Montserrat (2001) | Baker Island (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter's | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
23.83% (male 907; female 898) 15-64 years: 64.66% (male 2,341; female 2,556) 65 years and over: 11.51% (male 464; female 408) (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products | - |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
100 sq km land: 100 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1.4 sq km
land: 1.4 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC | about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast. |
Birth rate | 17.43 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues:
$31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.) |
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Capital | Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat) | - |
Climate | tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation | equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun |
Coastline | 40 km | 4.8 km |
Constitution | present constitution came into force 19 December 1989 | - |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Montserrat |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Baker Island |
Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) | - |
Death rate | 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $8.9 million (1997) | - |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $9.8 million (1995); note - about $100 million (1996-98) in reconstruction aid from the UK; Country Policy Plan (1999) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance | - |
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 volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK committed to a three year $125 million aid program in 1999 to help reconstruct the economy. | no economic activity |
Electricity - consumption | 9.3 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production | 10 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills) 914 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 8 m |
Environment - current issues | land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation | no natural fresh water resources |
Ethnic groups | black, white | - |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) | - |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Anthony John ABBOTT (since NA September 1997) head of government: Chief Minister David BRANDT (since 22 August 1997) 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; note - as a result of the last election, a coalition party was formed between NPP, NDP, and one of the independent candidates |
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Exports | $1.5 million (1998) | - |
Exports - commodities | electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle | - |
Exports - partners | US, Antigua and Barbuda (1993) | - |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | - |
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 | the flag of the US is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $31 million (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
5.4% industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | -1.5% (1999 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 16 45 N, 62 12 W | 0 13 N, 176 31 W |
Geography - note | - | treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife |
Highways | total:
269 km paved: 203 km unpaved: 66 km (1995) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
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Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe | - |
Imports | $26 million (1998) | - |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials | - |
Imports - partners | US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (1993) | - |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances | - |
Infant mortality rate | 8.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | - |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5% (1998) | - |
International organization participation | Caricom, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, WCL | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 17 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
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) | - |
Labor force | 4,521 (1992); note - recently lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity | - |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
20% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 10% forests and woodland: 40% other: 30% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English | - |
Legal system | English common law and statutory law | the laws of the US, where applicable, apply |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 7 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 November 1996 (next to be held by NA November 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPA 2, MNR 2, NPP 1, independent 2 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population:
78.03 years male: 75.95 years female: 80.22 years (2001 est.) |
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Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.) |
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Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico | Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Oceania |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard |
Military branches | Police Force | - |
National holiday | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) | - |
Nationality | noun:
Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian |
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Natural hazards | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (full-scale eruptions of the Soufriere Hills volcano occurred during 1996-97) | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | NEGL | guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife |
Net migration rate | 123.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Movement for National Reconstruction or MNR [Percival Austin BRAMBLE]; National Development Party or NDP [leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [John A. OSBORNE] | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 7,574
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2001 est.) |
uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 13.39% (2001 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay | none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | - |
Radios | 7,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations | - |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.14 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: NA |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 4,000 (1997) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 70 (1994) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | - |
Terrain | volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland | low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef |
Total fertility rate | 1.82 children born/woman (2001 est.) | - |
Transportation - note | - | there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast |
Unemployment rate | 20% (1996 est.) | - |
Waterways | none | none |