ARCHIVE // MS // 2008

Montserrat

2008 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet country code [time series]
.ms
Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]
409 (2008)
Internet users [time series]
NA
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
NA
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
NA
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
1 (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 (1997 est.)
Central bank discount rate [time series]
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
10.4% (31 December 2007)
Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Debt - external [time series]
$8.9 million (1997)
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 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.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
20.46 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production [time series]
22 million kWh (2006 est.)
Exchange rates [time series]
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
Exports [time series]
$700,000 (2001)
Exports - commodities [time series]
electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle
Exports - partners [time series]
US, Antigua and Barbuda (2006)
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$NA
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$29 million (2002 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 1.2% industry: 23.1% services: 75.7% (1999 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$3,400 (2002 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
-1% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$17 million (2001)
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 (2006)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
2.6% (2002 est.)
Labor force [time series]
4,521 note: lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Oil - consumption [time series]
505.5 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports [time series]
482.6 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves [time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$5.537 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]
$17.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]
$43.9 million (31 December 2007)
Unemployment rate [time series]
6% (1998 est.)
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 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: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)
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 comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages
Irrigated land [time series]
NA
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2005)
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]
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)
Natural resources [time series]
NEGL
Terrain [time series]
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter
Capital [time series]
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
Constitution [time series]
effective 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 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
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, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU, WFTU
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 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
National holiday [time series]
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
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]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
NA
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
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.
Military
Manpower available for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 2,528 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 2,097 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]
male: 31 female: 39 (2008 est.)
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2008)
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 27.8% (male 738/female 675) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 1,575/female 1,716) 65 years and over: 7.4% (male 245/female 130) (2008 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
12.01 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate [time series]
8.86 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
3.3% of GDP (2004)
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]
total: 16.46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Languages [time series]
English
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 72.6 years male: 74.66 years female: 70.44 years (2008 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 28.1 years male: 28 years female: 28.1 years (2008 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian
Net migration rate [time series]
NA (2008 est.)
Population [time series]
5,079 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
0.315% (2008 est.)
Religions [time series]
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2006)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.22 children born/woman (2008 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]
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
Little Bay, Plymouth
Roadways [time series]
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)