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Arawak and Carib Indians were the first residents of Alliouagana, ‘land of the prickly bush’, until Christopher Columbus claimed it for Spain in 1493, whereupon he named the island Santa Maria de Montserrat. It was not until 1632 that the British colonised the island, which is still a British Overseas Territory. The actual settlers were mainly of Irish Catholic origin, who appreciated the presence of an ocean between them and Oliver
Cromwell. Irish surnames among the present population reflect this history.
Montserrat is now a British colony administered by a governor appointed by the British government (see General Information section).
There remains uncertainty about the island’s economic future. The main reason is its vulnerability to the elements; Montserrat
is located in the Caribbean hurricane zone and has suffered repeated assaults from tempests. However, the damage caused was nothing compared to that
wrought by the eruption of a previously dormant volcano, Soufrière, in 1997.
This rendered almost half the island uninhabitable, and much of the 12,000 population left the island. Many original inhabitants
have returned to Montserrat, but the island has been left more dependent than ever on aid and support from the British government.
The southern part of the island, which bore the brunt of the eruption, has been partially repopulated, but the overriding
priority for the government has been to bring economic and social life back to the devastated island.
Although this has been a difficult and gradual process, hampered by disagreements, Montserrat continues to welcome visitors
to the northern part of the island where economic development is now being planned.
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Overview 
