Montserrat
NAIndependence none (overseas territory of the UK)
Montserrat as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 119 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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 July 2003.
Geography
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
17 fieldsLand useshare of 102 sq km
Elevation extremes
- lowest point:
- Caribbean Sea 0 m
- highest point:
- lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)
Natural hazards
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)
Geography - note
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages
People
21 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)
Male · female
Government
NA; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Chief Minister Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006)
19 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Legislative Council, 9 seats, elected 31 May 2006one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Capital
- name:
- Plymouth
- geographic coordinates:
- 16 42 N, 62 13 W
- time difference:
- UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of 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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter A. WATERWORTH (since 27 July 2007)
- head of government:
- Chief Minister Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006)
- 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
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 31 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - MCAP 36.1%, NPLM 29.4%, MDP 24.4%, independents 10.1%; seats by party - MCAP 4, NPLM 3, MDP 1, independents 1
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
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)
Political parties and leaders
- Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS];
- Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY];
- New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]
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
Economy
Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy.
42 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(1999 est.)
Electricity
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 volcanic activity 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.
Exports - commodities
- electronic components, plastic bags, apparel;
- hot peppers, limes, live plants;
- cattle
Imports - commodities
machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- modern and fully digitalized
- domestic:
- NA
- international:
- country code - 1-664; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad
Transportation
4 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved only
Roadways
note: volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed most of the 227 km road system; a new road infrastructure has been built in the north end of the island (2008)
Military
No regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2008)
5 fieldsTransnational Issues
2 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Montserrat.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/montserrat/2008.