Montserrat (2004) | Ireland (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter | 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,092; female 1,062)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,889; female 3,162) 65 years and over: 11.2% (male 543; female 497) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years:
21.57% (male 425,328; female 403,204) 15-64 years: 67.08% (male 1,290,002; female 1,286,312) 65 years and over: 11.35% (male 188,868; female 247,124) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, livestock products | turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products |
Airports | 1 (2003 est.) | 44 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total:
17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
27 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 25 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
70,280 sq km land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than West Virginia |
Background | 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. | A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for the 26 southern counties; the six northern counties (Ulster) remained part of Great Britain. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, approved in 1998, was implemented the following year. |
Birth rate | 17.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 14.57 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.) |
revenues:
$25.7 billion expenditures: $19.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $2 billion (2000) |
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) | Dublin |
Climate | tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation | temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time |
Coastline | 40 km | 1,448 km |
Constitution | present constitution came into force 19 December 1989 | 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Ireland |
Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) | Irish pound (IEP); euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Ireland at a fixed rate of 0.787564 Irish pounds per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002 |
Death rate | 7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 8.07 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $8.9 million (1997) | $11 billion (1998) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Michael J. SULLIVAN embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 668-7122/668-8777 FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Sean O'HUIGINN chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco |
Disputes - international | none | Northern Ireland issue with the UK (historic peace agreement signed 10 April 1998); disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $245 million (2000) |
Economic aid - recipient | As of 31 March 2003, UK's DFID had provided about $328 million in economic relief from volcanic activity, and by 31 March 2006, DFID aid is expected to total $411 million. | - |
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. | Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 9% in 1995-2000. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 38% of GDP and about 80% of exports and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's robust growth, the economy is also benefiting from a rise in consumer spending and recovery in both construction and business investment. Over the past decade, the Irish government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU nations. The Irish economy is in danger of overheating, with the tight labor market driving up wage demands and inflation. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.325 million kWh (2001) | 18.414 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 50 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 290 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 2.5 million kWh (2001) | 19.542 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
94.42% hydro: 4.23% nuclear: 0% other: 1.35% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m |
Environment - current issues | land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation | water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation |
Ethnic groups | black, white | Celtic, English |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) | Irish pounds per US dollar - 1.0658 (January 2001), 1.0823 (2000), 0.9374 (1999), 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997), 0.6248 (1996) |
Executive branch | 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 |
chief of state:
President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 31 October 1997 (next to be held NA November 2004); prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6% note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats |
Exports | NA (2001) | $73.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle | machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products |
Exports - partners | US, Antigua and Barbuda | EU 59% (UK 19%, Germany 9%, France 7%), US 20% (2000) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
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 | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $81.9 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.) |
agriculture:
4% industry: 38% services: 58% (1999) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $21,600 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -1% (2002 est.) | 9.9% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 16 45 N, 62 12 W | 53 00 N, 8 00 W |
Geography - note | the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes | strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 97 km of Dublin |
Highways | total: 227 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003) |
total:
92,500 km paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,457 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%:
2% highest 10%: 27.3% (1997) |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe | transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe |
Imports | NA (2001) | $45.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials | data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing |
Imports - partners | US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada | EU 54% (UK 29%, Germany 6%, France 5%), US 18%, Japan 5%, Singapore 4% (2000) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | 14% (2000 est.) |
Industries | tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances | food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal; software |
Infant mortality rate | total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
5.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.6% (2002 est.) | 5.6% (2000) |
International organization participation | Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU | Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 22 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA 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) | Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet) |
Labor force | 4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.) | 1.82 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA | services 64%, industry 28%, agriculture 8% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
360 km border countries: UK 360 km |
Land use | arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2001) |
arable land:
13% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 68% forests and woodland: 5% other: 14% (1993 est.) |
Languages | English | English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard |
Legal system | English common law and statutory law | based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 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 |
bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held NA August 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); House of Representatives - last held 6 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 29, Fine Gael 16, Labor Party 4, Progressive Democrats 4, others 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 76, Fine Gael 53, Labor Party 19, Progressive Democrats 4, Democratic Left 4, Green Alliance 2, Sinn Fein 1, independents 7; note - seats by party in the House of Representatives as of 1 January 2001 were as follows: Fianna Fail 76, Fine Gael 54, Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 4, Green Alliance 2, Socialist Party 1, Sinn Fein 1, independents 7 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.53 years
male: 76.39 years female: 80.78 years (2004 est.) |
total population:
76.99 years male: 74.23 years female: 79.93 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico | Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
continental shelf:
not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none | total:
29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 115,554 GRT/135,391 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 22, container 2, short-sea passenger 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force | Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $738 million (2001 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 0.75% (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
1,004,469 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
809,808 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 17 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
32,287 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) | Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March |
Nationality | noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian |
noun:
Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish |
Natural hazards | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) | NA |
Natural resources | negligible | zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 4.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | natural gas 7,592 km (transmission 1,158 km; distribution 6,434 km) (2000) |
Political parties and leaders | National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE] | Democratic Left [Proinsias DE ROSSA]; Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Michael NOONAN]; Green Party [Mary BOWERS]; Labor Party [Ruairi QUINN]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Tom FRENCH] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 9,245
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2004 est.) |
3,840,838 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | 10% (1997 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.03% (2004 est.) | 1.12% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay | Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 2.55 million (1997) |
Railways | - | total:
1,947 km broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km electrified; 485 km double track) (1998) |
Religions | Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations | Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664 |
general assessment:
modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 1.59 million (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 70 (1994) | 2 million (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001) |
Terrain | volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland | mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast |
Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 1.9 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 6% (1998 est.) | 4.1% (2000) |
Waterways | - | 700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998) |