Country:  Montserrat
(dependent territory of the UK)
- Geography
Total area: 100 km2; land area: 100 km2
 
Comparative area: about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
 
Land boundaries: none
 
Coastline: 40 km
 
Maritime claims:
 
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
 
Territorial sea: 3 nm
 
Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
 
Terrain: volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
 
Natural resources: negligible
 
Land use: 20% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 10% meadows and
pastures; 40% forest and woodland; 30% other
 
Environment: subject to severe hurricanes from June to November
 
Note: located 400 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea
 
- People
Population: 12,467 (July 1990), growth rate 0.3% (1990)
 
Birth rate: 16 births/1,000 population (1990)
 
Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
 
Net migration rate: - 4 migrant/1,000 population (1990)
 
Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
 
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 80 years female (1990)
 
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1990)
 
Nationality: noun--Montserratian(s); adjective--Montserratian
 
Ethnic divisions: mostly black with a few Europeans
 
Religion: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day
Adventist, other Christian denominations
 
Language: English
 
Literacy: 77%
 
Labor force: 5,100; 40.5% community, social, and personal services,
13.5% construction, 12.3% trade, restaurants, and hotels, 10.5% manufacturing,
8.8% agriculture, forestry, and fishing, 14.4% other (1983 est.)
 
Organized labor: 30% of labor force, three trade unions with 1,500
members (1984 est.)
 
- Government
Long-form name: none
 
Type: dependent territory of the UK
 
Capital: Plymouth
 
Administrative divisions: 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges,
Saint Peter
 
Independence: none (colony of the UK)
 
Constitution: 1 January 1960
 
Legal system: English common law and statute law
 
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second
Saturday of June)
 
Executive branch: monarch, governor, Executive Council (cabinet),
chief minister
 
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council
 
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
 
Leaders:
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Christopher J. TURNER (since 1987);
 
Head of Government--Chief Minister John A. OSBORNE (since 1978)
 
Political parties and leaders: People's Liberation Movement (PLM), John
Osborne; Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), Howell Bramble; United
National Front (UNF), Dr. George Irish; National Development Party (NDP),
Bertrand Osborne
 
Suffrage: universal at age 18
 
Elections:
Legislative Council--last held on 25 August 1987 (next to be
held NA 1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(11 total, 7 elected) PLM 4, NDP 2, PDP 1
 
Communists: probably none
 
Diplomatic representation: none (colony of the UK)
 
Flag: 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
 
- Economy
Overview: The economy is small and open with economic activity centered
on tourism and construction. Tourism is the most important sector and
accounted for 20% of GDP in 1986. Agriculture accounted for about 4%
of GDP and industry 9%. The economy is heavily dependent on imports,
making it vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices. Exports consist
mainly of electronic parts sold to the US.
 
GDP: $45.4 million, per capita $3,780; real growth rate 12% (1988
est.)
 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.7% (1987)
 
Unemployment rate: 3.0% (1987)
 
Budget: revenues $10.0 million; expenditures $9.4 million, including
capital expenditures of $3.2 million (1987)
 
Exports: $3.0 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--plastic bags,
electronic parts, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle; partners--NA
 
Imports: $25.3 million (c.i.f., 1987); commodities--machinery and
transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants,
and related materials; partners--NA
 
External debt: $3.7 million (1985)
 
Industrial production: growth rate 8.1% (1986)
 
Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 12 million kWh produced,
930 kWh per capita (1989)
 
Industries: tourism; light manufacturing--rum, textiles, electronic
appliances
 
Agriculture: accounts for 4% of GDP; small-scale farming; food
crops--tomatoes, onions, peppers; not self-sufficient in food, especially
livestock products
 
Aid: NA
 
Currency: East Caribbean dollar (plural--dollars);
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
 
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.70 (fixed
rate since 1976)
 
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
 
- Communications
Highways: 280 km total; about 200 km paved, 80 km gravel and earth
 
Ports: Plymouth
 
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,036 m
 
Telecommunications: 3,000 telephones; stations--8 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV
 
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK