Introduction Montserrat
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 possesion 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 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity
since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003.
Geography Montserrat
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, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
40 km