of government: Premier Easton TAYLOR-FARRELL (since 19 November 2019) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the premier, 3 other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes premier

Flag

description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the right half of the flag; the arms show a woman in a green dress standing beside a yellow harp and embracing a large, dark-brown cross with her right arm meaning: the woman is Erin, the female personification of Ireland, the harp is an Irish symbol, and the cross represents the Christian faith; blue stands for awareness, trustworthiness, determination, and righteousness

Government type

parliamentary democracy; self-governing overseas territory of the UK

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU

Judicial branch

highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and 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 travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; Montserrat is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; 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

Legal system

English common law

Legislative branch

legislature name: Legislative Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 12 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/18/2019 parties elected and seats per party: MCAP (5); PDM (3); independent (1) percentage of women in chamber: 33.3% expected date of next election: 2024 note: the Assembly elects the speaker from the outside for a 5-year term; the Assembly includes 2 ex-officio members, the attorney general and the financial secretary

National anthem(s)

title: "Motherland" lyrics/music: Howard FERGUS/George IRISH history: adopted 2013; used as a local anthem and for sporting events and local ceremonies title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a UK territory

National coat of arms

Montserrat's coat of arms dates back to 1909 and reflects the country's Irish settlers, who first arrived in 1632; the woman in the green dress is Erin, the personification of Ireland, and she holds Ireland's symbol, a gold harp; the cross represents Christianity, Monserrat's predominant religion

National holiday

Official birthday of King Charles III, usually celebrated the second Saturday in June (1948)

Political parties

Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP People's Democratic Movement or PDM

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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. The Soufriere Hills Volcano erupted in 1995, devastating much of the island; two thirds of the population fled abroad. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in 2013.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Defense Force (ceremonial, civil defense duties), Montserrat Police Force (2025)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.8% (male 446/female 420) 15-64 years: 76.1% (male 2,062/female 2,101) 65 years and over: 8% (2024 est.) (male 220/female 219)

Birth rate

11.64 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

35.8% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 31.3 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 20.8 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 10.5 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 9.5 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

total: 98.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

7.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.7% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

African/Black 86.2%, mixed 4.8%, Hispanic/Spanish 3%, Caucasian/White 2.7%, East Indian/Indian 1.6%, other 1.8% (2018 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.65 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 9.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.1 years (2024 est.) male: 76.9 years female: 75.3 years

Median age

total: 37.1 years (2025 est.) male: 35.4 years female: 37.8 years

Nationality

noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population

total: 5,468 (2024 est.) male: 2,728 female: 2,740

Population distribution

only the northern half of the island is populated; the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity

Population growth rate

0.55% (2025 est.)

Religions

Protestant 71.4% (includes Anglican 17.7%, Pentecostal/Full Gospel 16.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 15%, Methodist 13.9%, Church of God 6.7%, other Protestant 2%), Roman Catholic 11.4%, Rastafarian 1.4%, Hindu 1.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1%, Muslim 0.4%, other/not stated 5.1%, none 7.9% (2018 est.)

Sanitation facility access

total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.34 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 9.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Airports

1 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

VP-M