Montserrat (2002) | British Indian Ocean Territory (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter | - |
Age structure | 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.) |
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Agriculture - products | cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products | - |
Airports | none; only airport was destroyed by volcanic activity; a helicopter service to Antigua is used | 1 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
Area | total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 54,400 sq km
land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands |
Area - comparative | about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC | land area is about 0.3 times the size of 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. | Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. |
Birth rate | 17.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million |
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Capital | 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) | - |
Climate | tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation | tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds |
Coastline | 40 km | 698 km |
Constitution | present constitution came into force 19 December 1989 | - |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat |
conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT |
Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) | - |
Death rate | 7.47 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $8.9 million (1997) (1997) | - |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1967 and 1973 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed U.K. Government's 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the islands; a small group of Chagossians visited Diego Garcia in April 2006; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in the chain |
Economic aid - recipient | Country Policy Plan (2001) 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 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. | All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installation are performed by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the native Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The territory makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps. |
Electricity - consumption | 4.65 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - production | 5 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m |
Environment - current issues | land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation | NA |
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 LONGRIGG (since NA May 2001)
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 elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Commissioner Leigh TURNER (since July 2006); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch |
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 | white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $31 million (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5%
industry: 14% services: 81% (1996 est.) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,400 (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | -1.5% (1999 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 16 45 N, 62 12 W | 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E |
Geography - note | the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes | archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility |
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 | 7.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | - |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5% (1998) (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 |
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 - 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% other: 80% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Languages | English | - |
Legal system | English common law and statutory law | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply |
Legislative branch | 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) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2 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 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.2 years
male: 76.1 years female: 80.4 years (2002 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 | archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Political Map of the World |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; 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 (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996) | NA |
Natural resources | NEGL | coconuts, fish, sugarcane |
Net migration rate | 74.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
Political parties and leaders | National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE] | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 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.) |
no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 8.43% (2002 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 7,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km (2003) | - |
Religions | Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations | - |
Sex ratio | 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.) |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: NA |
general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available
domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 4,000 (1997) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 70 (1994) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland | flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation) |
Total fertility rate | 1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 6% (1998 est.) | - |
Waterways | none | - |