Spratly Islands (2003) | Montserrat (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | - | 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 23.4% (male 1,062; female 1,041)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 2,805; female 3,066) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 537; female 484) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products |
Airports | 3 (2002) | none; only airport was destroyed by volcanic activity; a helicopter service to Antigua is used (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
- |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: less than 5 sq km
land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea |
total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 50 islands are occupied by China (about 450 soldiers), Malaysia (70-90), the Philippines (about 100), and Vietnam (about 1,500). Brunei is a claimant but has no outposts. (2002) | 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. |
Birth rate | - | 17.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 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 | tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 926 km | 40 km |
Constitution | - | present constitution came into force 19 December 1989 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat |
Currency | - | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
Death rate | - | 7.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $8.9 million (1997) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the island; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding "code of conduct" | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance |
Economy - overview | Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 2.325 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | - | 2.5 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation |
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 |
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 |
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 | 8 38 N, 111 55 E | 16 45 N, 62 12 W |
Geography - note | strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs | the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes |
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: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 2.6% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | - | Caricom, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 17 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 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) |
Labor force | - | 4,521 ; 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: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (1998 est.) |
Languages | - | English |
Legal system | - | English common law and statutory law |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 78.36 years
male: 76.24 years female: 80.59 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | NA | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam | 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) |
Nationality | - | noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian |
Natural hazards | typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996) |
Natural resources | fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential | NEGL |
Net migration rate | - | 34.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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 | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2003 est.) |
8,995
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 4.5% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
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: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: NA |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 4,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 70 (1994) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | flat | volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 6% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |