n: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups:
black, white

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

Languages:
English

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

Government Montserrat

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim
government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's
Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)

Administrative divisions:
3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
effective 19 December 1989

Legal system:
English common law and statutory law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Deborah BARNES-JONES (since 10 May 2004)
head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief
minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the
finance secretary
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party usually becomes chief minister

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected;
members serve five-year terms)
note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney
general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members
elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NPLM 7, NPP 2
note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single
constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast
ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council

Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of
the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the
High Court)

Political pa