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Montserrat

Montserrat (/ˌmɒntsəˈræt/ MONT-sə-RAT) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is part of the Leeward Islands, the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies. Montserrat is about 16 km (10 mi) long and 11 km (7 mi) wide, with roughly 40 km (25 mi) of coastline.[6] It is nicknamed "The Emerald Isle of the Caribbean" both for its resemblance to coastal Ireland and for the Irish ancestry of many of its inhabitants.[7][8] Montserrat is the only non-fully sovereign full member of the Caribbean Community and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.

Montserrat
Motto
"A people of excellence, moulded by nature, nurtured by God"
Anthem: "God Save the King"
National song: "Motherland"
Location of Montserrat (circled in red)
Topographic map of Montserrat showing the "exclusion zone" due to volcanic activity, and the new airport in the north. The roads and settlements in the exclusion zone have mostly been destroyed.
Sovereign state United Kingdom
English settlement1632
Treaty of Paris3 September 1783
Federation3 January 1958
Separate colony31 May 1962
CapitalPlymouth (de jure)[a]
Brades (de facto)[b]
Little Bay (under construction)
16°45′N 62°12′W / 16.750°N 62.200°W / 16.750; -62.200
Largest cityBrades
Official languagesEnglish
Demonym(s)Montserratian
GovernmentParliamentary dependency under a constitutional monarchy
• Monarch
Charles III
• Governor
Sarah Tucker[1]
• Premier
Easton Taylor-Farrell
LegislatureLegislative Assembly
Government of the United Kingdom
David Rutley
Area
• Total
102 km2 (39 sq mi)
• Water (%)
negligible
Highest elevation
1,050 m (3,440 ft)
Population
• 2022 estimate
4,390[2] (194th)
• 2018 census
4,649[3] (intercensal count)
• Density
46/km2 (119.1/sq mi) (not ranked)
GDP (PPP)2014 estimate
• Total
US$63 million[4]
• Per capita
US$12,384
GDP (nominal)2019 estimate
• Total
US$181,680,000[5]
CurrencyEast Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Time zoneUTC-4:00 (AST)
Driving sideleft
ISO 3166 codeMS
Internet TLD.ms
Websitehttps://www.gov.ms/

On 18 July 1995, the previously dormant Soufrière Hills volcano, in the southern part of the island, became active. Eruptions destroyed Montserrat's Georgian era capital city of Plymouth. Between 1995 and 2000, two-thirds of the island's population was forced to flee, primarily to the United Kingdom, leaving fewer than 1,200 people on the island in 1997 (rising to nearly 5,000 by 2016).[9][10] The volcanic activity continues, mostly affecting the vicinity of Plymouth, including its docking facilities, and the eastern side of the island around the former W. H. Bramble Airport, the remnants of which were buried by flows from volcanic activity on 11 February 2010.

An exclusion zone, encompassing the southern part of the island to as far north as parts of the Belham Valley, was imposed because of the size of the existing volcanic dome and the resulting potential for pyroclastic activity. Visitors are generally not permitted entry into the exclusion zone, but a view of the destruction of Plymouth can be seen from the top of Garibaldi Hill in Isles Bay. Relatively quiet since early 2010, the volcano continues to be closely monitored by the Montserrat Volcano Observatory.[11][12]

In 2015, it was announced that planning would begin on a new town and port at Little Bay on the northwest coast of the island. While additional plans proceeded, the centre of government and businesses was moved to Brades.[13] After a number of delays, including Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017[14] and the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in early 2020,[15] in June 2022, ground was broken on the Little Bay Port Development Project, a £28 million project funded by the UK and the Caribbean Development Bank.

Etymology edit

In 1493, Christopher Columbus named the island Santa María de Montserrate, after the Virgin of Montserrat of the Monastery of Montserrat near Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain.[16] Montserrat means "serrated mountain" in Catalan.

History edit

 
A view of half of the coastline of Little Bay, and a glimpse of Carrs Bay, taken from partway up the headland between Little Bay and Rendezvous Bay, 2012
 
Map of Montserrat (top) and Plymouth (bottom) in 1869

Pre-colonial era edit

Archaeological field work in 2012 in Montserrat's Centre Hills indicated there was an Archaic (pre-Arawak) occupation between 2000 and 500 BCE.[17] Later coastal sites show the presence of the Saladoid culture (until 550 CE).[18] The native Caribs are believed to have called the island Alliouagana, meaning 'Land of the Prickly Bush'.[19]

In 2016, nine petroglyphs were discovered by local residents hiking in a wooded area near Soldier Ghaut.[20][21] Another was discovered in 2018 in the same area of the island.[21] The carvings are believed to be 1000–1500 years old.[20]

Early European period edit

In November 1493, Christopher Columbus passed Montserrat in his second voyage, after being told that the island was unoccupied due to raids by the Caribs.[22][19]

A number of Irishmen settled in Montserrat in 1632.[23] Most came from nearby Saint Kitts at the instigation of the island's governor Thomas Warner, with more settlers arriving later from Virginia.[19] The first settlers "appear to have been cultivators, each working his own little farm".[24]

The preponderance of Anglo-Irish in the first wave of European settlers led a leading legal scholar to remark that a "nice question" is whether the original settlers took with them the law of the Kingdom of Ireland insofar as it differed from the law of the Kingdom of England.[25]

The Irish being historical allies of the French, especially in their qualified disdain of the English, invited the French to claim the island in 1666, although no troops were sent by France to maintain control.[23] However, the French did attack and briefly occupy the island in the late 1660s;[26] it was captured shortly afterwards by the English and English control of the island was confirmed under the Treaty of Breda the following year.[23] Despite the seizing by force of the island by the French, the island's legal status is that of a "colony acquired by settlement", as the French gave up their claim to the island at Breda.[23]

A neo-feudal colony developed amongst the so-called "redlegs".[27] The Anglo-Irish colonists began to transport both white [citation needed] and Sub-Saharan African slaves for labour, as was common to most Caribbean islands. By the late 18th century, numerous plantations had been developed on the island.

18th century edit

There was a brief French attack on Montserrat in 1712.[26] On 17 March 1768, a slave rebellion failed but their efforts were remembered.[28][26] Slavery was abolished in 1834. In 1985, the people of Montserrat made St Patrick's Day a ten-day public holiday to commemorate the uprising.[29] Festivities celebrate the culture and history of Montserrat in song, dance, food and traditional costumes.[30]

In 1782, during the American Revolutionary War, as America's first ally, France captured Montserrat in their war of support of the Americans.[29][26] The French, not intent on truly colonising the island, then agreed to return the island to Great Britain under the 1783 Treaty of Paris.[31]

New crops and politics edit

Britain abolished slavery in Montserrat and its other territories effective August 1834.[32][29][26]

During the nineteenth century, falling sugar prices had an adverse effect on the island's economy, as Brazil and other nations competed in the trade.[33][34]

The first lime tree orchards on the island were planted in 1852 by a local planter Mr Burke.[35] Later, in 1857, the British philanthropist Joseph Sturge bought a sugar estate to prove it was economically viable to employ paid labour rather than slaves.[19] Numerous members of the Sturge family bought additional land. In 1869, the family established the Montserrat Company Limited and planted Key lime trees, started the commercial production of lime juice, with more than 100,000 gallons produced annually by 1895, set up a school, and sold parcels of land to the inhabitants of the island. The pure lime juice was transported in casks to England where it was clarified and bottled by Evans, Sons & Co, of Liverpool, with a trade mark on each bottle intended to guarantee quality to the public.[24]

 
Barquentine 'Hilda' loading lime juice[24]

Much of Montserrat came to be owned by smallholders.[36][37]

From 1871 to 1958, Montserrat was administered as part of the federal crown colony of the British Leeward Islands, becoming a province of the short-lived West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962.[38][19] The first Chief Minister of Montserrat was William Henry Bramble of the Montserrat Labour Party from 1960 to 1970; he worked to promote labour rights and boost tourism to the island, and Montserrat's original airport was named in his honour.[39] However, Bramble's son Percival Austin Bramble was critical of the way tourist facilities were being constructed, and he subsequently set up his own party (the Progressive Democratic Party) which went on to win the 1970 Montserratian general election, with Percival Bramble serving as Chief Minister from 1970 to 1978.[40] The period 1978 to 1991 was dominated politically by Chief Minister John Osborne and his People's Liberation Movement; his brief flirtation with possibly declaring independence never materialised.

On 10 May 1991, the Caribbean Territories (Abolition of Death Penalty for Murder) Order 1991 came into force, formally abolishing the death penalty for murder on Montserrat.[41]

Corruption allegations within the PLM party resulted in the collapse of the Osborne government in 1991, with Reuben Meade becoming the new chief minister.[42] As a result, early elections were called.[42]

In 1995-1999, Montserrat was devastated by the catastrophic volcanic eruptions of the Soufrière Hills, which destroyed the capital city of Plymouth, and necessitated the evacuation of a large part of the island. Many Montserratians emigrated abroad, mainly to the United Kingdom, though in recent years some have started returning. The eruptions rendered the entire southern half of the island uninhabitable, and it is currently designated an Exclusion Zone with restricted access.

Criticism of the Montserratian government's response to the disaster led to the resignation of Chief Minister Bertrand Osborne in 1997, after only a year in office, and being replaced by David Brandt who remained in office until 2001. Since leaving office, Brandt has been the subject of multiple criminal investigation into alleged sex offences with minors.[43] He was found guilty of six counts of sexual exploitation and sentenced to fifteen years in July 2021.[44]

John Osborne returned as Chief Minister following victory in the 2001 election, being ousted by Lowell Lewis of the Montserrat Democratic Party in 2006. Reuben Meade returned to office in 2009 to 2014;[45] during his term the post of Chief Minister was replaced with that of Premier.

In the autumn of 2017, Montserrat was not hit by Hurricane Irma and sustained only minor damage from Hurricane Maria.[46]

Since November 2019, Easton Taylor-Farrell of the Movement for Change and Prosperity party has been the island's Premier.

Politics and government edit

Montserrat is an internally self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom.[47] The United Nations Committee on Decolonization includes Montserrat on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. The island's head of state is King Charles III, represented by an appointed Governor. Executive power is exercised by the government, whereas the Premier is the head of government. The Premier is appointed by the Governor from among the members of the Legislative Assembly which consists of nine elected members. The leader of the party with a majority of seats is usually the one who is appointed.[6] Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Legislative Assembly. The Assembly also includes two ex officio members, the attorney general and financial secretary.[6]

The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Administrative divisions edit

 
Parishes
St. Peter (red)
St. Georges (green)
St. Anthony (cyan)
Plymouth (◾)

For the purposes of local government, Montserrat is divided into three parishes. Going north to south, they are:

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

The locations of settlements on the island have been vastly changed since the volcanic activity began. Only the Parish of Saint Peter in the northwest of the island is now inhabited, with a population of between 4,000 and 6,000,[48][49] the other two parishes being still too dangerous to inhabit.

A significantly more up-to-date administrative division type would be the 3 census regions, primarily used for the population census.[50] Going north to south, these are:

  • Northern Region (2,369 pop.)
  • Central Region (1,666 pop.)
  • South of Nantes river (887 pop.)

For census purposes, these are further divided into 23 enumeration districts.

Police edit

Policing is primarily the responsibility of the Royal Montserrat Police Service.

Military and Defence edit

The defence of Montserrat is the responsibility of the United Kingdom. The Royal Navy maintains a ship on permanent station in the Caribbean (HMS Medway)[51] and from time-to-time may send another Royal Navy or Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship as a part of the Atlantic Patrol (NORTH) tasking. These ships' main mission in the region is to maintain British sovereignty for the overseas territories, provide humanitarian aid and disaster relief during disasters such as hurricanes, which are common in the area, and conduct counter-narcotics operations. In October 2023, the destroyer HMS Dauntless (which had temporarily replaced Medway on her Caribbean tasking), visited the territory in order to assist local authorities in preparing for the climax of the hurricane season.[52]

Royal Montserrat Defence Force edit

The Royal Montserrat Defence Force is the home defence unit of the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat. Raised in 1899, the unit is today a reduced force of about forty volunteer soldiers, primarily concerned with civil defence and ceremonial duties. The unit has a historical association with the Irish Guards.

Communications edit

The island is served by landline telephones, fully digitalised, with 3000 subscribers and by mobile cellular, with an estimated number of 5000 handsets in use. An estimated 2860 users have internet access. These are July 2016 estimates. Public radio service is provided by Radio Montserrat. There is a single television broadcaster, PTV.[53] Cable and satellite television service is available.[6]

The UK Postcode for directing mail to Montserrat is MSR followed by four digits according to the destination town, for example, the postcode for Little Bay is MSR1120.[54]

Geography edit

 
Montserrat's coastline

The island of Montserrat is located approximately 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Antigua, 13 miles (21 km) southeast of Redonda (a small island owned by Antigua and Barbuda), and 35 miles (56 km) northwest of the French overseas region of Guadeloupe. Beyond Redonda lies the island of Nevis (which is part of the federation of St Kitts and Nevis), about 30 miles (48 km) to the north-west.

Montserrat comprises 104 km2 (40 sq mi) and is gradually increasing owing to the buildup of volcanic deposits on the southeast coast. The island is 16 km (9.9 mi) long and 11 km (6.8 mi) wide and consists of a mountainous interior surrounded by a flatter littoral region, with rock cliffs rising 15 to 30 m (49 to 98 ft) above the sea and a number of smooth bottomed sandy beaches scattered among coves on the western (Caribbean Sea) side of the island.

The major mountains are (from north to south) Silver Hill, Katy Hill in the Centre Hills range, the Soufrière Hills and the South Soufrière Hills.[29] The Soufrière Hills volcano is the island's highest point; its pre-1995 height was 915 metres (3,002 ft). However, it has grown after the eruption due to the creation of a lava dome, with its current height being estimated at 1,050 metres (3,440 ft).[6]

The 2011 estimate by the CIA indicates that 30% of the island's land is classified as agricultural, 20% as arable, 25% as forest and the balance as "other".[6]

Montserrat has a few tiny off-shore islands, such as Little Redonda off its north coast and Pinnacle Rock and Statue Rock off its east.

Volcano and exclusion zone edit

 
Eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano on 22 September 1997
 
Plymouth City (former capital and major port of Montserrat) on 12 July 1997, after pyroclastic flows burned much of what was not covered in ash
 
False-colour time-lapse images of the Soufrière Hills volcanic dome collapse in 2010, from NASA
 
Devastated Plymouth City and volcano (2003)

In July 1995, Montserrat's Soufrière Hills volcano, dormant for centuries, erupted and soon buried the island's capital, Plymouth, in more than 12 metres (39 ft) of mud, destroyed its airport and docking facilities, and rendered the southern part of the island, now termed the exclusion zone, uninhabitable and not safe for travel. The southern part of the island was evacuated and visits are severely restricted.[55] The exclusion zone also includes two sea areas adjacent to the land areas of most volcanic activity.[9]

After the destruction of Plymouth and disruption of the economy, more than half of the population left the island, which also lacked housing. During the late 1990s, additional eruptions occurred. On 25 June 1997, a pyroclastic flow travelled down Mosquito Ghaut. This pyroclastic surge could not be restrained by the ghaut and spilled out of it, killing 19 people who were in the (officially evacuated) Streatham village area. Several others in the area suffered severe burns.

In recognition of the disaster, in 1998, the people of Montserrat were granted full residency rights in the United Kingdom, allowing them to migrate if they chose. British citizenship was granted in 2002.[56]

For a number of years in the early 2000s, the volcano's activity consisted mostly of infrequent ventings of ash into the uninhabited areas in the south. The ash falls occasionally extended into the northern and western parts of the island. In the most recent period of increased activity at the Soufrière Hills volcano, from November 2009 through February 2010, ash vented and there was a vulcanian explosion that sent pyroclastic flows down several sides of the mountain. Travel into parts of the exclusion zone was occasionally allowed, though only by a licence from the Royal Montserrat Police Force.[57] Since 2014 the area has been split into multiple subzones with varying entry and use restrictions, based on volcanic activity: some areas even being (in 2020) open 24 hours and inhabited. The most dangerous zone, which includes the former capital, remains forbidden to casual visitors due to volcanic and other hazards, especially due to the lack of maintenance in destroyed areas. It is legal to visit this area when accompanied by a government-authorised guide.[58][59]

The northern part of Montserrat has largely been unaffected by volcanic activity, and remains lush and green. In February 2005, Princess Anne officially opened what is now called the John A. Osborne Airport in the north. Since 2011, it handles several flights daily operated by Fly Montserrat Airways. Docking facilities are in place at Little Bay, where the new capital town is being constructed; the new government centre is at Brades, a short distance away.

Wildlife edit

Montserrat, like many isolated islands, is home to rare, endemic plant and animal species. Work undertaken by the Montserrat National Trust in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has centred on the conservation of pribby (Rondeletia buxifolia) in the Centre Hills region. Until 2006, this species was known only from one book about the vegetation of Montserrat.[60] In 2006, conservationists also rescued several plants of the endangered Montserrat orchid (Epidendrum montserratense) from dead trees on the island and installed them in the security of the island's botanic garden.

Montserrat is also home to the critically endangered giant ditch frog (Leptodactylus fallax), known locally as the mountain chicken, found only in Montserrat and Dominica. The species has undergone catastrophic declines due to the amphibian disease Chytridiomycosis and the volcanic eruption in 1997. Experts from Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust have been working with the Montserrat Department of Environment to conserve the frog in-situ in a project called "Saving the Mountain Chicken",[61] and an ex-situ captive breeding population has been set up in partnership with Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Zoological Society of London, Chester Zoo, Parken Zoo, and the Governments of Montserrat and Dominica. Releases from this programme have already taken place in a hope to increase the numbers of the frog and reduce extinction risk from Chytridiomycosis.

The national bird is the endemic Montserrat oriole (Icterus oberi).[62] The IUCN Red List classifies it as vulnerable, having previously listed it as critically endangered.[63] Captive populations are held in several zoos in the UK including: Chester Zoo, London Zoo, Jersey Zoo and Edinburgh Zoo.

The Montserrat galliwasp (Diploglossus montisserrati), a type of lizard, is endemic to Montserrat and is listed on the IUCN Red List as critically endangered.[64][65] A species action plan has been developed for this species.[66]

In 2005, a biodiversity assessment for the Centre Hills was conducted. To support the work of local conservationists, a team of international partners, including Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Montana State University, carried out extensive surveys and collected biological data.[67] Researchers from Montana State University found that the invertebrate fauna was particularly rich on the island. The report found that the number of invertebrate species known to occur in Montserrat is 1241. The number of known beetle species is 718 species from 63 families. It is estimated that 120 invertebrates are endemic to Montserrat.[67]

Montserrat is known for its coral reefs and its caves along the shore. These caves house many species of bats, and efforts are underway to monitor and protect the ten species of bats from extinction.[68][69]

The Montserrat tarantula (Cyrtopholis femoralis) is the only species of tarantula native to the island. It was first bred in captivity at the Chester Zoo in August 2016.[70]

Climate edit

Montserrat has a tropical rainforest climate (Af according to the Köppen climate classification) with the temperature being warm and consistent year-round, and lots of precipitation. Summer and autumn are wetter because of Atlantic hurricanes.

Climate data for Plymouth
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 32
(90)
33
(91)
34
(93)
34
(93)
36
(97)
37
(99)
37
(99)
37
(99)
36
(97)
34
(93)
37
(99)
33
(91)
37
(99)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 29
(84)
30
(86)
31
(88)
31
(88)
32
(90)
32
(90)
33
(91)
33
(91)
32
(90)
31
(88)
30
(86)
29
(84)
31
(88)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 23
(73)
23
(73)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
25
(77)
25
(77)
25
(77)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
23
(73)
24
(75)
Record low °C (°F) 17
(63)
18
(64)
18
(64)
18
(64)
19
(66)
21
(70)
22
(72)
22
(72)
21
(70)
19
(66)
19
(66)
18
(64)
17
(63)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 122
(4.8)
86
(3.4)
112
(4.4)
89
(3.5)
97
(3.8)
112
(4.4)
155
(6.1)
183
(7.2)
168
(6.6)
196
(7.7)
180
(7.1)
140
(5.5)
1,640
(64.6)
Source: BBC Weather[71]

Economy edit

 
The MV Caribe Queen is a Nevis ferry boat which shuttles passengers between Antigua and Montserrat several times a week

Montserrat's economy was devastated by the 1995 eruption and its aftermath;[29] currently the island's operating budget is largely supplied by the British government and administered through the Department for International Development (DFID) amounting to approximately £25 million per year.[citation needed] Additional amounts are secured through income and property taxes, licence and other fees as well as customs duties levied on imported goods.

The limited economy of Montserrat, with a population under 5000, consumes 2.5 MW of electric power,[72] produced by five diesel generators.[73] Two exploratory geothermal wells have found good resources and the pad for a third geothermal well was prepared in 2016.[74] Together the geothermal wells are expected to produce more power than the island requires.[75] A 250 kW solar PV station was commissioned in 2019, with plans for another 750 kW.[72]

A report published by the CIA indicates that the value of exports totalled the equivalent of US$5.7 million (2017 est.), consisting primarily of electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, limes, live plants and cattle. The value of imports totalled US$31.02 million (2016 est.), consisting primarily of machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels and lubricants.[6]

 
Montserrat from the Guadeloupe Passage

In 1979, The Beatles producer George Martin opened AIR Studios Montserrat,[76] making the island popular with musicians who often went there to record while taking advantage of the island's climate and beautiful surroundings.[77] In the early hours of 17 September 1989, Hurricane Hugo passed the island as a Category 4 hurricane, damaging more than 90% of the structures on the island.[19] AIR Studios Montserrat closed, and the tourist economy was virtually wiped out.[78] The slowly recovering tourist industry was again wiped out with the eruption of the Soufrière Hills Volcano in 1995, although it began partially to recover within fifteen years.[79]

Transport edit

 
John A. Osborne Airport

Air edit

John A. Osborne Airport is the only airport on the island (constructed after the W. H. Bramble Airport was destroyed in 1997 by the volcanic eruption). Scheduled service to Antigua is provided by FlyMontserrat[80] and ABM Air.[81] Charter flights are also available to the surrounding islands.

Sea edit

Ferry service to the island was provided by the Jaden Sun Ferry. It ran from Heritage Quay in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda to Little Bay on Montserrat. The ride was about an hour and a half and operated five days a week.[82]

This service stopped in 2019 due to being financially unsustainable and the only access to Montserrat now is by air.

Demographics edit

Montserrat had a population of 7,119 in 1842.[83]

The island had a population of 5,879 (according to a 2008 estimate). An estimated 8,000 refugees left the island (primarily to the UK) following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; the population was 13,000 in 1994. The 2011 Montserrat census indicated a population of 4,922.[84] In early 2016, the estimated population had reached nearly 5,000 primarily due to immigration from other islands.[10]

Age structure (2003 estimates):

  • up to 14 years: 23.4% (male 1,062; female 1,041)
  • 15 to 64 years: 65.3% (male 2,805; female 3,066)
  • 65 years and over: 11.3% (male 537; female 484)

The median age of the population was 28.1 as of 2002 and the sex ratio was 0.96 males/female as of 2000.

The population growth rate is 6.9% (2008 est.), with a birth rate of 17.57 births/1,000 population, death rate of 7.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.), and net migration rate of 195.35/1,000 population (2000 est.) There is an infant mortality rate of 7.77 deaths/1000 live births (2003 est.). The life expectancy at birth is 75.9 years: 76.8 for males and 75.0 for females (2023 est.)[85]. Globally, only Montserrat has a higher life expectancy for males than females, a difference of 1.8 years.[86] The total fertility rate is 1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.).

According to a United Nations estimate, the population as of April 2018 was 5,197 (for a density of 52 per square kilometre or 135 people per square mile), with just over 90% living in non-urban areas.[87]

Language edit

English is the sole official language and the main spoken language. A few thousand people speak Montserrat Creole, a dialect of Leeward Caribbean Creole English.[88][89] Historically Irish was spoken, but not any more.[90]

Irish language in Montserrat edit

The Irish constituted the largest proportion of the white population from the founding of the colony in 1628. Most were indentured servants; others were merchants or plantation owners. The geographer Thomas Jeffrey claimed in The West India Atlas (1780) that the majority of those on Montserrat were either Irish or of Irish descent, "so that the use of the Irish language is preserved on the island, even among the Negroes."[91]

African slaves and Irish indentured servants of all classes were in constant contact, with sexual relationships being common and a population of mixed descent appearing as a consequence.[92] The Irish were also prominent in Caribbean commerce, with their merchants importing Irish goods such as beef, pork, butter and herring, and also importing slaves.[93]

There is indirect evidence that the use of the Irish language continued in Montserrat until at least the middle of the nineteenth century. The Kilkenny diarist and Irish scholar Amhlaoibh Ó Súilleabháin noted in 1831 that he had heard that Irish was still spoken in Montserrat by both black and white inhabitants.[94]

In 1852, Henry H. Breen wrote in Notes and Queries that "The statement that 'the Irish language is spoken in the West India Islands, and that in some of them it may be said to be almost vernacular,' is true of the little Island of Montserrat, but has no foundation with respect to the other colonies."[95]

In 1902, The Irish Times quoted the Montreal Family Herald in a description of Montserrat, noting that "the negroes to this day speak the old Irish Gaelic tongue, or English with an Irish brogue. A story is told of a Connaught man who, on arriving at the island, was, to his astonishment, hailed in a vernacular Irish by the black people."[96]

A letter by W. F. Butler in The Atheneum (15 July 1905) quotes an account by a Cork civil servant, C. Cremen, of what he had heard from a retired sailor called John O'Donovan, a fluent Irish speaker:

He frequently told me that in the year 1852, when mate of the brig Kaloolah, he went ashore on the island of Montserrat which was then out of the usual track of shipping. He said he was much surprised to hear the negroes actually talking Irish among themselves, and that he joined in the conversation...[94]

The British phonetician John C. Wells conducted research into speech in Montserrat in 1977–78 (which included also Montserratians resident in London).[97] He found media claims that Irish speech, whether Anglo-Irish or Irish Gaelic, influenced contemporary Montserratian speech were largely exaggerated.[97] He found little in phonology, morphology or syntax that could be attributed to Irish influence, and in Wells' report, only a small number of Irish words in use, one example being minseach [ˈmʲiɲʃəx] which he suggests is the noun goat.[97]

Religion edit

In 2001, the CIA estimated the primary religion as Protestant (67.1%, including Anglican 21.8%, Methodist 17%, Pentecostal 14.1%, Seventh-day Adventist 10.5%, and Church of God 3.7%), with Catholics constituting 11.6%, Rastafarian 1.4%, other 6.5%, none 2.6%, unspecified 10.8%.[6]

Ethnic groups edit

Residents of Montserrat are known as Montserratians. The population is predominantly, but not exclusively, of mixed African-Irish descent.[98] It is not known with certainty how many African slaves and indentured Irish labourers were brought to the West Indies, though according to one estimate some 60,000 Irish were "Barbadosed" by Oliver Cromwell,[99] some of whom would have arrived in Montserrat.

Data published by the Central Intelligence Agency indicates the ethnic group mix as follows (2011 est.):[6]

88.4%: African/black
03.7%: mixed
03.0%: Hispanic/Spanish (of any race, including white)
02.7%: non-Hispanic Caucasian/white
01.5%: East Indian/Indian
00.7%: other

Education edit

Education in Montserrat is compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 14, and free up to the age of 17. The only secondary school (pre-16 years of age) on the island is the Montserrat Secondary School (MSS) in Salem.[100] Montserrat Community College (MCC) is a community college (post-16 and tertiary educational institution) in Salem.[101] The University of the West Indies maintains its Montserrat Open Campus.[102] University of Science, Arts and Technology is a private medical school in Olveston.[103]

Culture edit

 
The Montserrat Cultural Centre overlooking Little Bay

For more than a decade, George Martin's AIR Montserrat studio played host to recording sessions by many well known rock musicians, including Dire Straits, the Police, Rush, Elton John, Michael Jackson, and the Rolling Stones.[77] After the volcanic eruptions of 1995 through 1997, and until his death in 2016, George Martin raised funds to help the victims and families on the island. The first event was a star-studded event at London's Royal Albert Hall in September 1997 (Music for Montserrat) featuring many artists who had previously recorded on the island including Paul McCartney, Mark Knopfler, Elton John, Sting, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, and Midge Ure. The event raised £1.5 million.[104] All the proceeds from the show went towards short-term relief for the islanders.[77]

Martin's second major initiative was to release five hundred limited edition lithographs of his score for the Beatles song "Yesterday". Complete with mistakes and tea stains, the lithographs are numbered and signed by Paul McCartney and Martin. The lithograph sale raised more than US$1.4 million, which helped fund the building of a new cultural and community centre for Montserrat and provided a much needed focal point to help the re-generation of the island.[77]

Many albums of note were recorded at AIR Studios, including Rush's Power Windows, Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms, Duran Duran's Seven and the Ragged Tiger, the Police's Synchronicity and Ghost in the Machine (videos for "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and "Spirits in the Material World" were filmed in Montserrat), and Jimmy Buffett's Volcano (named for Soufrière Hills).[77] Ian Anderson (of Jethro Tull) recorded the song "Montserrat" on The Secret Language of Birds in tribute to the volcanic difficulties and feeling among residents of being abandoned by the UK government.

In 2017, Montserrat was used to film much of the 2020 film Wendy.[105]

Media edit

Montserrat has one national radio station, Radio Montserrat. The station offers a wide selection of music and news within the island and also on the internet for Montserratians living overseas.

Notable shows include the Morning Show with Basil Chambers and Rose Willock's Cultural Show.

Cuisine edit

Montserrat's national dish is goat water, a thick goat meat stew served with crusty bread rolls.[10] Montserrat cuisine resembles the general British and Caribbean cuisines, as it is situated in the Caribbean zone and it is a British territory. The cuisine includes a wide range of light meats, like fish, seafood and chicken, which are mostly grilled or roasted. Being a fusion of numerous cultures, such as Spanish, French, African, Indian and Amerindian, the Caribbean cuisine is unique and complex. More sophisticated meals include the Montserrat jerk shrimp, with rum, cinnamon bananas and cranberry. In other more rural areas, people prefer to eat homemade food, like the traditional mahi mahi and local breads.

Sport edit

Yachting edit

Montserrat is home to the Montserrat Yachting Association.[106]

Athletics edit

Montserrat has competed in every Commonwealth Games since 1994.[107]

Miguel Francis who now represents the United Kingdom and previously represented Antigua and Barbuda was born in Montserrat. He holds the Antiguan National record over 200m in 19.88.[108][109]

Basketball edit

Basketball is growing in popularity in Montserrat with the country now setting up their own basketball league.[110][111] The league contains six teams, which are the Look-Out Shooters, Davy Hill Ras Valley, Cudjoe Head Renegades, St. Peters Hilltop, Salem Jammers and MSS School Warriors.[112] They have also built a new 800 seater complex which cost $1.5 million.

Cricket edit

In common with many Caribbean islands, cricket is a very popular sport in Montserrat. Players from Montserrat are eligible to play for the West Indies cricket team. Jim Allen was the first to play for the West Indies and he represented the World Series Cricket West Indians, although, with a very small population, no other player from Montserrat had gone on to represent the West Indies until Lionel Baker made his One Day International debut against Pakistan in November 2008.[113]

The Montserrat cricket team forms a part of the Leeward Islands cricket team in regional domestic cricket; however, it plays as a separate entity in minor regional matches,[114] as well having previously played Twenty20 cricket in the Stanford 20/20.[115] Two grounds on the island have held first-class matches for the Leeward Islands, the first and most historic was Sturge Park in Plymouth, which had been in use since the 1920s. This was destroyed in 1997 by the volcanic eruption. A new ground, the Salem Oval, was constructed and opened in 2000. This has also held first-class cricket. A second ground has been constructed at Little Bay.[116]

Football edit

Montserrat has its own FIFA affiliated football team, and has competed in the World Cup qualifiers five times but failed to advance to the finals from 2002 to 2018. A field for the team was built near the airport by FIFA. In 2002, the team competed in a friendly match 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. Montserrat has failed to qualify for any FIFA World Cup. They have also failed to ever qualify for the Gold Cup and Caribbean Cup. The current national team relies mostly on the diaspora resident in England and in the last World Cup qualification game against Curaçao nearly all the squad members played and lived in England.[citation needed]

Montserrat has a club league, the Montserrat Championship, which has played sporadically since 1974. The league was most recently on hiatus from 2005 until 2015 but restarted play in 2016.

Surfing edit

 
Surfer brothers Carrll and Gary Robilotta at Isle's Bay, Montserrat

Carrll Robilotta, whose parents moved from the United States to Montserrat in 1980, was responsible for pioneering the sport of surfing on the island. He and his brother Gary explored, discovered, and named the surf spots on the island during the 80s and early 90s.[117]

Settlements edit

 
Little Bay, the site of the new capital. The project was funded by the UK's Department for International Development.[118]

Settlements within the exclusion zone are no longer habitable. See also List of settlements abandoned after the 1997 Soufrière Hills eruption.

Settlements in the safe zone edit

  • Baker Hill
  • Banks
  • Barzeys
  • Blakes
  • Brades
  • Carr's Bay
  • Cavalla Hill
  • Cheap End
  • Cudjoe Head
  • Davy Hill
  • Dick Hill
  • Drummonds
  • Flemmings
  • Fogarty
  • Frith
  • Garibaldi Hill
  • Gerald's[c]
  • Hope
  • Jack Boy Hill
  • Judy Piece
  • Katy Hill
  • Lawyers Mountain
  • Little Bay
  • Lookout
  • Manjack
  • Mongo Hill
  • New Windward Estate
  • Nixons
  • Old Towne
  • Olveston
  • Peaceful Cottage
  • Salem
  • Shinlands
  • St. John's
  • St. Peter's
  • Sweeney's
  • Woodlands
  • Yellow Hill

Abandoned settlements in the exclusion zone edit

Settlements in italics have been destroyed by pyroclastic flows since the 1997 eruption. Others have been evacuated or destroyed since 1995.

  • Amersham
  • Beech Hill
  • Bethel
  • Bramble
  • Bransby
  • Bugby Hole
  • Cork Hill
  • Dagenham
  • Delvins
  • Dyers
  • Elberton
  • Farm
  • Fairfield
  • Fairy Walk
  • Farrells
  • Farells Yard
  • Ffryes
  • Fox's Bay
  • Gages
  • Gallways Estate
  • Gringoes
  • Gun Hill
  • Happy Hill
  • Harris
  • Harris Lookout
  • Hermitage
  • Hodge's Hill
  • Jubilee
  • Kinsale
  • Lees
  • Locust Valley
  • Long Ground
  • Molyneux
  • Morris
  • Parsons
  • Plymouth
  • Richmond
  • Richmond Hill
  • Roche's Yard
  • Robuscus Mt
  • Shooter's Hill
  • Soufrière
  • Spanish Point
  • St. George's Hill
  • St. Patrick's
  • Streatham
  • Trants
  • Trials
  • Tuitts
  • Victoria
  • Webbs
  • Weekes
  • White's
  • Windy Hill

Notable Montserratians edit

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Abandoned in 1997, following a volcanic eruption, although it is still the de jure capital.
  2. ^ Government buildings are now located in Brades, making it the de facto capital.
  3. ^ Includes the new airport in the north of the island.

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  112. ^ Cassell, Warren (18 July 2015). "Montserrat 2015 basketball Championship game Salem Jammers vs. Lookout Shooters". Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2017 – via YouTube.
  113. ^ "Late Show Wins It For Pakistan In Abu Dhabi". CricketWorld.com. 12 November 2008. from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  114. ^ . CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  115. ^ "Twenty20 Matches played by Montserrat". CricketArchive. from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  116. ^ . Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Archived from the original on 1 July 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  117. ^ "Montserrat Boardriders Club - About Us". www.montserratsurfvilla.com. from the original on 16 August 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  118. ^ . Government of the United Kingdom. 2010. Archived from the original on 25 April 2013.

Further reading edit

  • Akenson, Donald Harman – If the Irish Ran the World: Montserrat, 1630-1730. [1][2][3][4]
  • Brussell, David Eric – Potions, Poisons, and Panaceas: An Ethnobotanical Study of Montserrat. [5][6][7]
  • Dobbin, Jay D. – The Jombee Dance of Montserrat: A Study of Trance Ritual in the West Indies. [8][9]
  • Perrett, Frank A. – The Volcano-Seismic Crisis at Montserrat, 1933-37. [10]
  • Philpott, Stuart B. – West Indian Migration: The Montserrat Case. [11]
  • Possekel, Anja K. – Living with the Unexpected: Linking Disaster Recovery to Sustainable Development in Montserrat. [12]

External links edit

Government edit

General information edit

News media edit

  • Radio Montserrat—ZJB Listen live online 14 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine

Travel edit

  • Montserrat Tourist Board
  • Montserrat Magazine Publications 9 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine
  • Montserrat Magazine

Health reports edit

Others edit

  1. ^ Solow, Barbara L. (Autumn 1998). "Review". Journal of Interdisciplinary History. 29 (2): 324–326. doi:10.1162/jinh.1998.29.2.324. JSTOR 207075. S2CID 143897485.
  2. ^ O'Shaughnessy, Andrew J. (December 1998). "Review". The International History Review. 20 (4). Taylor & Francis, Ltd.: 968–970. JSTOR 40108020.
  3. ^ Ohlmeyer, Jane (November 1998). "Review". Irish Historical Studies. 31 (122): 285–287. doi:10.1017/S0021121400014036. JSTOR 30008270. S2CID 164152541.
  4. ^ Palmer, Stanley H. (April 1999). "Review". The American Historical Review. 104 (2): 612–613. doi:10.2307/2650471. JSTOR 2650471.
  5. ^ Boom, B. M. (January–March 1999). "Review". Systematic Botany. 24 (1): 116. doi:10.2307/2419391. JSTOR 2419391. from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  6. ^ Rashford, John (January–March 1999). "Review". Economic Botany. 53 (1): 123. doi:10.1007/bf02860804. JSTOR 4256169. S2CID 13539061.
  7. ^ Anderson, E. N. (Spring 1999). "Review: Native American Cultural Representations of Flora and Fauna". Ethnohistory. 46 (2). Duke University Press: 378–382. JSTOR 482966.
  8. ^ Glazier, Stephen D. (July–September 1987). "Review". The Journal of American Folklore. 100 (397): 363–365. doi:10.2307/540351. JSTOR 540351.
  9. ^ Gissurarson, Loftur R. (Summer 1989). "Review". Sociological Analysis. 50 (2): 195–197. doi:10.2307/3710993. JSTOR 3710993.
  10. ^ Behre, Charles H. Jr. (May–June 1940). "Review". The Journal of Geology. 48 (4): 447–448. Bibcode:1940JG.....48..447B. doi:10.1086/624903. JSTOR 30058685.
  11. ^ Foner, Nancy (September 1975). "Review". American Anthropologist. New. 77 (3): 649. doi:10.1525/aa.1975.77.3.02a00500. JSTOR 673440.
  12. ^ Chester, David K. (June 2001). "Review". The Geographical Journal. 167 (2). Blackwell Publishing on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers): 183–184. JSTOR 3060497.

montserrat, confused, with, montferrat, this, article, about, british, territory, caribbean, other, uses, disambiguation, mont, british, overseas, territory, caribbean, part, leeward, islands, northern, portion, lesser, antilles, chain, west, indies, about, lo. Not to be confused with Montferrat This article is about the British territory in the Caribbean For other uses see Montserrat disambiguation Montserrat ˌ m ɒ n t s e ˈ r ae t MONT se RAT is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean It is part of the Leeward Islands the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies Montserrat is about 16 km 10 mi long and 11 km 7 mi wide with roughly 40 km 25 mi of coastline 6 It is nicknamed The Emerald Isle of the Caribbean both for its resemblance to coastal Ireland and for the Irish ancestry of many of its inhabitants 7 8 Montserrat is the only non fully sovereign full member of the Caribbean Community and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States MontserratBritish Overseas TerritoryFlagCoat of armsMotto A people of excellence moulded by nature nurtured by God Anthem God Save the King source source track track track track track track track track track track track track track track National song Motherland Location of Montserrat circled in red Topographic map of Montserrat showing the exclusion zone due to volcanic activity and the new airport in the north The roads and settlements in the exclusion zone have mostly been destroyed Sovereign state United KingdomEnglish settlement1632Treaty of Paris3 September 1783Federation3 January 1958Separate colony31 May 1962CapitalPlymouth de jure a Brades de facto b Little Bay under construction 16 45 N 62 12 W 16 750 N 62 200 W 16 750 62 200Largest cityBradesOfficial languagesEnglishDemonym s MontserratianGovernmentParliamentary dependency under a constitutional monarchy MonarchCharles III GovernorSarah Tucker 1 PremierEaston Taylor FarrellLegislatureLegislative AssemblyGovernment of the United Kingdom MinisterDavid RutleyArea Total102 km2 39 sq mi Water negligibleHighest elevation1 050 m 3 440 ft Population 2022 estimate4 390 2 194th 2018 census4 649 3 intercensal count Density46 km2 119 1 sq mi not ranked GDP PPP 2014 estimate TotalUS 63 million 4 Per capitaUS 12 384GDP nominal 2019 estimate TotalUS 181 680 000 5 CurrencyEast Caribbean dollar XCD Time zoneUTC 4 00 AST Driving sideleftISO 3166 codeMSInternet TLD msWebsitehttps www gov ms On 18 July 1995 the previously dormant Soufriere Hills volcano in the southern part of the island became active Eruptions destroyed Montserrat s Georgian era capital city of Plymouth Between 1995 and 2000 two thirds of the island s population was forced to flee primarily to the United Kingdom leaving fewer than 1 200 people on the island in 1997 rising to nearly 5 000 by 2016 9 10 The volcanic activity continues mostly affecting the vicinity of Plymouth including its docking facilities and the eastern side of the island around the former W H Bramble Airport the remnants of which were buried by flows from volcanic activity on 11 February 2010 An exclusion zone encompassing the southern part of the island to as far north as parts of the Belham Valley was imposed because of the size of the existing volcanic dome and the resulting potential for pyroclastic activity Visitors are generally not permitted entry into the exclusion zone but a view of the destruction of Plymouth can be seen from the top of Garibaldi Hill in Isles Bay Relatively quiet since early 2010 the volcano continues to be closely monitored by the Montserrat Volcano Observatory 11 12 In 2015 it was announced that planning would begin on a new town and port at Little Bay on the northwest coast of the island While additional plans proceeded the centre of government and businesses was moved to Brades 13 After a number of delays including Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 14 and the COVID 19 pandemic beginning in early 2020 15 in June 2022 ground was broken on the Little Bay Port Development Project a 28 million project funded by the UK and the Caribbean Development Bank Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2 1 Pre colonial era 2 2 Early European period 2 3 18th century 2 4 New crops and politics 3 Politics and government 3 1 Administrative divisions 3 2 Police 3 3 Military and Defence 3 3 1 Royal Montserrat Defence Force 4 Communications 5 Geography 5 1 Volcano and exclusion zone 5 2 Wildlife 5 3 Climate 6 Economy 7 Transport 7 1 Air 7 2 Sea 8 Demographics 8 1 Language 8 1 1 Irish language in Montserrat 8 2 Religion 8 3 Ethnic groups 9 Education 10 Culture 10 1 Media 10 2 Cuisine 11 Sport 11 1 Yachting 11 2 Athletics 11 3 Basketball 11 4 Cricket 11 5 Football 11 6 Surfing 12 Settlements 12 1 Settlements in the safe zone 12 2 Abandoned settlements in the exclusion zone 13 Notable Montserratians 14 See also 15 Notes 16 References 17 Further reading 18 External links 18 1 Government 18 2 General information 18 3 News media 18 4 Travel 18 5 Health reports 18 6 OthersEtymology editIn 1493 Christopher Columbus named the island Santa Maria de Montserrate after the Virgin of Montserrat of the Monastery of Montserrat near Barcelona in Catalonia Spain 16 Montserrat means serrated mountain in Catalan History editMain articles British West Indies British Leeward Islands and West Indies Federation nbsp A view of half of the coastline of Little Bay and a glimpse of Carrs Bay taken from partway up the headland between Little Bay and Rendezvous Bay 2012 nbsp Map of Montserrat top and Plymouth bottom in 1869Pre colonial era edit Archaeological field work in 2012 in Montserrat s Centre Hills indicated there was an Archaic pre Arawak occupation between 2000 and 500 BCE 17 Later coastal sites show the presence of the Saladoid culture until 550 CE 18 The native Caribs are believed to have called the island Alliouagana meaning Land of the Prickly Bush 19 In 2016 nine petroglyphs were discovered by local residents hiking in a wooded area near Soldier Ghaut 20 21 Another was discovered in 2018 in the same area of the island 21 The carvings are believed to be 1000 1500 years old 20 Early European period edit Main article Irish immigration to Montserrat In November 1493 Christopher Columbus passed Montserrat in his second voyage after being told that the island was unoccupied due to raids by the Caribs 22 19 A number of Irishmen settled in Montserrat in 1632 23 Most came from nearby Saint Kitts at the instigation of the island s governor Thomas Warner with more settlers arriving later from Virginia 19 The first settlers appear to have been cultivators each working his own little farm 24 The preponderance of Anglo Irish in the first wave of European settlers led a leading legal scholar to remark that a nice question is whether the original settlers took with them the law of the Kingdom of Ireland insofar as it differed from the law of the Kingdom of England 25 The Irish being historical allies of the French especially in their qualified disdain of the English invited the French to claim the island in 1666 although no troops were sent by France to maintain control 23 However the French did attack and briefly occupy the island in the late 1660s 26 it was captured shortly afterwards by the English and English control of the island was confirmed under the Treaty of Breda the following year 23 Despite the seizing by force of the island by the French the island s legal status is that of a colony acquired by settlement as the French gave up their claim to the island at Breda 23 A neo feudal colony developed amongst the so called redlegs 27 The Anglo Irish colonists began to transport both white citation needed and Sub Saharan African slaves for labour as was common to most Caribbean islands By the late 18th century numerous plantations had been developed on the island 18th century edit There was a brief French attack on Montserrat in 1712 26 On 17 March 1768 a slave rebellion failed but their efforts were remembered 28 26 Slavery was abolished in 1834 In 1985 the people of Montserrat made St Patrick s Day a ten day public holiday to commemorate the uprising 29 Festivities celebrate the culture and history of Montserrat in song dance food and traditional costumes 30 In 1782 during the American Revolutionary War as America s first ally France captured Montserrat in their war of support of the Americans 29 26 The French not intent on truly colonising the island then agreed to return the island to Great Britain under the 1783 Treaty of Paris 31 New crops and politics edit Britain abolished slavery in Montserrat and its other territories effective August 1834 32 29 26 During the nineteenth century falling sugar prices had an adverse effect on the island s economy as Brazil and other nations competed in the trade 33 34 The first lime tree orchards on the island were planted in 1852 by a local planter Mr Burke 35 Later in 1857 the British philanthropist Joseph Sturge bought a sugar estate to prove it was economically viable to employ paid labour rather than slaves 19 Numerous members of the Sturge family bought additional land In 1869 the family established the Montserrat Company Limited and planted Key lime trees started the commercial production of lime juice with more than 100 000 gallons produced annually by 1895 set up a school and sold parcels of land to the inhabitants of the island The pure lime juice was transported in casks to England where it was clarified and bottled by Evans Sons amp Co of Liverpool with a trade mark on each bottle intended to guarantee quality to the public 24 nbsp Barquentine Hilda loading lime juice 24 Much of Montserrat came to be owned by smallholders 36 37 From 1871 to 1958 Montserrat was administered as part of the federal crown colony of the British Leeward Islands becoming a province of the short lived West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962 38 19 The first Chief Minister of Montserrat was William Henry Bramble of the Montserrat Labour Party from 1960 to 1970 he worked to promote labour rights and boost tourism to the island and Montserrat s original airport was named in his honour 39 However Bramble s son Percival Austin Bramble was critical of the way tourist facilities were being constructed and he subsequently set up his own party the Progressive Democratic Party which went on to win the 1970 Montserratian general election with Percival Bramble serving as Chief Minister from 1970 to 1978 40 The period 1978 to 1991 was dominated politically by Chief Minister John Osborne and his People s Liberation Movement his brief flirtation with possibly declaring independence never materialised On 10 May 1991 the Caribbean Territories Abolition of Death Penalty for Murder Order 1991 came into force formally abolishing the death penalty for murder on Montserrat 41 Corruption allegations within the PLM party resulted in the collapse of the Osborne government in 1991 with Reuben Meade becoming the new chief minister 42 As a result early elections were called 42 In 1995 1999 Montserrat was devastated by the catastrophic volcanic eruptions of the Soufriere Hills which destroyed the capital city of Plymouth and necessitated the evacuation of a large part of the island Many Montserratians emigrated abroad mainly to the United Kingdom though in recent years some have started returning The eruptions rendered the entire southern half of the island uninhabitable and it is currently designated an Exclusion Zone with restricted access Criticism of the Montserratian government s response to the disaster led to the resignation of Chief Minister Bertrand Osborne in 1997 after only a year in office and being replaced by David Brandt who remained in office until 2001 Since leaving office Brandt has been the subject of multiple criminal investigation into alleged sex offences with minors 43 He was found guilty of six counts of sexual exploitation and sentenced to fifteen years in July 2021 44 John Osborne returned as Chief Minister following victory in the 2001 election being ousted by Lowell Lewis of the Montserrat Democratic Party in 2006 Reuben Meade returned to office in 2009 to 2014 45 during his term the post of Chief Minister was replaced with that of Premier In the autumn of 2017 Montserrat was not hit by Hurricane Irma and sustained only minor damage from Hurricane Maria 46 Since November 2019 Easton Taylor Farrell of the Movement for Change and Prosperity party has been the island s Premier Politics and government editMain article Politics of Montserrat Montserrat is an internally self governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom 47 The United Nations Committee on Decolonization includes Montserrat on the United Nations list of non self governing territories The island s head of state is King Charles III represented by an appointed Governor Executive power is exercised by the government whereas the Premier is the head of government The Premier is appointed by the Governor from among the members of the Legislative Assembly which consists of nine elected members The leader of the party with a majority of seats is usually the one who is appointed 6 Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Legislative Assembly The Assembly also includes two ex officio members the attorney general and financial secretary 6 The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature Administrative divisions edit nbsp ParishesSt Peter red St Georges green St Anthony cyan Plymouth For the purposes of local government Montserrat is divided into three parishes Going north to south they are Parish of Saint Peter Parish of Saint Georges Parish of Saint AnthonyThe locations of settlements on the island have been vastly changed since the volcanic activity began Only the Parish of Saint Peter in the northwest of the island is now inhabited with a population of between 4 000 and 6 000 48 49 the other two parishes being still too dangerous to inhabit A significantly more up to date administrative division type would be the 3 census regions primarily used for the population census 50 Going north to south these are Northern Region 2 369 pop Central Region 1 666 pop South of Nantes river 887 pop For census purposes these are further divided into 23 enumeration districts Police edit Policing is primarily the responsibility of the Royal Montserrat Police Service Military and Defence edit The defence of Montserrat is the responsibility of the United Kingdom The Royal Navy maintains a ship on permanent station in the Caribbean HMS Medway 51 and from time to time may send another Royal Navy or Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship as a part of the Atlantic Patrol NORTH tasking These ships main mission in the region is to maintain British sovereignty for the overseas territories provide humanitarian aid and disaster relief during disasters such as hurricanes which are common in the area and conduct counter narcotics operations In October 2023 the destroyer HMS Dauntless which had temporarily replaced Medway on her Caribbean tasking visited the territory in order to assist local authorities in preparing for the climax of the hurricane season 52 Royal Montserrat Defence Force edit Main article Royal Montserrat Defence Force The Royal Montserrat Defence Force is the home defence unit of the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat Raised in 1899 the unit is today a reduced force of about forty volunteer soldiers primarily concerned with civil defence and ceremonial duties The unit has a historical association with the Irish Guards Communications editThe island is served by landline telephones fully digitalised with 3000 subscribers and by mobile cellular with an estimated number of 5000 handsets in use An estimated 2860 users have internet access These are July 2016 estimates Public radio service is provided by Radio Montserrat There is a single television broadcaster PTV 53 Cable and satellite television service is available 6 The UK Postcode for directing mail to Montserrat is MSR followed by four digits according to the destination town for example the postcode for Little Bay is MSR1120 54 Geography edit nbsp Montserrat s coastlineMain article Geography of Montserrat The island of Montserrat is located approximately 25 miles 40 km southwest of Antigua 13 miles 21 km southeast of Redonda a small island owned by Antigua and Barbuda and 35 miles 56 km northwest of the French overseas region of Guadeloupe Beyond Redonda lies the island of Nevis which is part of the federation of St Kitts and Nevis about 30 miles 48 km to the north west Montserrat comprises 104 km2 40 sq mi and is gradually increasing owing to the buildup of volcanic deposits on the southeast coast The island is 16 km 9 9 mi long and 11 km 6 8 mi wide and consists of a mountainous interior surrounded by a flatter littoral region with rock cliffs rising 15 to 30 m 49 to 98 ft above the sea and a number of smooth bottomed sandy beaches scattered among coves on the western Caribbean Sea side of the island The major mountains are from north to south Silver Hill Katy Hill in the Centre Hills range the Soufriere Hills and the South Soufriere Hills 29 The Soufriere Hills volcano is the island s highest point its pre 1995 height was 915 metres 3 002 ft However it has grown after the eruption due to the creation of a lava dome with its current height being estimated at 1 050 metres 3 440 ft 6 The 2011 estimate by the CIA indicates that 30 of the island s land is classified as agricultural 20 as arable 25 as forest and the balance as other 6 Montserrat has a few tiny off shore islands such as Little Redonda off its north coast and Pinnacle Rock and Statue Rock off its east Volcano and exclusion zone edit nbsp Eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano on 22 September 1997 nbsp Plymouth City former capital and major port of Montserrat on 12 July 1997 after pyroclastic flows burned much of what was not covered in ash nbsp False colour time lapse images of the Soufriere Hills volcanic dome collapse in 2010 from NASA nbsp Devastated Plymouth City and volcano 2003 In July 1995 Montserrat s Soufriere Hills volcano dormant for centuries erupted and soon buried the island s capital Plymouth in more than 12 metres 39 ft of mud destroyed its airport and docking facilities and rendered the southern part of the island now termed the exclusion zone uninhabitable and not safe for travel The southern part of the island was evacuated and visits are severely restricted 55 The exclusion zone also includes two sea areas adjacent to the land areas of most volcanic activity 9 After the destruction of Plymouth and disruption of the economy more than half of the population left the island which also lacked housing During the late 1990s additional eruptions occurred On 25 June 1997 a pyroclastic flow travelled down Mosquito Ghaut This pyroclastic surge could not be restrained by the ghaut and spilled out of it killing 19 people who were in the officially evacuated Streatham village area Several others in the area suffered severe burns In recognition of the disaster in 1998 the people of Montserrat were granted full residency rights in the United Kingdom allowing them to migrate if they chose British citizenship was granted in 2002 56 For a number of years in the early 2000s the volcano s activity consisted mostly of infrequent ventings of ash into the uninhabited areas in the south The ash falls occasionally extended into the northern and western parts of the island In the most recent period of increased activity at the Soufriere Hills volcano from November 2009 through February 2010 ash vented and there was a vulcanian explosion that sent pyroclastic flows down several sides of the mountain Travel into parts of the exclusion zone was occasionally allowed though only by a licence from the Royal Montserrat Police Force 57 Since 2014 the area has been split into multiple subzones with varying entry and use restrictions based on volcanic activity some areas even being in 2020 open 24 hours and inhabited The most dangerous zone which includes the former capital remains forbidden to casual visitors due to volcanic and other hazards especially due to the lack of maintenance in destroyed areas It is legal to visit this area when accompanied by a government authorised guide 58 59 The northern part of Montserrat has largely been unaffected by volcanic activity and remains lush and green In February 2005 Princess Anne officially opened what is now called the John A Osborne Airport in the north Since 2011 it handles several flights daily operated by Fly Montserrat Airways Docking facilities are in place at Little Bay where the new capital town is being constructed the new government centre is at Brades a short distance away Wildlife edit Further information List of birds of Montserrat List of mammals of Montserrat and List of amphibians and reptiles of Montserrat Montserrat like many isolated islands is home to rare endemic plant and animal species Work undertaken by the Montserrat National Trust in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew has centred on the conservation of pribby Rondeletia buxifolia in the Centre Hills region Until 2006 this species was known only from one book about the vegetation of Montserrat 60 In 2006 conservationists also rescued several plants of the endangered Montserrat orchid Epidendrum montserratense from dead trees on the island and installed them in the security of the island s botanic garden Montserrat is also home to the critically endangered giant ditch frog Leptodactylus fallax known locally as the mountain chicken found only in Montserrat and Dominica The species has undergone catastrophic declines due to the amphibian disease Chytridiomycosis and the volcanic eruption in 1997 Experts from Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust have been working with the Montserrat Department of Environment to conserve the frog in situ in a project called Saving the Mountain Chicken 61 and an ex situ captive breeding population has been set up in partnership with Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Zoological Society of London Chester Zoo Parken Zoo and the Governments of Montserrat and Dominica Releases from this programme have already taken place in a hope to increase the numbers of the frog and reduce extinction risk from Chytridiomycosis The national bird is the endemic Montserrat oriole Icterus oberi 62 The IUCN Red List classifies it as vulnerable having previously listed it as critically endangered 63 Captive populations are held in several zoos in the UK including Chester Zoo London Zoo Jersey Zoo and Edinburgh Zoo The Montserrat galliwasp Diploglossus montisserrati a type of lizard is endemic to Montserrat and is listed on the IUCN Red List as critically endangered 64 65 A species action plan has been developed for this species 66 In 2005 a biodiversity assessment for the Centre Hills was conducted To support the work of local conservationists a team of international partners including Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Montana State University carried out extensive surveys and collected biological data 67 Researchers from Montana State University found that the invertebrate fauna was particularly rich on the island The report found that the number of invertebrate species known to occur in Montserrat is 1241 The number of known beetle species is 718 species from 63 families It is estimated that 120 invertebrates are endemic to Montserrat 67 Montserrat is known for its coral reefs and its caves along the shore These caves house many species of bats and efforts are underway to monitor and protect the ten species of bats from extinction 68 69 The Montserrat tarantula Cyrtopholis femoralis is the only species of tarantula native to the island It was first bred in captivity at the Chester Zoo in August 2016 70 Climate edit Montserrat has a tropical rainforest climate Af according to the Koppen climate classification with the temperature being warm and consistent year round and lots of precipitation Summer and autumn are wetter because of Atlantic hurricanes Climate data for PlymouthMonth Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 32 90 33 91 34 93 34 93 36 97 37 99 37 99 37 99 36 97 34 93 37 99 33 91 37 99 Mean daily maximum C F 29 84 30 86 31 88 31 88 32 90 32 90 33 91 33 91 32 90 31 88 30 86 29 84 31 88 Mean daily minimum C F 23 73 23 73 24 75 24 75 24 75 25 77 25 77 25 77 24 75 24 75 24 75 23 73 24 75 Record low C F 17 63 18 64 18 64 18 64 19 66 21 70 22 72 22 72 21 70 19 66 19 66 18 64 17 63 Average precipitation mm inches 122 4 8 86 3 4 112 4 4 89 3 5 97 3 8 112 4 4 155 6 1 183 7 2 168 6 6 196 7 7 180 7 1 140 5 5 1 640 64 6 Source BBC Weather 71 Economy edit nbsp The MV Caribe Queen is a Nevis ferry boat which shuttles passengers between Antigua and Montserrat several times a weekMain article Economy of Montserrat Montserrat s economy was devastated by the 1995 eruption and its aftermath 29 currently the island s operating budget is largely supplied by the British government and administered through the Department for International Development DFID amounting to approximately 25 million per year citation needed Additional amounts are secured through income and property taxes licence and other fees as well as customs duties levied on imported goods The limited economy of Montserrat with a population under 5000 consumes 2 5 MW of electric power 72 produced by five diesel generators 73 Two exploratory geothermal wells have found good resources and the pad for a third geothermal well was prepared in 2016 74 Together the geothermal wells are expected to produce more power than the island requires 75 A 250 kW solar PV station was commissioned in 2019 with plans for another 750 kW 72 A report published by the CIA indicates that the value of exports totalled the equivalent of US 5 7 million 2017 est consisting primarily of electronic components plastic bags apparel hot peppers limes live plants and cattle The value of imports totalled US 31 02 million 2016 est consisting primarily of machinery and transportation equipment foodstuffs manufactured goods fuels and lubricants 6 nbsp Montserrat from the Guadeloupe PassageIn 1979 The Beatles producer George Martin opened AIR Studios Montserrat 76 making the island popular with musicians who often went there to record while taking advantage of the island s climate and beautiful surroundings 77 In the early hours of 17 September 1989 Hurricane Hugo passed the island as a Category 4 hurricane damaging more than 90 of the structures on the island 19 AIR Studios Montserrat closed and the tourist economy was virtually wiped out 78 The slowly recovering tourist industry was again wiped out with the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano in 1995 although it began partially to recover within fifteen years 79 Transport edit nbsp John A Osborne AirportAir edit John A Osborne Airport is the only airport on the island constructed after the W H Bramble Airport was destroyed in 1997 by the volcanic eruption Scheduled service to Antigua is provided by FlyMontserrat 80 and ABM Air 81 Charter flights are also available to the surrounding islands Sea edit Ferry service to the island was provided by the Jaden Sun Ferry It ran from Heritage Quay in St John s Antigua and Barbuda to Little Bay on Montserrat The ride was about an hour and a half and operated five days a week 82 This service stopped in 2019 due to being financially unsustainable and the only access to Montserrat now is by air Demographics editMain article Demographics of Montserrat Montserrat had a population of 7 119 in 1842 83 The island had a population of 5 879 according to a 2008 estimate An estimated 8 000 refugees left the island primarily to the UK following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995 the population was 13 000 in 1994 The 2011 Montserrat census indicated a population of 4 922 84 In early 2016 the estimated population had reached nearly 5 000 primarily due to immigration from other islands 10 Age structure 2003 estimates up to 14 years 23 4 male 1 062 female 1 041 15 to 64 years 65 3 male 2 805 female 3 066 65 years and over 11 3 male 537 female 484 The median age of the population was 28 1 as of 2002 and the sex ratio was 0 96 males female as of 2000 The population growth rate is 6 9 2008 est with a birth rate of 17 57 births 1 000 population death rate of 7 34 deaths 1 000 population 2003 est and net migration rate of 195 35 1 000 population 2000 est There is an infant mortality rate of 7 77 deaths 1000 live births 2003 est The life expectancy at birth is 75 9 years 76 8 for males and 75 0 for females 2023 est 85 Globally only Montserrat has a higher life expectancy for males than females a difference of 1 8 years 86 The total fertility rate is 1 8 children born woman 2003 est According to a United Nations estimate the population as of April 2018 was 5 197 for a density of 52 per square kilometre or 135 people per square mile with just over 90 living in non urban areas 87 Language edit English is the sole official language and the main spoken language A few thousand people speak Montserrat Creole a dialect of Leeward Caribbean Creole English 88 89 Historically Irish was spoken but not any more 90 Irish language in Montserrat edit The Irish constituted the largest proportion of the white population from the founding of the colony in 1628 Most were indentured servants others were merchants or plantation owners The geographer Thomas Jeffrey claimed in The West India Atlas 1780 that the majority of those on Montserrat were either Irish or of Irish descent so that the use of the Irish language is preserved on the island even among the Negroes 91 African slaves and Irish indentured servants of all classes were in constant contact with sexual relationships being common and a population of mixed descent appearing as a consequence 92 The Irish were also prominent in Caribbean commerce with their merchants importing Irish goods such as beef pork butter and herring and also importing slaves 93 There is indirect evidence that the use of the Irish language continued in Montserrat until at least the middle of the nineteenth century The Kilkenny diarist and Irish scholar Amhlaoibh o Suilleabhain noted in 1831 that he had heard that Irish was still spoken in Montserrat by both black and white inhabitants 94 In 1852 Henry H Breen wrote in Notes and Queries that The statement that the Irish language is spoken in the West India Islands and that in some of them it may be said to be almost vernacular is true of the little Island of Montserrat but has no foundation with respect to the other colonies 95 In 1902 The Irish Times quoted the Montreal Family Herald in a description of Montserrat noting that the negroes to this day speak the old Irish Gaelic tongue or English with an Irish brogue A story is told of a Connaught man who on arriving at the island was to his astonishment hailed in a vernacular Irish by the black people 96 A letter by W F Butler in The Atheneum 15 July 1905 quotes an account by a Cork civil servant C Cremen of what he had heard from a retired sailor called John O Donovan a fluent Irish speaker He frequently told me that in the year 1852 when mate of the brig Kaloolah he went ashore on the island of Montserrat which was then out of the usual track of shipping He said he was much surprised to hear the negroes actually talking Irish among themselves and that he joined in the conversation 94 The British phonetician John C Wells conducted research into speech in Montserrat in 1977 78 which included also Montserratians resident in London 97 He found media claims that Irish speech whether Anglo Irish or Irish Gaelic influenced contemporary Montserratian speech were largely exaggerated 97 He found little in phonology morphology or syntax that could be attributed to Irish influence and in Wells report only a small number of Irish words in use one example being minseach ˈmʲiɲʃex which he suggests is the noun goat 97 Religion edit In 2001 the CIA estimated the primary religion as Protestant 67 1 including Anglican 21 8 Methodist 17 Pentecostal 14 1 Seventh day Adventist 10 5 and Church of God 3 7 with Catholics constituting 11 6 Rastafarian 1 4 other 6 5 none 2 6 unspecified 10 8 6 Ethnic groups edit Residents of Montserrat are known as Montserratians The population is predominantly but not exclusively of mixed African Irish descent 98 It is not known with certainty how many African slaves and indentured Irish labourers were brought to the West Indies though according to one estimate some 60 000 Irish were Barbadosed by Oliver Cromwell 99 some of whom would have arrived in Montserrat Data published by the Central Intelligence Agency indicates the ethnic group mix as follows 2011 est 6 88 4 African black 0 3 7 mixed 0 3 0 Hispanic Spanish of any race including white 0 2 7 non Hispanic Caucasian white 0 1 5 East Indian Indian 0 0 7 otherEducation editFurther information Education in Montserrat Education in Montserrat is compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 14 and free up to the age of 17 The only secondary school pre 16 years of age on the island is the Montserrat Secondary School MSS in Salem 100 Montserrat Community College MCC is a community college post 16 and tertiary educational institution in Salem 101 The University of the West Indies maintains its Montserrat Open Campus 102 University of Science Arts and Technology is a private medical school in Olveston 103 Culture edit nbsp The Montserrat Cultural Centre overlooking Little BaySee also Music of Montserrat and Cricket in the West Indies This article is written like a personal reflection personal essay or argumentative essay that states a Wikipedia editor s personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic Please help improve it by rewriting it in an encyclopedic style May 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message For more than a decade George Martin s AIR Montserrat studio played host to recording sessions by many well known rock musicians including Dire Straits the Police Rush Elton John Michael Jackson and the Rolling Stones 77 After the volcanic eruptions of 1995 through 1997 and until his death in 2016 George Martin raised funds to help the victims and families on the island The first event was a star studded event at London s Royal Albert Hall in September 1997 Music for Montserrat featuring many artists who had previously recorded on the island including Paul McCartney Mark Knopfler Elton John Sting Phil Collins Eric Clapton and Midge Ure The event raised 1 5 million 104 All the proceeds from the show went towards short term relief for the islanders 77 Martin s second major initiative was to release five hundred limited edition lithographs of his score for the Beatles song Yesterday Complete with mistakes and tea stains the lithographs are numbered and signed by Paul McCartney and Martin The lithograph sale raised more than US 1 4 million which helped fund the building of a new cultural and community centre for Montserrat and provided a much needed focal point to help the re generation of the island 77 Many albums of note were recorded at AIR Studios including Rush s Power Windows Dire Straits Brothers in Arms Duran Duran s Seven and the Ragged Tiger the Police s Synchronicity and Ghost in the Machine videos for Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic and Spirits in the Material World were filmed in Montserrat and Jimmy Buffett s Volcano named for Soufriere Hills 77 Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull recorded the song Montserrat on The Secret Language of Birds in tribute to the volcanic difficulties and feeling among residents of being abandoned by the UK government In 2017 Montserrat was used to film much of the 2020 film Wendy 105 Media edit Montserrat has one national radio station Radio Montserrat The station offers a wide selection of music and news within the island and also on the internet for Montserratians living overseas Notable shows include the Morning Show with Basil Chambers and Rose Willock s Cultural Show Cuisine edit Main article Cuisine of Montserrat Montserrat s national dish is goat water a thick goat meat stew served with crusty bread rolls 10 Montserrat cuisine resembles the general British and Caribbean cuisines as it is situated in the Caribbean zone and it is a British territory The cuisine includes a wide range of light meats like fish seafood and chicken which are mostly grilled or roasted Being a fusion of numerous cultures such as Spanish French African Indian and Amerindian the Caribbean cuisine is unique and complex More sophisticated meals include the Montserrat jerk shrimp with rum cinnamon bananas and cranberry In other more rural areas people prefer to eat homemade food like the traditional mahi mahi and local breads Sport editYachting edit Montserrat is home to the Montserrat Yachting Association 106 Athletics edit Montserrat has competed in every Commonwealth Games since 1994 107 Miguel Francis who now represents the United Kingdom and previously represented Antigua and Barbuda was born in Montserrat He holds the Antiguan National record over 200m in 19 88 108 109 Basketball edit Basketball is growing in popularity in Montserrat with the country now setting up their own basketball league 110 111 The league contains six teams which are the Look Out Shooters Davy Hill Ras Valley Cudjoe Head Renegades St Peters Hilltop Salem Jammers and MSS School Warriors 112 They have also built a new 800 seater complex which cost 1 5 million Cricket edit In common with many Caribbean islands cricket is a very popular sport in Montserrat Players from Montserrat are eligible to play for the West Indies cricket team Jim Allen was the first to play for the West Indies and he represented the World Series Cricket West Indians although with a very small population no other player from Montserrat had gone on to represent the West Indies until Lionel Baker made his One Day International debut against Pakistan in November 2008 113 The Montserrat cricket team forms a part of the Leeward Islands cricket team in regional domestic cricket however it plays as a separate entity in minor regional matches 114 as well having previously played Twenty20 cricket in the Stanford 20 20 115 Two grounds on the island have held first class matches for the Leeward Islands the first and most historic was Sturge Park in Plymouth which had been in use since the 1920s This was destroyed in 1997 by the volcanic eruption A new ground the Salem Oval was constructed and opened in 2000 This has also held first class cricket A second ground has been constructed at Little Bay 116 Football edit Main articles Football in Montserrat Montserrat Football Association and Montserrat national football team Montserrat has its own FIFA affiliated football team and has competed in the World Cup qualifiers five times but failed to advance to the finals from 2002 to 2018 A field for the team was built near the airport by FIFA In 2002 the team competed in a friendly match 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 Montserrat has failed to qualify for any FIFA World Cup They have also failed to ever qualify for the Gold Cup and Caribbean Cup The current national team relies mostly on the diaspora resident in England and in the last World Cup qualification game against Curacao nearly all the squad members played and lived in England citation needed Montserrat has a club league the Montserrat Championship which has played sporadically since 1974 The league was most recently on hiatus from 2005 until 2015 but restarted play in 2016 Surfing edit nbsp Surfer brothers Carrll and Gary Robilotta at Isle s Bay MontserratCarrll Robilotta whose parents moved from the United States to Montserrat in 1980 was responsible for pioneering the sport of surfing on the island He and his brother Gary explored discovered and named the surf spots on the island during the 80s and early 90s 117 Settlements edit nbsp Little Bay the site of the new capital The project was funded by the UK s Department for International Development 118 Settlements within the exclusion zone are no longer habitable See also List of settlements abandoned after the 1997 Soufriere Hills eruption Settlements in the safe zone edit Baker Hill Banks Barzeys Blakes Brades Carr s Bay Cavalla Hill Cheap End Cudjoe Head Davy Hill Dick Hill Drummonds Flemmings Fogarty Frith Garibaldi Hill Gerald s c Hope Jack Boy Hill Judy Piece Katy Hill Lawyers Mountain Little Bay Lookout Manjack Mongo Hill New Windward Estate Nixons Old Towne Olveston Peaceful Cottage Salem Shinlands St John s St Peter s Sweeney s Woodlands Yellow Hill Abandoned settlements in the exclusion zone edit Settlements in italics have been destroyed by pyroclastic flows since the 1997 eruption Others have been evacuated or destroyed since 1995 Amersham Beech Hill Bethel Bramble Bransby Bugby Hole Cork Hill Dagenham Delvins Dyers Elberton Farm Fairfield Fairy Walk Farrells Farells Yard Ffryes Fox s Bay Gages Gallways Estate Gringoes Gun Hill Happy Hill Harris Harris Lookout Hermitage Hodge s Hill Jubilee Kinsale Lees Locust Valley Long Ground Molyneux Morris Parsons Plymouth Richmond Richmond Hill Roche s Yard Robuscus Mt Shooter s Hill Soufriere Spanish Point St George s Hill St Patrick s Streatham Trants Trials Tuitts Victoria Webbs Weekes White s Windy HillNotable Montserratians editJim Allen former cricketer who represented the World Series Cricket West Indians Jennette Arnold the first Montserratian elected as a Member of the London Assembly Lionel Baker the first Montserratian to represent the West Indies in international cricket Alphonsus Arrow Cassell musician known for his soca song Hot Hot Hot Chadd Cumberbatch visual and performing artist poet and playwright Margaret Dyer Howe Montserrat s second woman to be appointed a cabinet minister Ettore Ewen American professional wrestler and former WWE Heavyweight Champion 11 time tag team champion former college football player and powerlifter Howard A Fergus author poet and three time acting governor of Montserrat Patricia Griffin pioneer nurse and volunteer social worker George Irish writer human rights activist Kadiff Kirwan actor E A Markham poet and author Dean Mason association footballer Ellen Dolly Peters teacher and trade unionist Q Tip rapper songwriter and producer his father emigrated to Cleveland United States from Montserrat Shane Ryan writer human rights activist Veronica Ryan sculptor and winner of the 2022 Turner Prize M P Shiel writer Lyle Taylor association footballer Rowan Taylor international footballer Maizie Williams member of pop group Boney M Angela Yee member of the syndicated morning radio show The Breakfast ClubSee also editBibliography of Montserrat Index of Montserrat related articles Outline of MontserratNotes edit Abandoned in 1997 following a volcanic eruption although it is still the de jure capital Government buildings are now located in Brades making it the de facto capital Includes the new airport in the north of the island References edit Change of Governor of Montserrat Sarah Tucker Gov uk 8 December 2021 Archived from the original on 12 March 2022 Retrieved 19 March 2022 World Population Prospects 2022 population un org United Nations 2022 Archived from the original on 16 August 2015 Retrieved 25 June 2023 Intercensal Population Count and Labour Force Survey 2018 PDF Montserrat Statistics Department Labour Force Census Results Montserrat Statistics Department 6 December 2019 Archived PDF from the original on 14 November 2019 Retrieved 14 November 2019 UN Data 2014 Archived from the original on 30 December 2016 Retrieved 8 January 2017 Montserrat Real Gross Domestic Product Moody s Analytics economy com Archived from the original on 10 August 2021 Retrieved 9 August 2021 a b c d e f g h i Central America Montserrat The World Factbook Central Intelligence Agency Cia gov Archived from the original on 18 February 2021 Retrieved 28 April 2019 The Caribbean Irish the other Emerald Isle The Irish Times 16 April 2016 Archived from the original on 16 April 2016 Retrieved 9 January 2018 VIDEO Montserrat the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean The Irish Times Archived from the original on 28 June 2023 Retrieved 9 January 2018 a b Montserrat Volcano Observatory Mvo ms Archived from the original on 2 October 2006 Retrieved 2 October 2006 a b c Schuessler Ryan 14 February 2016 20 years after Montserrat volcano eruption many still in shelter housing Al Jazeera Archived from the original on 27 November 2022 Retrieved 23 November 2016 Montserrat s population has grown to nearly 5 000 people since the eruption mostly due to an influx of immigrants from other Caribbean nations Bachelor Blane 20 February 2014 Montserrat a modern day Pompeii in the Caribbean Fox News Channel Archived from the original on 30 June 2023 Retrieved 16 March 2016 Pilley Kevin 29 February 2016 Bar fly Caribbean island of Montserrat The New Zealand Herald Archived from the original on 28 June 2023 Retrieved 30 November 2016 Handy Gemma 16 August 2015 Montserrat Living with a volcano BBC News Archived from the original on 8 August 2017 Retrieved 8 July 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria government response and advice GOV UK 27 September 2017 Archived from the original on 2 July 2022 Retrieved 1 July 2022 UK Armed Forces step up support to the Caribbean Overseas Territories during coronavirus pandemic GOV UK Archived from the original on 2 July 2022 Retrieved 1 July 2022 Minahan James 1 December 2009 The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems Volume 2 Greenwood Press p 724 ISBN 978 0 313 34500 5 Archived from the original on 3 October 2023 Retrieved 17 October 2015 Cherry John F Ryzewski Krysta Leppard Thomas P amp Bocancea Emanuela September 2012 The earliest phase of settlement in the eastern Caribbean new evidence from Montserrat Antiquity 86 333 Archived from the original on 20 June 2017 Retrieved 25 August 2013 Reid Basil A 2009 Myths and Realities of Caribbean History University of Alabama Press p 21 ISBN 978 0817355340 However archaeological investigations of the very large site of Trants in Montserrat suggest that Trants was one of the largest Saladoid sites in the Caribbean a b c d e f Encyclopaedia Britannica Monts errat Archived from the original on 17 October 2022 Retrieved 28 June 2019 a b Hikers on Caribbean island of Montserrat find ancient stone carvings the Guardian 3 June 2016 Archived from the original on 18 October 2022 Retrieved 18 October 2022 a b Cherry John F Ryzewski Krysta Guimaraes Susana Stouvenot Christian Francis Sarita June 2021 The Soldier Ghaut Petroglyphs on Montserrat Lesser Antilles Latin American Antiquity 32 2 422 430 doi 10 1017 laq 2020 102 ISSN 1045 6635 S2CID 233932699 Archived from the original on 18 October 2022 Retrieved 18 October 2022 Bergreen Laurence 2011 Columbus The Four Voyages Viking p 140 ISBN 9780670023011 At daybreak on November 10 Columbus 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Archived from the original on 28 September 2023 Retrieved 20 September 2020 a b c d e Encyclopaedia Britannica Montserrat Archived from the original on 17 October 2022 Retrieved 28 June 2019 Montserrat s St Patrick s Day Commemorates a Rebellion JSTOR Daily 16 March 2021 Archived from the original on 20 March 2023 Retrieved 19 March 2021 O Shaughnessy A J 2006 Caribbean In Boatner III M M ed Landmarks of the American Revolution Library of Military History 2nd ed Detroit MI Charles Scribner s Sons p 33 ISBN 9780684314730 Archived from the original on 3 October 2023 Retrieved 20 September 2020 via Gale Virtual Reference Slavery Abolition Act 1833 Section XII 28 August 1833 Archived from the original on 24 May 2008 Retrieved 23 May 2016 Beckles Hilary McD 1998 Caribbean Region English Colonies In Finkelman Paul Miller Joseph Calder eds Macmillan Encyclopedia of World Slavery Vol 1 Simon amp Schuster Macmillan pp 154 159 ISBN 9780028647807 Finkleman Paul Calder Miller Joseph eds 1998 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2016 Retrieved 8 July 2017 BirdLife International 2017 Icterus oberi IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017 e T22724147A119465859 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2017 3 RLTS T22724147A119465859 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Daltry J C 2017 errata version of 2016 assessment Diploglossus montisserrati IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T6638A115082920 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T6638A71739597 en Retrieved 8 July 2017 Montserrat galliwasp videos photos and facts Diploglossus montisserrati Arkive org Archived from the original on 3 February 2017 Retrieved 8 July 2017 Corry E et al 2010 A Species Action Plan for the Montserrat galliwasp Diploglossus montisserrati PDF Department of Environment Montserrat ISBN 978 0 9559034 5 8 Archived from the original PDF on 9 February 2017 a b Young Richard P ed 2008 A biodiversity assessment of the Centre Hills Montserrat PDF Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Durrell Conservation Monograph No 1 Archived from the original PDF on 6 April 2013 Retrieved 23 June 2016 Bats Sustainable Ecosystems Institute Archived from the original on 6 October 2014 Pedersen Scott C Kwiecinski Gary G Larsen Peter A Morton Matthew N Adams Rick A Genoways Hugh H amp Swier Vicki J 1 January 2009 Bats of Montserrat Population Fluctuation and Response to Hurricanes and Volcanoes 1978 2005 ResearchGate Archived from the original on 6 January 2021 Retrieved 31 July 2011 Montserrat tarantulas hatch in world first Chester Zoo 12 August 2016 Archived from the original on 17 August 2016 Retrieved 19 August 2016 Average Conditions Plymouth Montserrat BBC Weather Archived from the original on 30 November 2010 Retrieved 14 July 2010 a b Roach Bennette Is this end of Geothermal Energy development Archived from the original on 31 January 2020 Retrieved 31 January 2020 Energy Snapshot Montserrat PDF NREL September 2015 Archived PDF from the original on 4 August 2020 Retrieved 31 January 2020 Richter Alexander 2 September 2016 Well pad ready for drilling of 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via Google Books Montserrat Facts Map amp History Britannica www britannica com Archived from the original on 17 October 2022 Retrieved 28 June 2019 Barzey Ursula Petula 30 August 2022 Timeline History and Cultural Legacy of the Irish in Montserrat Black Irish of Montserrat Archived from the original on 10 October 2022 Retrieved 10 October 2022 Cited in Truxes Thomas M 2004 Irish American Trade 1660 1783 Cambridge University Press p 100 See also The late Thomas Jefferys Geographer to the King 1780 The West India Atlas or A Compendious Description of the West Indies Fleet Street London Robert Sayer and John Bennett Rodgers Nini November 2007 The Irish in the Caribbean 1641 1837 An Overview Irish Migration Studies in Latin America 5 3 145 156 Archived from the original on 27 September 2016 Retrieved 25 March 2016 McGarrity Maria 2008 Washed by the Gulf Stream The Historic and Geographic Relation of Irish and Caribbean Literature Associated University Presses pp 33 34 ISBN 9780874130287 a b De Bhaldraithe Tomas ed 1979 Entry 2700 1 Aibrean 1831 1 April 1831 Cin Lae Amhlaoibh in Irish Baile Atha Cliath An Clochomhar Tta p 84 Is clos dom gurb i an teanga Ghaeilge is teanga mhathartha i Monserrat san India Thiar o aimsir Olibher Cromaill noch do dhibir cuid de chlanna Gael o Eirinn gusan Oilean sin Montserrat Labhartar an Ghaeilge ann go coiteann le daoine dubha agus bana I heard that the Irish language is the mother tongue in Montserrat in the West Indies since the time of Oliver Cromwell who banished some Gaelic Irish families there Irish speaking is common among both blacks and whites Notes and Queries A Medium of Inter Communication for Literary Men Artists Antiquaries Genealogists Etc Bell 15 July 1852 Archived from the original on 3 October 2023 Retrieved 20 September 2020 via Google Books The Irish Times Monday 8 September 1902 page 5 a b c Wells John C 1980 The brogue that isn t Journal of the International Phonetic Association 10 1 2 74 79 doi 10 1017 s0025100300002115 S2CID 144941139 Archived from the original on 16 March 2023 Retrieved 29 April 2017 McGinn Brian How Irish is Montserrat The Black Irish RootsWeb com Archived from the original on 9 July 2023 Retrieved 5 April 2014 Barbadosed Africans and Irish in Barbados Tangled Roots Archived from the original on 8 December 2014 Territories and Non Independent Countries 2001 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs US Department of Labor 2002 Archived from the original on 28 March 2005 Home page Archived 16 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine Montserrat Community College Retrieved 24 November 2017 Salem Montserrat W I The Open Campus in Montserrat Archived 27 May 2023 at the Wayback Machine University of the West Indies Open Campus Retrieved 24 November 2017 Contact USAT Archived 1 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine University of Science Arts and Technology Retrieved 24 November 2017 Main Campus South Mayfield Estate Drive Olveston Montserrat The story behind Music for Montserrat at Royal Albert Hall Dire Straits Blog 23 September 2017 Archived from the original on 13 July 2020 Retrieved 13 July 2020 Varun Patel 27 February 2020 Which Island Was Wendy Filmed On TheCinemaholic Archived from the original on 30 November 2021 Retrieved 2 December 2021 AlMirSoft Yacht registration training and certification of yachtsmen Montserrat Yachting Association Archived from the original on 13 September 2016 Retrieved 23 September 2016 Commonwealth Games Countries Montserrat Commonwealth Games Federation Archived from the original on 26 June 2014 Retrieved 24 July 2014 IT WAS SUCH AN EUPHORIC MOMENT MANAGER SAYS OF FRANCIS 19 88 trackalerts com 21 June 2016 Archived from the original on 26 March 2023 Retrieved 14 February 2022 Francis moved to Antigua and Barbuda after a volcanic eruption on the island in 1995 displaced him and his family skysports Archived from the original on 31 December 2022 Retrieved 14 February 2022 Montserrat Volcanos Montserrat Amateur Basketball Association Archived from the original on 27 March 2023 Retrieved 8 July 2017 Village basketball league makes a comeback The Montserrat Reporter 11 July 2012 Archived from the original on 4 June 2023 Retrieved 8 July 2017 Cassell Warren 18 July 2015 Montserrat 2015 basketball Championship game Salem Jammers vs Lookout Shooters Archived from the original on 28 October 2021 Retrieved 8 July 2017 via YouTube Late Show Wins It For Pakistan In Abu Dhabi CricketWorld com 12 November 2008 Archived from the original on 24 July 2021 Retrieved 8 July 2017 Other Matches played by Montserrat CricketArchive Archived from the original on 21 February 2014 Retrieved 12 October 2012 Twenty20 Matches played by Montserrat CricketArchive Archived from the original on 21 February 2014 Retrieved 7 October 2012 Island of Montserrat Foreign and Commonwealth Office Archived from the original on 1 July 2012 Retrieved 13 October 2012 Montserrat Boardriders Club About Us www montserratsurfvilla com Archived from the original on 16 August 2022 Retrieved 15 June 2022 Little Bay Development Government of the United Kingdom 2010 Archived from the original on 25 April 2013 Further reading editAkenson Donald Harman If the Irish Ran the World Montserrat 1630 1730 1 2 3 4 Brussell David Eric Potions Poisons and Panaceas An Ethnobotanical Study of Montserrat 5 6 7 Dobbin Jay D The Jombee Dance of Montserrat A Study of Trance Ritual in the West Indies 8 9 Perrett Frank A The Volcano Seismic Crisis at Montserrat 1933 37 10 Philpott Stuart B West Indian Migration The Montserrat Case 11 Possekel Anja K Living with the Unexpected Linking Disaster Recovery to Sustainable Development in Montserrat 12 External links editMontserrat at Wikipedia s sister projects nbsp Definitions from Wiktionary nbsp Media from Commons nbsp News from Wikinews nbsp Quotations from Wikiquote nbsp Texts from Wikisource nbsp Textbooks from Wikibooks nbsp Resources from Wikiversity nbsp Travel information from Wikivoyage Government edit Government of Montserrat Montserrat National Trust Premier of MontserratGeneral information edit Montserrat The World Factbook Central Intelligence Agency Montserrat from UCB Libraries GovPubs Montserrat at Curlie Montserrat Webdirectory Story of the black Irish in Montserrat nbsp Wikimedia Atlas of MontserratNews media edit Montserrat Reporter news site Radio Montserrat ZJB Listen live online Archived 14 March 2015 at the Wayback MachineTravel edit Montserrat Tourist Board Montserrat Magazine Publications Archived 9 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine Montserrat MagazineHealth reports edit Toxicity of volcanic ash from Montserrat Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine by RT Cullen AD Jones BG Miller CL Tran JMG Davis K Donaldson M Wilson V Stone and A Morgan Institute of Occupational Medicine Research Report TM 02 01 A Health Survey of Workers on the Island of Montserrat Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine by HA Cowie MK Graham A Searl BG Miller PA Hutchison C Swales S Dempsey and M Russell Institute of Occupational Medicine Research Report TM 02 02 A Health Survey of Montserratians Relocated to the UK Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine by HA Cowie A Searl PJ Ritchie MK Graham PA Hutchison and A Pilkington Institute of Occupational Medicine Research Report TM 01 07 Others edit Montserrat Volcano Observatory Official release archive Antigua Montserrat and Virgin Islands Gazette Archived 21 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine at the Digital Library of the Caribbean Portals nbsp Caribbean nbsp United Kingdom Solow Barbara L Autumn 1998 Review Journal of Interdisciplinary History 29 2 324 326 doi 10 1162 jinh 1998 29 2 324 JSTOR 207075 S2CID 143897485 O Shaughnessy Andrew J December 1998 Review The International History Review 20 4 Taylor amp Francis Ltd 968 970 JSTOR 40108020 Ohlmeyer Jane November 1998 Review Irish Historical Studies 31 122 285 287 doi 10 1017 S0021121400014036 JSTOR 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77 3 649 doi 10 1525 aa 1975 77 3 02a00500 JSTOR 673440 Chester David K June 2001 Review The Geographical Journal 167 2 Blackwell Publishing on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers 183 184 JSTOR 3060497 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Montserrat amp oldid 1218026524 Administrative divisions, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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