What is Montserrat?

IPA: [ˌmɒntsəˈræt]) is a British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. It measures approximately 16 km (10 miles) long and 11 km (7 miles) wide, giving 40 km of coastline.^[1] Montserrat was given its name by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1493, after its namesake located in Catalonia, Spain. Montserrat is often referred to as the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean, due both to its resemblance to coastal Ireland and to the Irish descent of most of its early European settlers.

Its Georgian-era capital city of Plymouth was destroyed and two-thirds of the island's population forced to flee abroad by an eruption of the previously dormantSoufriere Hills volcano that began on July 18, 1995.^[2] The eruption continues today on a much reduced scale, the damage being confined to the areas around Plymouth including its docking facilities and the former W.H. Bramble Airport. An exclusion zone extending from the south coast of the island north to parts of the Belham Valley has been closed because of an increase in the size of the existing volcanic dome. This zone includes St. George's Hill which provided visitors with a spectacular view of the volcano and the destruction it has wrought upon the capital. A new airport at Gerald's in the northern part of the island opened in 2005.

History

Main article: History of Montserrat

Montserrat was populated by Arawak and Carib peoples when it was claimed by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage for Spain in 1493, naming the island Santa María de Montserrate, after the Blessed Virgin of the Monastery of Montserrat, which is located on the Mountain of Montserrat, in Catalonia, Spain. The island fell under English control in 1632 when a group of Irish fleeing anti-Roman Catholic sentiment in Saint Kitts and Nevis settled there. The import of slaves, common to most Caribbean islands, mainly coming from West Africa, followed during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and an economy based on sugar, rum, arrowroot and Sea Islandcotton was established.

In 1782, during the American Revolutionary War, Montserrat was briefly captured by France. It was returned to the United Kingdom under the Treaty of Paris which ended that conflict. Slavery was abolished in Montserrat in 1834. A failed slave uprising on 17 March1798 led to Montserrat later becoming one of only three places in the world that celebrates St Patrick's Day as a public or bank holiday (the others being the Republic of Ireland and the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador).

Falling sugar prices during the nineteenth century had an adverse effect on the island's economy and in 1869 the philanthropist Joseph Sturge of Birmingham formed the Montserrat Company to buy sugar estates that were no longer economically viable. The company planted limes starting production of the island's famous lime juice, set up a school, and sold parcels of land to the inhabitants of the island, with the result that much of Montserrat came to be owned by smallholders.^[3]

From 1871 to 1958 Montserrat was administered as part of the Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands, becoming a province of the short-lived West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962. With the completion of Beatles producer George Martin’s AIR Studios Montserrat in 1979, the island attracted world-famous musicians who came to record in the peace and quiet and lush tropical surroundings of Montserrat.^[4] The last several years of the 20th century, however, brought two events which devastated the island.

In September 1989, Hurricane Hugo struck Montserrat with full force, damaging over 90 percent of the structures on the island. AIR Studios closed, and the tourist trade upon which the island depended was nearly wiped out. Within a few years, however, the island had recovered considerably — only to be struck again by disaster.

In July 1995, Montserrat's Soufriere Hills volcano, dormant throughout recorded history, rumbled to life and began an eruption which eventually buried the island's capital, Plymouth, in more than 40 feet (12 m) of mud, destroyed its airport and docking facilities, and rendered the southern half of the island uninhabitable. This forced more than half of the population to flee the island because they lacked housing. After a period of regular eruptive events during the late 1990s including one on June 25, 1997 in which 19 people lost their lives, the volcano's activity in recent years has been confined mostly to infrequent ventings of ash into the uninhabited areas in the south. However, this ash venting does occasionally extend into the populated areas of the northern and western parts of the island. As an example, on May 20, 2006, the lava dome that had been slowly building collapsed, resulting in an ashfall of about an inch (2.5 cm) in Old Towne and parts of Olveston. There were no injuries or significant property damage.

Long referred to as "The Emerald Isle of the Caribbean" for both its Irish heritage and its resemblance to coastal Ireland, Montserrat today remains lush and green. A new airport, opened officially by the Princess Royal Princess Anne in February 2005, received its first commercial flights on July 11, 2005, and docking facilities are in place at Little Bay where a new capital is being constructed out of reach of any further volcanic activity.

The people of Montserrat were granted full residency rights in the United Kingdom in 1998, and citizenship was granted in 2002.

Primary schools

• Government Primary Schools — Brades, and Look Out Primary.
• St. Augustine Roman Catholic School (Palm Loop, Montserrat)

Parishes

Main article: Parishes of Montserrat

Montserrat is divided into three parishes:

• Saint Anthony Parish
• Saint Georges Parish
• Saint Peter Parish

Towns

• Brades (de facto capital)
• Davy Hill
• Farells Yard
• Flemmings
• Gerald's
• Hope
• Little Bay
• LookOut
• Old Towne
• Olveston
• Plymouth (official capital, abandoned)
• Saint John's
• Salem
• Sweeney's
• Woodlands

Geography

Main article: Geography of Montserrat

The island of Montserrat is located approximately 480 km (300 miles) east-southeast of Puerto Rico and 48 km (30 miles) Southwest of Antigua. It comprises only 104 km² (40 square miles) and is increasing gradually owing to volcanic deposits on the southeast coast of the island; it is 16 km (10 miles) long and 11 km (7 miles) wide, with dramatic rock faced cliffs rising 15 to 30 m (50-100 feet) above the sea and smooth bottomed sandy beaches scattered among coves on the west side of the island. Montserrat has been a quiet haven of extraordinary scenic beauty and near perfect climate to the mainly Canadian, British and US expatriates who sought privacy in its cliffside villas and estates.

Montserrat has only two islets: Little Redonda and Virgin.

The Soufrière Hills or Montserrat volcano is an active complex stratovolcano with many lava domes forming its summit on this island of Montserrat. After a long period of dormancy it became active in 1995, and eruptions have continued up to the present.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Montserrat

It was formerly the home of a branch of George Martin's AIR Studios (and other amenities) that made the island popular with working and vacationing musicians and other celebrities.

Famous Montserratians

• Alphonsus "Arrow" Cassell, MBE born in Montserrat is well known for his soca song "Hot Hot Hot" which has sold over 4 million copies. http://www.geocities.com/monkeybizmanagement/Arrow_Bio.html
• Shabazz Baidoo — A footballer who has a Montserrat descent, makes a living in Coca Cola Championship in England, playing for Queens Park Rangers.
• Tesfaye Bramble — A footballer who makes a living in League 2 in England, playing for Stockport County.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Montserrat

Population: 8,400 (2002 estimate)

Note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; few have returned. Pre-eruption population was 13,000 in 1994.

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.)

Median age:

• total: 27.8 years
• male: 27.7 years
• female: 27.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 4.5% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 17.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 7.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 195.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

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 (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

• total: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
• female: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:

• total population: 78.36 years
• male: 76.24 years
• female: 80.59 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA

Nationality:

• noun: Montserratian(s)
• adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups: black, white — mainly of mixed Irish and African descent

Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

Languages: English

Literacy:

• definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
• total population: 97%
• male: 97%
• female: 97% (1970 est.)

Culture

Main article: Culture of Montserrat

Montserrat has its own FIFA Affiliated Football Team, and has twice competed in the World Cup qualifiers. A field for the team was built near the airport by FIFA. The Montserrat team are currently tied for 199th place in the FIFA world rankings with seven other teams, including American Samoa and Guam. In 2002, the team competed in a friendly with the second-lowest-ranked team in FIFA at that time, Bhutan, in The Other Final- the same day as the final of the 2002 World Cup. Bhutan won 4-0.

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Montserrat
• Radio Antilles
• Radio Montserrat
• Transport in Montserrat

Operation Montserrat

Currently, American and British middle school students are eligible to participate in an Operation Montserrat live simulation. This is a videoconference program based on events of 1996 in which a hurricane approaches and a volcanic eruption occur nearly at the same time. The students are responsible for rescuing all of the people. In the weeks leading up to this, they practice the skills they need in their classroom.^[5]

References

External links

• Government of Montserrat
• Radio Montserrrat — ZJB Listen live online
• Official release archive
• Montserrat Tourist Board
• Volcanism of Montserrat
• Montserrat Reporter news site
• Montserrat Travel Information
• Montserrat Volcano Observatory
• Montserrat Webdirectory
• Satellite image of Montserrat from Google Maps
• Montserrat Hospitality Association
• Air Montserrat

Montserrat
Flag of Montserrat Flag Coat of arms
Motto "Each Endeavouring, All Achieving"
Anthem "God Save the Queen"
Location of Montserrat
Capital		Plymouth 1
Official languages		English
Government		British Overseas Territory
-	Queen	Elizabeth II
-	Governor	Peter Andrew Waterworth
-	Chief Minister	Lowell Lewis
British overseas territory
-	British control established	1632
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	July 2005 estimate	4,488 2 (225th)
GDP (PPP)		2002 estimate
-	Total	$29 million (not ranked)
-	Per capita	$3,400 (not ranked)
HDI		n/a (unranked) (n/a)
Currency		East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Time zone		(UTC-4)
Internet TLD		.ms
Calling code		+1 664
1	Abandoned in 1997 following a volcanic eruption. Government buildings are currently located in Brades, making it the de facto capital.

Geographic locale

•  • [ e] Countries and territories of the Caribbean  •  • [ e] Sovereign states Commonwealth Realms Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Grenada Jamaica St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Commonwealth republics Dominica Trinidad and Tobago Other republics Cuba Dominican Republic Haiti  •  • [ e] Dependencies and other territories British Anguilla British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Montserrat Turks and Caicos Islands Dutch Aruba Netherlands Antilles French Guadeloupe Martinique Saint Barthelemy St. Martin American Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands  •  • [ e] States and dependencies of Middle America States  —  Dependencies Anguilla (UK) Antigua and Barbuda Aruba (NL) Bahamas Barbados Belize British Virgin Islands (UK) Cayman Islands (UK) Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador Grenada Guadeloupe (FR) Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Martinique (FR) Mexico Montserrat (UK)Netherlands Antilles (NL) Nicaragua Panama Puerto Rico (US) St.-Barthlemy (FR) St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Martin (FR) St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands (UK) US Virgin Islands (US)

International membership

•  • [ e] Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Members Antigua and Barbuda Dominica Grenada Montserrat St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Associate members Anguilla British Virgin Islands  •  • [ e] Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Members Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas1 Barbados Belize Dominica Grenada Guyana Haiti1 Jamaica Montserrat2 St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad and Tobago Associate members Anguilla Bermuda Cayman Islands British Virgin Islands Turks and Caicos Islands Observers Aruba Colombia Dominican Republic Mexico Netherlands Antilles Puerto Rico Venezuela 1 Member of the Community but not of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).   2 British overseas territory awaiting entrustment to join the CSME.  •  • [ e]  British overseas territories and crown dependencies Overseas territories Anguilla Bermuda British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Gibraltar Montserrat Pitcairn Islands Saint Helena (includes Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands Crown dependencies Guernsey Jersey Isle of Man Sovereign base areas Akrotiri and Dhekelia  •  • [ e] Outlying territories of European countries Territories under European sovereignty but closer to or on continents other than Europe (see for further information) Denmark Greenland France Clipperton Island French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Amsterdam • Saint-Paul • Crozet • Kerguelen • Adlie Land1 • Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean: Bassas da India • Europa Island • Glorioso Islands • Juan de Nova Island • Tromelin Island) Guadeloupe Martinique Mayotte New Caledonia Runion Saint Barthelemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Wallis and Futuna Italy Pantelleria Pelagie Islands (Lampedusa • Lampione • Linosa) Netherlands Aruba Netherlands Antilles (Bonaire • Curaao • Saba • Sint Maarten • Sint Eustatius) Norway Bouvet Island Peter I Island1 Queen Maud Land1 Portugal Azores Islands Madeira Islands Russia Khabomai Ratmanov Island Shikotan Spain Canary Islands CeutaIsla de Alborn Isla Perejil Islas Chafarinas Melilla Pen de Alhucemas Pen de Vlez de la Gomera United Kingdom Anguilla Ascension Island Bermuda British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Montserrat Saint Helena Tristan da Cunha Turks and Caicos Islands British Antarctic Territory1 British Indian Ocean Territory Pitcairn Islands South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 1 Claims to sovereignty over territories in Antarctica are currently suspended under the Antarctic Treaty System.  •  • [ e] British Empire and Commonwealth of Nations Legend Current territory   Former territory * now a Commonwealth Realm   now a member of the Commonwealth of Nations Europe  18th century 1708-1757  Minorca since 1713  Gibraltar 1782-1802  Minorca 19th century 1800-1964  Malta 1807-1890  Heligoland 1809-1864  Ionian Islands 1878-1960  Cyprus 20th century since 1960  Akrotiri and Dhekelia North America  16th century 1583-1907  Newfoundland 17th century 1607-1776  Thirteen Colonies since 1619  Bermuda 1670-1870  Rupert's Land 18th century Canada (British Imperial)    1763-1791  Quebec    1791-1841  Lower Canada    1791-1841  Upper Canada 19th century Canada (British Imperial)    1841-1867  Province of Canada    1849-1866  Vancouver Island    1858-1871  British Columbia    1859-1870  North-Western Territory    1862-1863  Stikine Territory *Canada (post-Confederation)    1867-1931  Dominion of Canada1 20th century *Canada (post-Confederation)    1907-1934  Dominion of Newfoundland2 1 In 1931, Canada and other British dominions obtained self-government through the Statute of Westminster. 'Dominion' remains Canada's legal title; see Canada's name. 2 Remained a de jure dominion until 1949 (when it became a Canadian province); from 1934 to 1949, Newfoundland was governed by the Commission of Government. Latin America and the Caribbean  17th century 1605-1979  *Saint Lucia 1623-1883  Saint Kitts (*Saint Kitts & Nevis) 1624-1966  *Barbados 1625-1650  Saint Croix 1627-1979  *St. Vincent and the Grenadines 1628-1883  Nevis (*Saint Kitts & Nevis) 1629-1641  St. Andrew and Providence Islands3 since 1632  Montserrat 1632-1860  Antigua(*Antigua & Barbuda) 1643-1860  Bay Islands since 1650  Anguilla 1651-1667  Willoughbyland (Suriname) 1655-1850  Mosquito Coast (protectorate) 1655-1962  *Jamaica since 1666  British Virgin Islands since 1670  Cayman Islands 1670-1973  *Bahamas 1670-1688  St. Andrew and Providence Islands3 1671-1816  Leeward Islands 18th century 1762-1974  *Grenada 1763-1978  Dominica since 1799  Turks and Caicos Islands 19th century 1831-1966  British Guiana (Guyana) 1833-1960  Windward Islands 1833-1960  Leeward Islands 1860-1981  *Antigua and Barbuda 1871-1964  British Honduras (*Belize) 1882-1983  *St. Kitts and Nevis 1889-1962  Trinidad and Tobago 20th century 1958-1962  West Indies Federation 3 Now the San Andrs y Providencia Department of Colombia. Africa  18th century 1792-1961  Sierra Leone 1795-1803  Cape Colony 19th century 1806-1910  Cape Colony 1816-1965  Gambia 1856-1910  Natal 1868-1966  Basutoland (Lesotho) 1874-1957  Gold Coast (Ghana) 1882-1922  Egypt 1884-1966  Bechuanaland (Botswana) 1884-1960  British Somaliland 1887-1897  Zululand 1888-1894  Matabeleland 1890-1980  Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) 1890-1962  Uganda 1890-1963  Zanzibar (Tanzania) 1891-1964  Nyasaland (Malawi) 1891-1907  British Central Africa 1893-1968  Swaziland 1895-1920  British East Africa 1899-1956  Anglo-Egyptian Sudan 20th century 1900-1914  Northern Nigeria 1900-1914  Southern Nigeria 1900-1910  Orange River Colony 1906-1954  Nigeria Colony 1910-1931  South Africa 1911-1964  Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) 1914-1954  Nigeria Protectorate 1915-1931  South West Africa (Namibia) 1919-1960  Cameroons (Cameroon) 4 1920-1963  Kenya 1922-1961  Tanganyika (Tanzania) 4 1954-1960  Nigeria since 1965  British Indian Ocean Territory 4 League of Nations mandate. Asia  18th century 1757-1947  Bengal (West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh) 1762-1764  Philippines 1795-1948  Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1796-1965  Maldives 19th century 1819-1826  Singapore 1826-1946  Straits Settlements 1839-1967  Aden (colony) 1841-1997  Hong Kong 1841-1941  Kingdom of Sarawak 1858-1947  British India (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Burma) 1882-1963  British North Borneo (Malaysia) 1885-1946  Unfederated Malay States 1891-1971  Muscat and Oman protectorate 1892-1971  Trucial States protectorate 1895-1946  Federated Malay States 1898-1930  Weihai Garrison 20th century 1918-1961  Kuwait protectorate 1920-1932  Iraq4 1921-1946  Transjordan4 1923-1948  Palestine4 1946-1948  Malayan Union 1946-1963  Sarawak (Malaysia) 1948-1957  Federation of Malaya (Malaysia) 4 League of Nations mandate. Oceania  18th century 1788-1901  New South Wales 1794-1843  Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) 19th century 1803-1901  Van Diemen's Land/Tasmania 1807-1863  Auckland Islands 1824-1980  New Hebrides (Vanuatu) 1824-1901  Queensland 1829-1901  Swan River Colony/Western Australia 1836-1901  South Australia since 1838  Pitcairn Islands 1840-1907  *Colony of New Zealand 1850-1901  Victoria (Australia) 1874-1970  Fiji5 1877-1976  British Western Pacific Territories 1884-1949  Territory of Papua 1888-1965  Cook Islands6 1888-1984  Sultanate of Brunei 1889-1948  Union Islands (Tokelau)6 1892-1979  Gilbert and Ellice Islands7 1893-1978  British Solomon Islands8 20th century 1900-1970  Tonga (protected state) 1900-1974  Niue6 1901-1942  *Commonwealth of Australia 1907-1953  *Dominion of New Zealand 1919-1949  Territory of New Guinea 1949-1975  Territory of Papua and New Guinea9 5 Suspended member. 6 Now part of the *Realm of New Zealand. 7 Now Kiribati and *Tuvalu. 8 Now the *Solomon Islands. 9 Now *Papua New Guinea. Antarctica and South Atlantic  17th century since 1659  St. Helena 19th century since 1815  Ascension Island9 since 1816  Tristan da Cunha9 since 1833  Falkland Islands11 20th century since 1908  British Antarctic Territory10 since 1908  South Georgia and                     the South Sandwich Islands10, 11 9 Dependencies of St. Helena since 1922 (Ascension Island) and 1938 (Tristan da Cunha). 10 Both claimed in 1908; territories formed in 1962 (British Antarctic Territory) and 1985 (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands). 11 Occupied by Argentina during the Falklands War of April-June 1982.