Montserrat

Internet country code

.ms

Internet users

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664

Telephones - main lines in use

NA

Telephones - mobile cellular

70 (1994)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)

Currency

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code

XCD

Debt - external

$8.9 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient

As of 31 March 2003, UK's DFID had provided about $328 million in economic relief from volcanic activity, and by 31 March 2006, DFID aid is expected to total $411 million.

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.

Electricity - consumption

2.325 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

2.5 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

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

Exports

$700,000 (2001)

Exports - commodities

electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle

Exports - partners

US, Antigua and Barbuda

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5.4% industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-1% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$17 million (2001)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Imports - partners

US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force

4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Oil - consumption

400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Unemployment rate

6% (1998 est.)

Area

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

Area - comparative

about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

40 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Geographic coordinates

16 45 N, 62 12 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)

Natural resources

negligible

Terrain

volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Administrative divisions

3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

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)

Constitution

present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Deborah Barnes JONES (since 10 May 2004) 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 elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister

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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

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

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)

Legal system

English common law and statutory law

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2 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

National holiday

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

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.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Military branches

no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,092; female 1,062) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,889; female 3,162) 65 years and over: 11.2% (male 543; female 497) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

17.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

black, white

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.53 years male: 76.39 years female: 80.78 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.)

Median age

total: 28.2 years male: 28 years female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

9,245 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

1.03% (2004 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

Airports

1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 227 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003)

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay