Montserrat
NAIndependence none (overseas territory of the UK)
Montserrat as the 2012 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 128 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
volcanic eruptions; severe hurricanes (June to November)
- volcanism:
- Soufriere Hills volcano (elev. 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
Geography - note
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages
People and Society
23 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2012 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Religions
Protestant (Anglican, Methodist, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations), Roman Catholic
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.07 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.08 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.93 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.55 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Government
NA; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Premier Rueben T. MEADE (since 27 September 2011)
20 fieldsLegislative Council, 9 seats, elected 8 September 2009one dot, one seat
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 Adrian DAVIS (since 8 April 2011)
- head of government:
- Premier Rueben T. MEADE (since 27 September 2011);
- note - the office of premier came into effect with the new Constitution Order;
- he replaces the Chief Minister
- cabinet:
- Executive Council consists of the governor, the premier, 3 other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- the monarchy is hereditary;
- governor appointed by the monarch;
- following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes premier
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats; 9 members popularly elected to serve five-year terms; the attorney general and financial secretary sit as ex-officio members)
- elections:
- last held on 8 September 2009 (next to be held by 2014)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MCAP 6, independents 3
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 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 United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy
Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy.
26 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2012 est.)
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 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.
Central bank discount rate
10.99% (31 December 2010 est.) · 6.5% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Commercial bank prime lending rate
8.3% (31 December 2012 est.) · 8.56% (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 111
Stock of narrow money
$16.17 million (31 December 2012 est.) · $15.25 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Stock of broad money
$71.33 million (31 December 2011 est.) · $63.19 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Stock of domestic credit
$5.185 million (31 December 2011 est.) · $12.59 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
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 (2012 est.) · 2.7 (2011 est.) · 2.7 (2010 est.) · 2.7 (2009)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 10,000 kW(2009 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
147,100 Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 203
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- modern and fully digitalized
- domestic:
- combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons
- 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
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)
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 on the north end of the island (2008)
Military
No regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2011)
5 fieldsTransnational Issues
2 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Montserrat.” The World Factbook 2012. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/montserrat/2012.