ARCHIVE // MS // 2002

Montserrat

2002 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]
17 (2000)
Internet country code [time series]
.ms
Internet users [time series]
NA
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios [time series]
7,000 (1997)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
4,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
70 (1994)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
1 (1997)
Televisions [time series]
3,000 (1997)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products
Budget [time series]
revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]
XCD
Debt - external [time series]
$8.9 million (1997) (1997)
Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]
Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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 [time series]
4.65 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production [time series]
5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source [time series]
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Exchange rates [time series]
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports [time series]
$1.5 million (1998)
Exports - commodities [time series]
electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle
Exports - partners [time series]
US, Antigua and Barbuda (1993)
Fiscal year [time series]
1 April - 31 March
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $31 million (1999 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 5% industry: 14% services: 81% (1996 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $2,400 (1999 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
-1.5% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$26 million (1998)
Imports - commodities [time series]
machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials
Imports - partners [time series]
US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (1993)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
5% (1998) (1998)
Labor force [time series]
4,521 (1992); note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate [time series]
6% (1998 est.)
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 102 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Coastline [time series]
40 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
Geographic coordinates [time series]
16 45 N, 62 12 W
Geography - note [time series]
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes
Irrigated land [time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (1998 est.)
Location [time series]
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Map references [time series]
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims [time series]
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM
Natural hazards [time series]
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996)
Natural resources [time series]
NEGL
Terrain [time series]
volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter
Capital [time series]
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 [time series]
present constitution came into force 19 December 1989
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat
Dependency status [time series]
overseas territory of the UK
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Anthony LONGRIGG (since NA May 2001) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister 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
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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 [time series]
NA
Independence [time series]
none (overseas territory of the UK)
International organization participation [time series]
Caricom, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, WCL
Judicial branch [time series]
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 [time series]
English common law and statutory law
Legislative branch [time series]
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 NA April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) 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 election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2
National holiday [time series]
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
NA
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of the population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano that began on 18 July 1995.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 23.6% (male 1,001; female 986) 15-64 years: 65% (male 2,624; female 2,864) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 508; female 454) (2002 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
17.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate [time series]
7.47 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
black, white
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Infant mortality rate [time series]
7.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Languages [time series]
English
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 78.2 years female: 80.4 years (2002 est.) male: 76.1 years
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian
Net migration rate [time series]
74.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Population [time series]
8,437 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
8.43% (2002 est.)
Religions [time series]
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Illicit drugs [time series]
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
Transportation
Airports [time series]
none; only airport was destroyed by volcanic activity; a helicopter service to Antigua is used
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 269 km paved: 203 km unpaved: 66 km (1995)
Merchant marine [time series]
none (2002 est.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay
Railways [time series]
0 km (2003)
Waterways [time series]
none