Montserrat

Airports

1 with permanent-surface runway 1,036 m

Highways

280 km total; about 200 km paved, 80 km gravel and earth

Ports

Plymouth

Telecommunications

3,000 telephones; stations--8 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV

Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Agriculture

accounts for 4% of GDP; small-scale farming; food crops--tomatoes, onions, peppers; not self-sufficient in food, especially livestock products

Aid

NA

Budget

revenues $10.0 million; expenditures $9.4 million, including capital expenditures of $3.2 million (1987)

Currency

East Caribbean dollar (plural--dollars); 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Electricity

5,000 kW capacity; 12 million kWh produced, 930 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports

$3.0 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--plastic bags, electronic parts, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle; partners--NA

External debt

$3.7 million (1985)

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March

GDP

$45.4 million, per capita $3,780; real growth rate 12% (1988 est.)

Imports

$25.3 million (c.i.f., 1987); commodities--machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials; partners--NA

Industrial production

growth rate 8.1% (1986)

Industries

tourism; light manufacturing--rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.7% (1987)

Overview

The economy is small and open with economic activity centered on tourism and construction. Tourism is the most important sector and accounted for 20% of GDP in 1986. Agriculture accounted for about 4% of GDP and industry 9%. The economy is heavily dependent on imports, making it vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices. Exports consist mainly of electronic parts sold to the US.

Unemployment rate

3.0% (1987)

Climate

tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

40 km

Comparative area

about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Environment

subject to severe hurricanes from June to November

Exclusive fishing zone

200 nm;

Land boundaries

none

Land use

20% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 10% meadows and pastures; 40% forest and woodland; 30% other

Natural resources

negligible

Note

located 400 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea

Terrain

volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Territorial sea

3 nm

Total area

100 km2; land area: 100 km2

Administrative divisions

3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Capital

Plymouth

Communists

probably none

Constitution

1 January 1960

Diplomatic representation

none (colony of the UK)

Executive branch

monarch, governor, Executive Council (cabinet), chief minister

Flag

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

Independence

none (colony of the UK)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Christopher J. TURNER (since 1987); Head of Government--Chief Minister John A. OSBORNE (since 1978)

Legal system

English common law and statute law

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council

Long-form name

none

National holiday

Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second Saturday of June)

Political parties and leaders

People's Liberation Movement (PLM), John Osborne; Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), Howell Bramble; United National Front (UNF), Dr. George Irish; National Development Party (NDP), Bertrand Osborne

Suffrage

universal at age 18 Legislative Council--last held on 25 August 1987 (next to be held NA 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(11 total, 7 elected) PLM 4, NDP 2, PDP 1

Type

dependent territory of the UK

Birth rate

16 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

mostly black with a few Europeans

Infant mortality rate

9 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

5,100; 40.5% community, social, and personal services, 13.5% construction, 12.3% trade, restaurants, and hotels, 10.5% manufacturing, 8.8% agriculture, forestry, and fishing, 14.4% other (1983 est.)

Language

English

Life expectancy at birth

74 years male, 80 years female (1990)

Literacy

77%

Nationality

noun--Montserratian(s); adjective--Montserratian

Net migration rate

- 4 migrant/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

30% of labor force, three trade unions with 1,500 members (1984 est.)

Population

12,467 (July 1990), growth rate 0.3% (1990)

Religion

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

Total fertility rate

2.2 children born/woman (1990)