Montserrat (2004) | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2001) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter | - |
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.) |
- |
Agriculture - products | cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, livestock products | - |
Airports | 1 (2003 est.) | none |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
- |
Area | total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
3,903 sq km land: 3,903 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of some nine islands |
Area - comparative | about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than Rhode Island |
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. | The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. The famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses a small military garrison. The islands have large bird and seal populations and, recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 miles to 200 miles around each island. |
Birth rate | 17.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.) |
revenues:
$291,777 expenditures: $451,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.) |
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 | variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow |
Coastline | 40 km | NA km |
Constitution | present constitution came into force 19 December 1989 | adopted 3 October 1985 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat |
conventional long form:
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none |
Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) | - |
Death rate | 7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $8.9 million (1997) | - |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by UK civil commissioner Donald A. LAMONT, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is the garrison town |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina) |
Disputes - international | none | claimed by Argentina |
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. | Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting fin fish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.325 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production | 2.5 million kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
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: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 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 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 | NA (2001) | - |
Exports - commodities | electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle | - |
Exports - partners | US, Antigua and Barbuda | - |
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 UK is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.) |
- |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | -1% (2002 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 16 45 N, 62 12 W | 54 30 S, 37 00 W |
Geography - note | the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes | the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in this century, live on South Georgia |
Highways | 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 |
- |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe | - |
Imports | NA (2001) | - |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials | - |
Imports - partners | US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada | - |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | - |
Industries | tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances | - |
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.) |
- |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.6% (2002 est.) | - |
International organization participation | Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1993) |
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 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.) | - |
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% (2001) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) |
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 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: 78.53 years
male: 76.39 years female: 80.78 years (2004 est.) |
- |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.) |
- |
Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Antarctic Region |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force | - |
National holiday | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) | Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) |
Nationality | noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian |
- |
Natural hazards | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) | the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism |
Natural resources | negligible | fish |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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 | 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.) |
no indigenous inhabitants
note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | - |
Population growth rate | 1.03% (2004 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay | Grytviken |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | none |
Religions | Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations | - |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 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.) |
- |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664 |
general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 70 (1994) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 0 (1997) |
Terrain | volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland | most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes |
Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 6% (1998 est.) | - |
Waterways | - | none |