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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 July 2003.

Location

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Natural Resources

NEGL

Population - distribution

only the northern half of the island is populated, the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity

Conventional long form
none
Conventional short form
Montserrat
Local long form
Local short form
parliamentary democracy (Legislative Council); self-governing overseas territory of the UK
Name
Plymouth
Geographic coordinates
16 42 N, 62 13 W
Time difference
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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 airport 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.
Inflation
None%
Total tax rate (% of commercial profits)
None%
Real Interest Rate
None%
Manufacturing, value added (% of GDP)
None%
Current Account Balance
US$
Labor Force, Total
Employment in Agriculture
%
Employment in Industry
%
Employment in Services
%
Unemployment Rate
%
Imports of goods and services
US$
Exports of goods and services
US$
Total Merchandise Trade
%
FDI, net inflows
US$
Commercial Service Exports
US$
cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
Commodities
electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle
Partners
Commodities
machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants
Partners
Country Risk Rating
Business Climate Rating

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