Montserrat ( Montserrat) is a country in Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico. Montserrat geographic coordinates 16 45 N, 62 12 W; area 102 sq km; area comparative about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC; land boundaries 0 km; coastline 40 km; maritime claims exclusive fishing zone:; climate tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation; terrain volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland; elevation extremes Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hi; natural resources NEGL; land use 80% (2001); irrigated land NA sq km; natural hazards severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted contin; environment current issues land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation; geography note the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes;

introduction

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 July 2003. government type NA; capital Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim go; administrative divisions 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter; independence none (overseas territory of the UK); national holiday Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926); constitution present constitution came into force 19 December 1989; legal system English common law and statutory law; suffrage 18 years of age; universal;

people

Montserrat population 9,341 an estimated 8,000 refugees left the is; age structure 11.1% (male 536/female 500) (2005 est.); median age 28.79 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 1.04% (2005 est.); birth rate 17.56 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 8.55 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 80.98 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 1.78 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate NA; hiv people with aids NA; hiv deaths NA; nationality Montserratian; ethnic groups black, white; religions Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations; languages English; literacy 97% (1970 est.);