197 lines
16 KiB
Plaintext
197 lines
16 KiB
Plaintext
MONTSERRAT
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(dependent territory of the UK)
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GEOGRAPHY
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Total area: 100 km2; land area: 100 km2
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Comparative area: about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries: none
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Coastline: 40 km
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Maritime claims:
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Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
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Territorial sea: 3 nm
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Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
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Terrain: volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal
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lowland
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Natural resources: negligible
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Land use: arable land 20%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
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10%; forest and woodland 40%; other 30%
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Environment: subject to severe hurricanes from June to November
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Note: located 400 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea
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PEOPLE
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Population: 12,504 (July 1991), growth rate 1.0% (1991)
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Birth rate: 16 births/1,000 population (1991)
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Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
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Net migration rate: 4 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
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Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
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Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 80 years female (1991)
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Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1991)
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Nationality: noun--Montserratian(s); adjective--Montserratian
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Ethnic divisions: mostly black with a few Europeans
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Religion: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,
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Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations
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Language: English
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Literacy: 97% (male 97%, female 97%) age 15 and over having ever
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attended school (1970)
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Labor force: 5,100; community, social, and personal services 40.5%,
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construction 13.5%, trade, restaurants, and hotels 12.3%, manufacturing
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10.5%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 8.8%, other 14.4% (1983 est.)
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Organized labor: 30% of labor force, three trade unions with 1,500
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members (1984 est.)
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GOVERNMENT
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Long-form name: none
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Type: dependent territory of the UK
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Capital: Plymouth
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Administrative divisions: 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges,
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Saint Peter
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Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
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Constitution: 1 January 1960
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Legal system: English common law and statute law
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National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second
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Saturday of June)
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Executive branch: monarch, governor, Executive Council (cabinet),
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chief minister
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Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council
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Judicial branch: Supreme Court
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Leaders:
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Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
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represented by Governor David TAYLOR (since NA 1990);
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Head of Government--Chief Minister John A. OSBORNE (since NA
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1978)
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Political parties and leaders:
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People's Liberation Movement (PLM), John OSBORNE;
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Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), Howell BRAMBLE;
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United National Front (UNF), Dr. George IRISH;
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National Development Party (NDP), Bertrand OSBORNE
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Suffrage: universal at age 18
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Elections:
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Legislative Council--last held on 25 August 1987 (next to be
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held NA 1992);
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results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(11 total, 7 elected) PLM 4, NDP 2, PDP 1
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Communists: probably none
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Member of: CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, OECS, WCL
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Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
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Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant
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and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the
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flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp
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with her arm around a black cross
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ECONOMY
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Overview: The economy is small and open with economic activity
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centered on tourism and construction. Tourism is the most important
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sector and accounted for 20% of GDP in 1986. Agriculture accounted for
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about 4% of GDP and industry 10%. The economy is heavily dependent on
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imports, making it vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices. Exports
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consist mainly of electronic parts sold to the US.
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GDP: $54.2 million, per capita $4,500; real growth rate 12% (1988
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est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (1988)
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Unemployment rate: 3.0% (1987)
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Budget: revenues $12.1 million; expenditures $14.3 million,
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including capital expenditures of $3.2 million (1988)
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Exports: $2.3 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.);
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commodities--electronic parts, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers,
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live plants, cattle;
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partners--NA
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Imports: $30 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.);
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commodities--machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs,
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manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials;
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partners--NA
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External debt: $2.05 million (1987)
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Industrial production: growth rate 8.1% (1986); accounts for
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10% of GDP
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Electricity: 5,270 kW capacity; 12.2 million kWh produced,
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980 kWh per capita (1990)
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Industries: tourism; light manufacturing--rum, textiles, electronic
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appliances
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Agriculture: accounts for 4% of GDP; small-scale farming; food
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crops--tomatoes, onions, peppers; not self-sufficient in food, especially
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livestock products
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Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral
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commitments (1970-88), $75 million
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Currency: East Caribbean dollar (plural--dollars);
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1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
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Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.70 (fixed
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rate since 1976)
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Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
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COMMUNICATIONS
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Highways: 280 km total; about 200 km paved, 80 km gravel and earth
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Ports: Plymouth
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Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,036 m
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Telecommunications: 3,000 telephones; stations--8 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV
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DEFENSE FORCES
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Branches: Police Force
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Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
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