Montserrat

Montserrat is an island in the Caribbean and the Lesser Antilles. It is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom.

  • 9.1 Football

Geography

The island is located southwest of Antigua, southeast of Nevis and northwest of Guadeloupe.

It is of volcanic origin and consists essentially of three volcanic massifs: the Silver Hills in the north, the Centre Hills in the middle and the Soufriere Hills in the south.

In Montserrat has a tropical climate with temperatures 23-30 ° C with no pronounced rainy or dry periods.

Volcanism

On Montserrat Soufriere Hills only are still active. Geoscientists go from one last big eruption of Soufriere volcano 20,000 years ago from. The last phase of major activity was registered after 400 - year hiatus, which heralded by earthquake swarms since 1992. 1995 during a volcanic eruption, a large part of the island was devastated.

2/3 of the island are restricted because of the volcanic eruption. A drive on the coastal waters is risky because there are no current charts. In a wide area around the lake is a strong smell of hydrogen sulphide noticeable ( April 2005). A radius of 10 nautical miles is considered as a complete no-go area, also applies to the volcano is still active as so that over marine radio several times a day, the current threat is communicated.

The restricted zone on the island in 2005 was partially lifted. Are offered on the island ( mid-2005 ) guides. Ships can call at the northern bay, only in the southern part of the island landing is prohibited. Cruise ships sail on the day to 500 m to the south coast.

Since 8 January 2007, the Soufriere is active again. The southern part of the island has since been blocked again.

Population

30 % are Anglican, Methodist 23%, 10 % Catholics. The table represents the population development

Most European immigrants are Irish, eg is the St. Patrick 's Day is a public holiday and on the flag of the Irish national symbol is shown the harp. By return migration after the devastating the island volcano Soufriere Hills 1995, the population rose sharply between 1998 and 2007.

History

Montserrat has been inhabited for about 7000 years. From 400 BC immigrated Arawak, who provided the majority of the population to European conquest. In the 15th century they were conquered by the warlike Caribs. However, the culture of the Arawak remained dominant.

Christopher Columbus discovered the island on November 3, 1493 and took her under the name of Santa Maria de Monserrate, after the famous monastery of Montserrat on the eponymous mountain in Catalonia (Spain ) for the Spanish crown in possession. However Montserrat was never colonized by Spaniards.

The lack of interest of the Spaniards use of the English and established a first settlement in 1632. The tensions between Catholics and Anglicans in the mother country, which culminated in the English Civil War had reached the Caribbean. The Irish people of the neighboring island of St. Kitts were evacuated to Montserrat. Later Irish immigrants came from other British colonies in America to do so. Even today, a large part of the European-born residents of Irish descent.

1672 Montserrat was formed together with Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis a confederation English island colonies with common House of Representatives under Governor William Stapleton.

The settlers built on tobacco, sugar cane and cotton. For the work in the fields of West African slaves were introduced. Their descendants now form the majority of the population. 1838 slavery was abolished.

From 1871 to 1956 Montserrat was part of the Federation of the Leeward Islands, in 1958 she became a member of the West Indies Federation. After dissolution of the federation in 1962, the islanders decided in a vote for it to once again become a British colony.

In September 1989, the island was hit by Hurricane Hugo in full force and heavily damaged.

A large part of the island was devastated by a series of eruptions of the Soufriere Hills volcano that began on July 18, 1995, including the only airport on the island. 75 % of the population fled from the island. The capital city of Plymouth was established in 1997 due to the volcanic eruptions officially abandoned. A transitional government headquarters was built in Brades, at the northwestern end of the island.

In February 2005, the new John A. Osborne Airport was opened on the north half of the island of Princess Anne. In Little Bay is a new capital construction.

Policy

Montserrat is a British overseas territory. It is a member of CARICOM, the OECS and is one of the carriers of the University of the West Indies. The head of government of the island is the Chief Minister of Montserrat.

The defense of the island is the responsibility of the British armed forces, Montserrat maintains with the Royal Montserrat Defence Force, founded in 1899, a 25 soldiers comprehensive volunteer force, which perceives mainly ceremonial functions.

Administrative divisions

Montserrat consists of the following three administrative communities ( parishes ):

The first two communities are affected by the restricted zones that were set up after the eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano, and only exist de jure. The total population is concentrated in the Parish of Saint Peter's in the northwest of the island, where the provisional seat of government is located Brades.

Infrastructure

It is on the left.

Culture

Music

In the 1980s, were on Montserrat the " Air Studios " of the former Beatles producer George Martin, who at times lived on Montserrat. The studios took a number of renowned musicians celebrated albums, such as Dire Straits, The Police, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Paul McCartney and Phil Collins. Many of these artists took on 15 September 1997 at London's Royal Albert Hall on charity concert "Music for Montserrat " in favor of the island part.

Born on 1954 Montserrat musician Arrow ( Alphonsus Celestine Edmund Cassell actually ) took in 1983 on the song Hot Hot Hot, which became the secret national anthem of Montserrat.

Ian Anderson, frontman of the band Jethro Tull, processed recent events in Montserrat in the same song on his third solo album (" Secret language of birds" ).

Sports

Football

Montserrat is an independent member of FIFA and CONCACAF and decreases with its own team participated in the competitions. Usually Montserrat loses very high and is traditionally one of the last positions of the FIFA World Ranking. An interesting portrait of football on Montserrat provides the documentary " The Other Final ", which reports on the parallel to the finals held in 2002 match against the then second-bottom of the FIFA World Ranking Bhutan. Montserrat lost the game in Bhutan with 0:4.

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