Montserrat (2002) | Montserrat (2005) | |
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.) |
0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,109/female 1,072)
15-64 years: 65.6% (male 2,923/female 3,201) 65 years and over: 11.1% (male 536/female 500) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock 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 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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. | 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. |
Birth rate | 17.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 17.56 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million |
revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.) |
Constitution | present constitution came into force 19 December 1989 | effective 19 December 1989 |
Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) | - |
Death rate | 7.47 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $8.9 million (1997) (1997) | $8.9 million (1997) |
Economic aid - recipient | Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance | Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.) |
Electricity - consumption | 4.65 million kWh (2000) | 1.674 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 5 million kWh (2000) | 1.8 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)
note: 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), represented by Governor Deborah BARNES-JONES (since 10 May 2004)
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 |
Exports | $1.5 million (1998) | NA |
Exports - partners | US, Antigua and Barbuda (1993) | US, Antigua and Barbuda |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $31 million (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5%
industry: 14% services: 81% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,400 (1999 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -1.5% (1999 est.) | -1% (2002 est.) |
Highways | total: 269 km
paved: 203 km unpaved: 66 km (1995) |
total: 227 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | $26 million (1998) | NA |
Imports - partners | US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (1993) | US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada |
Infant mortality rate | 7.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5% (1998) (1998) | 2.6% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, WCL | Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 17 (2000) | - |
Labor force | 4,521 (1992); note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity | 4,521 (lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity) (2000 est.) |
Land use | arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2001) |
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 |
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 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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.2 years
male: 76.1 years female: 80.4 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 78.71 years
male: 76.54 years female: 80.98 years (2005 est.) |
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 branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force | no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2005) |
Natural hazards | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996) | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) |
Net migration rate | 74.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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.) |
9,341
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 8.43% (2002 est.) | 1.04% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay | Plymouth |
Radios | 7,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km (2003) | - |
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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: NA |
general assessment: modern and fully digitalized
domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 4,000 (1997) | NA |
Terrain | volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland | volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland |
Total fertility rate | 1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.78 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |