What is the capital of Montserrat?

The capital of Montserrat is Plymouth.

Montserrat

Updated August 11, 2026

No current statistical feed covers Montserrat, so the figures below come from the Factbook archive and do not refresh. Each carries its own observation year.

Population

5,468

2024 · Factbook archive

GDP

$84.54M

2024 · Factbook archive

GDP per capita

$19,300

2024 · Factbook archive

Area

102 km²

mledoze/countries reference dataset

Capital

Plymouth

Median age

41.6 yrs

2025 · UN WPP

CIA World Factbook map of Montserrat, showing major cities, rivers and neighbouring countries — Map from The World Factbook, final edition. Public domain (17 U.S.C. § 105); boundary representation is not necessarily authoritative.

Capital: Plymouth
Region: Central America and the Caribbean
Subregion: Caribbean
Area: 102 km²
Languages: English

#227 of 238 in population #220 of 222 in GDP #225 of 252 in area #108 of 228 in life expectancy

Reference

Languages: English
Currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Calling code: +1664
Internet TLD: .ms
Demonym: Montserratian
ISO codes: MS · MSR · 500

The Factbook archive 96 fields · 10 categories

The complete World Factbook entry for Montserrat: 96 fields and 130 sub-entries across 10 categories, kept whole as historical reference. A United States Government work in the public domain, reflecting data as of the final January 2026 edition. Last CIA update: January 5, 2026.

Montserrat and neighbouring land. Geometry: Natural Earth (public domain).

Introduction 1 field

Background: 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. The Soufriere Hills Volcano erupted in 1995, devastating much of the island; two thirds of the population fled abroad. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in 2013.

Geography 17 fields

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 62 12 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 40 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Elevation: highest point: Soufriere Hills volcano pre-eruption height was 915 m; current lava dome is subject to periodic build up and collapse; estimated dome height was 1,050 m in 2015
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use: agricultural land: 30% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 20% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 10% (2023 est.)
forest: 24.2% (2023 est.)
other: 45.8% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (2022)
Population distribution: only the northern half of the island is populated; the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity
Natural hazards: volcanic eruptions; severe hurricanes (June to November)

volcanism: Soufrière Hills volcano (915 m) has erupted continuously since 1995; a massive eruption in 1997 destroyed most of the capital, Plymouth, and made about half of the island uninhabitable; the island of Montserrat is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south
Geography - note: the island is entirely volcanic in origin and composed of three major volcanic centers of differing ages

People and Society 23 fields

Population: total: 5,468 (2024 est.)
male: 2,728
female: 2,740
Nationality: noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian
Ethnic groups: African/Black 86.2%, mixed 4.8%, Hispanic/Spanish 3%, Caucasian/White 2.7%, East Indian/Indian 1.6%, other 1.8% (2018 est.)
Languages: English
Religions: Protestant 71.4% (includes Anglican 17.7%, Pentecostal/Full Gospel 16.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 15%, Methodist 13.9%, Church of God 6.7%, other Protestant 2%), Roman Catholic 11.4%, Rastafarian 1.4%, Hindu 1.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1%, Muslim 0.4%, other/not stated 5.1%, none 7.9% (2018 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.8% (male 446/female 420)
15-64 years: 76.1% (male 2,062/female 2,101)
65 years and over: 8% (2024 est.) (male 220/female 219)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 31.3 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 20.8 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 10.5 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 9.5 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 37.1 years (2025 est.)
male: 35.4 years
female: 37.8 years
Population growth rate: 0.55% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 11.64 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: only the northern half of the island is populated; the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity
Urbanization: urban population: 9.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 9.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.1 years (2024 est.)
male: 76.9 years
female: 75.3 years
Total fertility rate: 1.34 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.65 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: total: total: 98.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: total: total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 35.8% (2023 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 7.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 5.7% national budget (2025 est.)

Environment 5 fields

Environmental issues: land erosion on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Land use: agricultural land: 30% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 20% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 10% (2023 est.)
forest: 24.2% (2023 est.)
other: 45.8% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 9.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 24,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 24,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Government 21 fields

Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat
etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in 1493 after the Benedictine abbey Santa Maria de Montserrat, near Barcelona, Spain
Government type: parliamentary democracy; self-governing overseas territory of the UK
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
Capital: name: Plymouth
geographic coordinates: 16 42 N, 62 13 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: now entirely deserted because of volcanic activity, the city was named after Plymouth, England
Administrative divisions: 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter
Legal system: English common law
Constitution: history: previous 1960; latest put into force 20 October 2010 (The Montserrat Constitution Order 2010)
Citizenship: see United Kingdom
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Sarah TUCKER (since 6 April 2023)
head of government: Premier Easton TAYLOR-FARRELL (since 19 November 2019)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the premier, 3 other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes premier
Legislative branch: legislature name: Legislative Assembly
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 12 (directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 11/18/2019
parties elected and seats per party: MCAP (5); PDM (3); independent (1)
percentage of women in chamber: 33.3%
expected date of next election: 2024
Judicial branch: highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; Montserrat is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice
judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, and independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
subordinate courts: magistrate's court
Political parties: Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP
People's Democratic Movement or PDM
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK); alternate contact is the US Embassy in Barbados [1] (246) 227-4000; US Embassy Bridgetown, Wildey Business Park, St. Michael BB 14006, Barbados, WI
International organization participation: Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: Official birthday of King Charles III, usually celebrated the second Saturday in June (1948)
Flag: description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the right half of the flag; the arms show a woman in a green dress standing beside a yellow harp and embracing a large, dark-brown cross with her right arm

meaning: the woman is Erin, the female personification of Ireland, the harp is an Irish symbol, and the cross represents the Christian faith; blue stands for awareness, trustworthiness, determination, and righteousness
National coat of arms: Montserrat's coat of arms dates back to 1909 and reflects the country's Irish settlers, who first arrived in 1632; the woman in the green dress is Erin, the personification of Ireland, and she holds Ireland's symbol, a gold harp; the cross represents Christianity, Monserrat's predominant religion
National anthem(s): title: "Motherland"
lyrics/music: Howard FERGUS/George IRISH
history: adopted 2013; used as a local anthem and for sporting events and local ceremonies
title: "God Save the King"
lyrics/music: unknown
history: official anthem, as a UK territory

Economy 15 fields

Economic overview: formerly high-income economy; volcanic activity destroyed much of original infrastructure and economy; new capital and port is being developed; key geothermal and solar power generation; key music recording operations
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $89.254 million (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $86.875 million (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $80.972 million (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $19,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $18,200 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $16,200 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $84.537 million (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 4% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021: 1.7% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020: -1.9% (2020 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 90.8% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 50.4% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 17.9% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 29.5% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -88.6% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products
Industries: tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
Budget: revenues: $55.651 million (2014 est.)
expenditures: $43.652 million (2014 est.)
Exports - partners: USA 25%, Antigua & Barbuda 13%, Guyana 13%, Egypt 12%, France 10% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities: gravel and crushed stone, sand (2023)

note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000
Imports: Imports 2021: $15.3 million (2021 est.)
Imports 2017: $39.44 million (2017 est.)
Imports 2016: $36.1 million (2016 est.)
Imports - partners: USA 62%, Antigua & Barbuda 6%, UK 5%, Belgium 4%, Trinidad & Tobago 3% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, electric generating sets, cars, stone processing machines, x-ray equipment (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Exchange rates: Currency: East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 2.7 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 2.7 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 2.7 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 2.7 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 2.7 (2020 est.)

Energy 4 fields

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 6,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 15.968 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 370,000 kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 87.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 12.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 200 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Communications 6 fields

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 3,000 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 67 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 5,000 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2020 est.)
Broadcast media: Radio Montserrat, a public radio broadcaster, transmits on 1 station and has a repeater transmission to a second station; repeater transmissions from the GEM Radio Network of Trinidad and Tobago provide another 2 radio stations; cable and satellite TV available (2007)
Internet country code: .ms
Internet users: percent of population: 54.6% (2011 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 2,700 (2018 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 55 (2018 est.)

Transportation 2 fields

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: VP-M
Airports: 1 (2025)

Military and Security 2 fields

Military and security forces: no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Defense Force (ceremonial, civil defense duties), Montserrat Police Force (2025)
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Frequently asked

What is the capital of Montserrat?: The capital of Montserrat is Plymouth.

Location

Reference

The Factbook archive 96 fields · 10 categories

Introduction 1 field

Geography 17 fields

People and Society 23 fields

Environment 5 fields

Government 21 fields

Economy 15 fields

Energy 4 fields

Communications 6 fields

Transportation 2 fields

Military and Security 2 fields

Frequently asked