English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later.

The British and French fought for possession of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British possession in 1783.

The island's sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century.

Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on July 18, 1995.

Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 9,538 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.5% (male 1,144/female 1,094) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,989/female 3,281) 65 years and over: 10.8% (male 527/female 503) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 29.3 years male: 28.9 years female: 29.7 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: 1.048% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 17.51 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 7.02 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.046 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.911 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.048 male(s)/female total population: 0.955 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79 years male: 76.8 years female: 81.31 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

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Nationality: noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian

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Ethnic groups: black, white

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Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

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Languages: English

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Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.)

Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $29 million (2002 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): NA

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GDP - real growth rate: -1% (2002 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $3,400 (2002 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.2% industry: 23.1% services: 75.7% (1999 est.)

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Labor force: 4,521 note: lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)

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Unemployment rate: 6% (1998 est.)

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Population below poverty line: NA%

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2002 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million; including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)

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Agriculture - products: cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products

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Industries: tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

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Industrial production growth rate: NA%

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Electricity - production: 2 million kWh (2003)

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Electricity - consumption: 1.86 million kWh (2003)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2003)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2003)

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Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 380 bbl/day (2003 est.)

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Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Exports: $700,000 (2001)

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Exports - commodities: electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle

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Exports - partners: US, Antigua and Barbuda (2006)

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Imports: $17 million (2001)

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Imports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

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Imports - partners: US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (2006)

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Debt - external: $8.9 million (1997)

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Economic aid - recipient: Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.)

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Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

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Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002) note: fixed rate since 1976

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Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March