Montserrat

Montserrat
Overseas territory of the ‌United Kingdom


Anthem God Save the Queen


Capital	Brades

Status	Overseas territory
Monarch
- From 1952	Queen Elizabeth II
Governor
- From 2010	Adrian Davis
Chief Minister
- From 2009	Reuben Meade

History
- May 31, 1962	Crown Colony
- July 18, 1995	Eruptions by Soufriere Hills volcano

Area	102 km²

Population
- 2006	4,655
Density	45.6/km²

GDP	2006 (PPP)
- Total	US$ 0 billion
- Per capita	US$ 3,400

Currency	East Caribbean dollar

West Indies
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Montserrat is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom located in the Caribbean.

Background

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.^[1]

Economy

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 airports 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. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade.^[2]