Demographics of Montserrat facts for kids

Montserrat is a small island, and its population has changed a lot over time. Studying the population, like how many people live there, their backgrounds, education, health, and beliefs, is called demographics. This article will tell you more about the people of Montserrat.

How Montserrat's Population Has Changed

Back in 1842, Montserrat had about 7,119 people. But a big event changed everything.

In 1995, the Soufriere Hills Volcano erupted. This caused a huge problem for the island. About two-thirds of the 11,500 people living there had to leave. By 2001, only 4,491 people were still living on Montserrat. Most of these people (69%) were born on the island, while 31% were born somewhere else.

By 2014, the population was estimated to be around 5,100 people. It's important to know that many Montserratians moved away after the volcano erupted. For example, in 2001, almost 8,000 people born in Montserrat were living in the United Kingdom. That's nearly twice the number of people still living on the island at that time!

Births, Deaths, and Population Changes

Over the years, the number of births and deaths in Montserrat has changed. Before the volcano erupted, the population was fairly stable, with more births than deaths. This meant the population was slowly growing.

However, after the volcano eruption in 1995, things changed a lot. Many people left, and for several years, there were more deaths than births. This caused the population to shrink even more. More recently, the numbers have started to balance out, with some years showing a small increase in population and others a small decrease.

Who Lives in Montserrat?

The population of Montserrat is made up of different age groups and genders. For example, in 2011, there were slightly more males (2,546) than females (2,376) on the island, making a total of 4,922 people.

Looking at age groups, about 19.7% of the population were children aged 0-14. The largest group, about 66.2%, were working-age adults (15-64 years old). About 14% of the population were seniors (65 years and older).

By 2020, the total population was estimated to be around 4,626 people, with a similar balance between males (2,284) and females (2,342). The age distribution also remained similar, with about 17.2% children, 65.3% working-age adults, and 17.4% seniors.

Different Backgrounds

Most people in Montserrat are of African descent. This means their ancestors came from Africa, often brought to the Caribbean long ago. In 2001, about 92.4% of the population was of African background.

There's also a smaller group of people with mixed backgrounds (2.9%). About 3% of the population are of European descent. Many of these are descendants of Irish people who came to the island as workers, or British colonists. There are also smaller groups, like people of East Indian descent (1.0%).

Interestingly, in 1980, there were 403 Amerindians (native people) living on the island, but by 2001, only 3 were left.

Religious Beliefs

People in Montserrat follow many different religions. The largest group are Anglican (21.8%), followed by Methodist (17%) and Pentecostal (14.1%). Other religions include Roman Catholic (11.6%) and Seventh-day Adventist (10.5%). Some people also identify with the Church of God (3.7%) or Rastafarian beliefs (1.4%). A small percentage of the population does not have a specific religious affiliation.

See also

• Montserrat
• Montserratian British