102 sq km (39.4 sq miles).
Population:5,215 (2014).
Population density:51.1 per sq km.
Capital:Plymouth is still officially the capital, but was mostly destroyed by pyroclastic flows in August 1997. The government headquarters are currently in Brades. There are plans to turn Little Bay into the new capital.
Government:Self-governing British Overseas Territory.
Head of state:HM Queen Elizabeth II since 1952, represented locally by Governor Elizabeth Carriere since 2015.
Head of government:Premier Donaldson Romero since 2014.
Electricity:220 volts AC, 60Hz. Most villas and guest houses are wired to accept 110-volt appliances. British-style plugs with three square pins and North American-style plugs with two flat pins (with or without grounding pin) can both be used.
Montserrat is a quiet, laid-back island where you can hike, birdwatch, snorkel, or enjoy a couple of drinks over a game of dominoes.
The tiny Caribbean island was dealt a devastating blow when the Soufrière Hills volcano erupted massively in 1995 and again in 1997. Almost half the island was rendered uninhabitable, including the capital, Plymouth, which today stands half-submerged in volcanic ash and mud. The effects were not limited to physical destruction. Montserrat's economy was severely damaged, and around two-thirds of the 12,000 population left the island.
The volcano remains active and much of the island is still out of bounds, but this in itself is a draw for tourists looking for something beyond the usual Caribbean experience of beaches and luxury resorts.
