Geography People Government Economy Transportation Communications Defense Forces

MONTSERRAT

 (dependent territory of the UK) 

@Montserrat:Geography

 Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto
 Rico

 Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

 Area:
 total area: 100 sq km
 land area: 100 sq km
 comparative area: about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

 Land boundaries: 0 km

 Coastline: 40 km

 Maritime claims:
 exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
 territorial sea: 3 nm

 International disputes: none

 Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

 Terrain: volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal
 lowland

 Natural resources: negligible

 Land use:
 arable land: 20%
 permanent crops: 0%
 meadows and pastures: 10%
 forest and woodland: 40%
 other: 30%

 Irrigated land: NA sq km

 Environment:
 current issues: land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared
 for cultivation
 natural hazards: severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic
 eruptions (there are seven active volcanoes on the island)
 international agreements: NA

@Montserrat:People

 Population: 12,738 (July 1995 est.)

 Age structure:
 0-14 years: NA
 15-64 years: NA
 65 years and over: NA

 Population growth rate: 0.3% (1995 est.)

 Birth rate: 15.5 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

 Death rate: 9.81 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

 Net migration rate: -2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

 Infant mortality rate: 11.69 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

 Life expectancy at birth:
 total population: 75.69 years
 male: 73.93 years
 female: 77.49 years (1995 est.)

 Total fertility rate: 1.99 children born/woman (1995 est.)

 Nationality:
 noun: Montserratian(s)
 adjective: Montserratian

 Ethnic divisions: black, Europeans

 Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,
 Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

 Languages: English

 Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970)
 total population: 97%
 male: 97%
 female: 97%

 Labor force: 5,100
 by occupation: community, social, and personal services 40.5%,
 construction 13.5%, trade, restaurants, and hotels 12.3%,
 manufacturing 10.5%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 8.8%, other
 14.4% (1983 est.)

@Montserrat:Government

 Names:
 conventional long form: none
 conventional short form: Montserrat

 Digraph: MH

 Type: dependent territory of the UK

 Capital: Plymouth

 Administrative divisions: 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges,
 Saint Peter's

 Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

 National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second
 Saturday of June)

 Constitution: present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

 Legal system: English common law and statute law

 Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

 Executive branch:
 chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
 represented by Governor Frank SAVAGE (since NA February 1993)
 head of government: Chief Minister Reuben T. MEADE (since NA October
 1991)
 cabinet: Executive Council; consists of the governor, the chief
 minister, three other ministries, the attorney-general, and the
 finance secretary

 Legislative branch: unicameral
 Legislative Council: elections last held 8 October 1991; results -
 percent of vote by party NA; seats - (11 total, 7 elected) NPP 4, NDP
 1, PLM 1, independent 1

 Judicial branch: Supreme Court

 Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party (NPP) Reuben
 T. MEADE; People's Liberation Movement (PLM), Noel TUITT; National
 Development Party (NDP), Bertrand OSBORNE

 Member of: CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, INTERPOL
 (subbureau), OECS, WCL

 Diplomatic representation in US: none (dependent territory of the UK)

 US diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)

 Flag: 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

 Overview: The economy is small and open with economic activity
 centered on tourism and construction. Tourism is the most important
 sector and accounts for roughly one-fifth of GDP. Agriculture accounts
 for about 4% of GDP and industry 10%. The economy is heavily dependent
 on imports, making it vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices.
 Exports consist mainly of electronic parts sold to the US.

 National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $55.6 million (1993
 est.)

 National product real growth rate: 1% (1993 est.)

 National product per capita: $4,380 (1993 est.)

 Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (1992)

 Unemployment rate: NA

 Budget:
 revenues: $12.1 million
 expenditures: $14.3 million, including capital expenditures of $3.2
 million (1988 est.)

 Exports: $2.8 million (f.o.b., 1992)
 commodities: electronic parts, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers,
 live plants, cattle
 partners: NA

 Imports: $80.6 million (f.o.b., 1992)
 commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs,
 manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials
 partners: NA

 External debt: $2.05 million (1987)

 Industrial production: growth rate 8.1% (1986); accounts for 10% of
 GDP

 Electricity:
 capacity: 5,271 kW
 production: 17 million kWh
 consumption per capita: 1,106 kWh (1993)

 Industries: tourism; light manufacturing - rum, textiles, electronic
 appliances

 Agriculture: accounts for 4% of GDP; small-scale farming; food crops -
 tomatoes, onions, peppers; not self-sufficient in food, especially
 livestock products

 Economic aid:
 recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral
 commitments (1970-89), $90 million

 Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

 Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed
 rate since 1976)

 Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Montserrat:Transportation

 Railroads: 0 km

 Highways:
 total: 280 km
 paved: 200 km
 unpaved: gravel, earth 80 km

 Ports: Plymouth

 Merchant marine: none

 Airports:
 total: 1
 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1

@Montserrat:Communications

 Telephone system: 3,000 telephones
 local: NA
 intercity: NA
 international: NA

 Radio:
 broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 4, shortwave 0
 radios: NA

 Television:
 broadcast stations: 1
 televisions: NA

@Montserrat:Defense Forces

 Branches: Police Force

 Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK


________________________________________________________________________