English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later. The British and French fought for possession of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British possession in 1783. The island’s sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid-19th century. 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 2013.
land: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
arable land: 20% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 10% (2018 est.)
forest: 25% (2018 est.)
other: 45% (2018 est.)
5,440 (2023 est.)
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian
African/Black 86.2%, mixed 4.8%, Hispanic/Spanish 3%, Caucasian/White 2.7%, East Indian/Indian 1.6%, other 1.8% (2018 est.)
English
Protestant 71.4% (includes Anglican 17.7%, Pentecostal/Full Gospel 16.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 15%, Methodist 13.9%, Church of God 6.7%, other Protestant 2%), Roman Catholic 11.4%, Rastafarian 1.4%, Hindu 1.2%, Jehovah’s Witness 1%, Muslim 0.4%, other/not stated 5.1%, none 7.9% (2018 est.)
0-14 years: 15.92% (male 446/female 420)
15-64 years: 76.6% (male 2,051/female 2,116)
65 years and over: 7.48% (2023 est.) (male 217/female 190)
total dependency ratio: 43.9
youth dependency ratio: 19.2
elderly dependency ratio: 24.7
potential support ratio: 4 (2021)
total: 36.4 years (2023 est.)
male: 35.1 years
female: 37.3 years
0.46% (2023 est.)
10.7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
only the northern half of the island is populated, the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity
urban population: 9.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.14 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
total: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12 deaths/1,000 live births
total population: 75.9 years (2023 est.)
male: 76.8 years
female: 75 years
1.32 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.62 (2023 est.)
NA
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 98.1% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 1.9% of population (2020 est.)
NA
NA
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: NA
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: NA
NA
35.8% (2023 est.)
5.4% of GDP (2020 est.)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 15 years (2019)
land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
agricultural land: 30% (2018 est.)
arable land: 20% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 10% (2018 est.)
forest: 25% (2018 est.)
other: 45% (2018 est.)
urban population: 9.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
formerly high-income economy; volcanic activity destroyed much of original infrastructure and economy; new capital and port is being developed; key geothermal and solar power generation; key music recording operations
$167.4 million (2011 est.)
$155.9 million (2010 est.)
$162.7 million (2009 est.)
7.4% (2011 est.)
-4.2% (2010 est.)
$34,000 (2011 est.)
$31,100 (2010 est.)
$32,300 (2009 est.)
$167.4 million (2011 est.)
1.2% (2017 est.)
-0.2% (2016 est.)
Standard & Poors rating: BBB- (2020)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
agriculture: 1.9% (2017 est.)
industry: 7.8% (2017 est.)
services: 90.3% (2017 est.)comparison rankings:
household consumption: 90.8% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 50.4% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 17.9% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 29.5% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -88.6% (2017 est.)
cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
-21% (2017 est.)
4,521 (2012)
5.6% (2017 est.)
6% (1998 est.)
NA
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
revenues: $66.67 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: $47.04 million (2017 est.)
1 April - 31 March
-$15.4 million (2017 est.)
-$12.2 million (2016 est.)
$11.9 million (2021 est.)
$4.4 million (2017 est.)
$5.2 million (2016 est.)
Canada 48%, United States 14%, Belgium 14%, France 11%, Cost Rica 3% (2021)
iron products, needles and catheters, sand, dental filling pharmaceuticals, gravel (2021)
$15.3 million (2021 est.)
$39.44 million (2017 est.)
$36.1 million (2016 est.)
United States 47%, Trinidad and Tobago 19%, United Kingdom 9%, Barbados 3%, Japan 2% (2021)
refined petroleum, food preparations, cars, broadcasting equipment, poultry (2021)
$47.58 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$51.47 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$8.9 million (1997)
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
2.7 (2017 est.)
2.7 (2016 est.)
2.7 (2015 est.)
2.7 (2014 est.)
2.7 (2013 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
installed generating capacity: 5,000 kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 21.56 million kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 1 million kWh (2019 est.)comparison rankings:
fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 200 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
406 bbl/day (2015 est.)
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
33,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 33,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
0 Btu/person (2019 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3
VP-M
1 (2021)
1
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
note: volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed most of the 227 km road system; a new road infrastructure has been built on the north end of the island
major seaport(s): Little Bay, Plymouth
manyapis