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| Get A Large Static Flag | Montserrat |
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| Introduction | Montserrat |
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Background:
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Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of population has fled abroad due to eruption of Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. |
| Geography | Montserrat |
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Location:
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Caribbean, island in Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico |
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Geographic coordinates:
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16 45 N, 62 12 W |
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Map references:
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Central America and Caribbean |
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Area:
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total: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 102 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about 0.6 times size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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40 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation |
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Terrain:
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volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with limited coastal lowland |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chances Peak (in Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m |
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Natural resources:
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NEGL |
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Land use:
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arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996) |
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Environment - current issues:
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land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation |
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Geography - note:
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island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes |
| People | Montserrat |
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Total Population:
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8,995
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left island following resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Median age:
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total: 27.8 years
male: 27.7 years female: 27.9 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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4.5% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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17.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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34.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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 Population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life Expectancy:
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Population: 78.36 years
male: 76.24 years female: 80.59 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian |
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Ethnic groups:
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black, white |
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Religions:
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Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations |
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Languages:
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English |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
Population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.) |
| Government | Montserrat |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat |
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Dependency status:
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overseas territory of UK |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at northwest end of Montserrat) |
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Administrative divisions:
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3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter |
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Independence:
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none (overseas territory of UK) |
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National holiday:
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Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) |
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Constitution:
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present constitution came into force 19 December 1989 |
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Legal system:
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English common law and statutory law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Anthony LONGRIGG (since NA May 2001)
elections: monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by monarch; following legislative elections, leader of majority party usually becomes chief minister head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001) cabinet: Executive Council consists of governor, chief minister, three other ministers, attorney general, and finance secretary |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)
note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held NA April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) note: in 2001, Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of Legislative Council election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2 |
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Judicial branch:
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Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of Supreme Court is a resident of islands and presides over High Court) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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Caricom, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS |
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Diplomatic representation in US:
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none (overseas territory of UK) |
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Diplomatic representation from US:
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none (overseas territory of UK) |
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Flag description:
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blue, with flag of UK in upper hoist-side quadrant and Montserratian coat of arms centered in outer half of flag; coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross |
| Economy | Montserrat |
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Economy - overview:
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Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this limited , open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of 12,000 inhabitants fled island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited number. agriculture sector continued to be affected by lack of suitable land for farming and destruction of crops. Prospects for economy depend largely on developments in relation to volcano and on public sector construction activity. UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct economy. Half of island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade. |
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GDP:
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buying power parity - $29 million (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-1% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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buying power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.6% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
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Unemployment rate:
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6% (1998 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, includes capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.) |
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Industries:
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tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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2.5 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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2.325 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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400 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products |
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Exports:
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$700,000 (2001) |
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Exports - commodities:
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electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle |
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Exports - partners:
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US, Antigua and Barbuda |
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Imports:
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$17 million (2001) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials |
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Imports - partners:
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US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada |
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Debt - external:
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$8.9 million (1997) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance |
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Currency:
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East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
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Currency code:
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XCD |
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Exchange rates:
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East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31 March |
| Communications | Montserrat |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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4,000 (1997) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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70 (1994) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: NA |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
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Radios:
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7,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (1997) |
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Televisions:
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3,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.ms |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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17 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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NA |
| Transportation | Montserrat |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total: 227 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of road system (2003) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay |
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Merchant marine:
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none (2002 est.) |
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Airports:
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none; only airport previously destroyed by volcanic activity; a helicopter service to Antigua is used (2002) |
| Military | Montserrat |
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Military branches:
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no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force |
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Military - note:
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defense is responsibility of UK |
| Transnational Issues | Montserrat |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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Illicit drugs:
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transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for US and Europe |