Montserrat :: Central America and Caribbean
Introduction
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. 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.
Geography
Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
16 45 N, 62 12 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total:
102 sq km
land:
102 sq km
water:
0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 225
Area - comparative:
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
40 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
12
nm
exclusive fishing zone:
200
nm
Climate:
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Elevation:
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
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
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.)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
(2012)
Population distribution:
only the northern half of the island is populated, the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity
Natural hazards:
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
Environment - current issues:
land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
Geography - note:
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages
People and Society
Population:
5,373
(July 2020 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: 226
Nationality:
noun:
Montserratian(s)
adjective:
Montserratian
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.)
Languages:
English
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:
16.02%
(male 443/female 418)
15-24 years:
20.55%
(male 579/female 525)
25-54 years:
47.09%
(male 1,217/female 1,313)
55-64 years:
9.79%
(male 246/female 280)
65 years and over:
6.55%
(male 196/female 156)
(2020 est.)
Median age:
total:
34.8 years
male:
34.1 years
female:
35.6 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Population growth rate:
0.58%
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
Birth rate:
11.7 births/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Death rate:
6 deaths/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Population distribution:
only the northern half of the island is populated, the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity
Urbanization:
urban population:
9.1% of total population
(2020)
rate of urbanization:
0.64% annual rate of change
(2015-20 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years:
1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years:
1.1 male(s)/female
25-54 years:
0.93 male(s)/female
55-64 years:
0.88 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
1.26 male(s)/female
total population:
1 male(s)/female
(2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total:
11.1 deaths/1,000 live births
male:
8.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
13.4 deaths/1,000 live births
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
75.3 years
male:
76.4 years
female:
74.1 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Total fertility rate:
1.36 children born/woman
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 219
Drinking water source:
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.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Education expenditures:
8.8% of GDP
(2019)
country comparison to the world: 4
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:
14 years
male:
13 years
female:
15 years
(2019)
Government
Country 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
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
parliamentary democracy; 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 (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
Administrative divisions:
3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, usually celebrated the Monday after the second Saturday in June (1926)
Constitution:
history:
previous 1960; latest effective 1 September 2010 (The Montserrat Constitution Order 2010)
amendments:
amended 2011
Legal system:
English common law
Citizenship:
see United Kingdom
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Andrew PEARCE (since 1 February 2018)
head of government:
Premier Easton TAYLOR-FARRELL (since 19 November 2019); 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
Legislative branch:
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 18 November 2019 (next scheduled for 2024)
election results:
percent of vote by party - MCAP 42.7%, PDM 29.9%, other 17.1%; seats by party - MCAP 5, PDM 3, independent 1
Judicial branch:
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
Political parties and leaders:
Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Easton Taylor FARRELL] ++ People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Donaldson ROMERO]
International organization participation:
Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK); alternate contact is the US Embassy in Barbados [1] (246) 227-4000; US Embassy in Bridgetown, Wildey Business Park, St. Michael BB 14006, Barbados, WI
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
National anthem:
note: as a territory of the UK, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy
Economic 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. 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.
GDP real growth rate:
7.4%
(2011 est.)
-4.2%
(2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.2%
(2017 est.)
-0.2%
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
Credit ratings:
Standard & Poors rating:
BBB-
(2020)
GDP (purchasing power parity) - real:
$167.4 billion
(2011 est.)
$155.9 billion
(2010 est.)
$162.7 billion
(2009 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$167.4 million
(2011 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$34,000
(2011 est.)
$31,100
(2010 est.)
$32,300
(2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:
1.9%
(2017 est.)
industry:
7.8%
(2017 est.)
services:
90.3%
(2017 est.)
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.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores:
Agriculture - products:
cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products
Industries:
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
Industrial production growth rate:
-21%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
Labor force:
4,521
(2012)
country comparison to the world: 221
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:
1.4%
industry:
12.7%
services:
85.9%
(2017 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5.6%
(2017 est.)
6%
(1998 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:
NA
highest 10%:
NA
Budget:
revenues:
66.67 million
(2017 est.)
expenditures:
47.04 million
(2017 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Current account balance:
-$15.4 million
(2017 est.)
-$12.2 million
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Exports:
$4.4 million
(2017 est.)
$5.2 million
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 218
Exports - partners:
US 29%, France 23%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 22.2%
(2017)
Exports - commodities:
electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle
Imports:
$39.44 million
(2017 est.)
$36.1 million
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 221
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants
Imports - partners:
US 72.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 6%, UK 4.1%
(2017)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$47.58 million
(31 December 2017 est.)
$51.47 million
(31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
Debt - external:
$8.9 million
(1997)
country comparison to the world: 200
Exchange rates:
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.)
Energy
Electricity - production:
24 million kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
Electricity - consumption:
22.32 million kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
5,000 kW
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
100% of total installed capacity
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl
(1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
400 bbl/day
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
Refined petroleum products - imports:
406 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m
(1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
57,180 Mt
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions:
3,227
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
60.4
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total subscriptions:
5,377
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
100.66
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
Telecommunication systems:
general assessment:
telecom market one of growth in Caribbean 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; effective competition in all sectors
(2020)
domestic:
fixed-line 60 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity 101 per 100 persons
(2019)
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)
note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
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:
total:
2,860
percent of population:
54.6%
(July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 222
Transportation
National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers:
1
(2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:
3
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
VP-M
(2016)
Airports:
1
(2013)
country comparison to the world: 228
Airports - with paved runways:
total:
1
(2019)
under 914 m:
1
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
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s):
Little Bay, Plymouth
Military and Security
Military and security forces:
no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Defence Force (ceremonial, civil defense duties), Montserrat Police Force
(2019)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
