My World Factbook
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Note: Most information adapted from the popular World Factbook is distributed between the websites GeoWorld (geography, people, communications & transportation), Politix (government) and Great Depression II (economy).
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.
Government
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat
overseas territory of the UK
NA
name: Plymouth
geographic coordinates: 16 42 N, 62 13 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate in the Carr’s Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat
3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
effective 19 December 1989
English common law and statutory law
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter A. WATERWORTH (since 27 July 2007)
head of government: Chief Minister Rueben MEADE (since 10 September 2009)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, 3 other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary
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elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister
unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats; 9 members popularly elected to serve five-year terms; the attorney general and financial secretary sit as ex-officio members)
elections: last held on 8 September 2009 (next to be held by 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MCAP 6, independents 3
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court)
Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY]; New People’s Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]
NA
Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU
none (overseas territory of the UK)
none (overseas territory of the UK)
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the arms feature a woman in green dress, Erin, the female personification of Ireland, standing beside a yellow harp and embracing a large dark cross with her right arm; Erin and the harp are symbols of Ireland reflecting the territory’s Irish ancestry; blue represents awareness, trustworthiness, determination, and righteousness
note: as a territory of the United Kingdom, “God Save the Queen” is official (see United Kingdom)
Military
no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2010)
males age 16-49: 1,339 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 1,127
females age 16-49: 1,217 (2010 est.)
male: 38
female: 36 (2010 est.)
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
none
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism - 
