Montserrat population pyramid 2026
Latin America and the Caribbean · Caribbean
4,328 people in 2026 (projected). Montserrat has about a third of its 1950 population: emigration to Britain and the volcanic eruptions from 1995 left a small, older and irregular pyramid.
- 2026 population
- 4.3Krank 233 of 237
- Median age
- 41.8 yearsoldest rank 47
- Fertility rate
- 1.45births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older20.1% age 65+
Montserrat population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Montserrat age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 15.5% of the population, while 20.1% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 64.4% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Montserrat’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 55.2: about 55 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (24.1 children and 31.2 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Montserrat’s population pyramid
Two waves of departure
Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, had about 12,900 people in 1950, its largest population in the UN series. Many young adults then left for the United Kingdom in the 1950s and 1960s, and by 1975 the bands for ages 30–44 were less than half the size of the teenage bands. Net migration between 1950 and 1999, including the exodus after 1995, removed about 13,700 people, more than the whole 1950 population.
The second wave was sudden. The Soufrière Hills volcano began erupting in 1995, burying the capital, Plymouth, and making the southern part of the island uninhabitable; most residents left. The population fell from about 11,400 in 1975 to about 5,000 in 2000 and is about 4,300 today.
Reading a very small pyramid
With only a few hundred people in each band, the 2026 chart is jagged. The notches at 10–14 and 25–29 and the bulges at 5–9 and 15–19 involve differences of a few dozen people, and sex ratios such as 142 men per 100 women at 70–74 rest on similarly small counts; the guide to counts and percentages explains why such figures need caution. The broad picture is clearer: fertility is about 1.45, deaths first exceeded births in 1997, and in 2026 about 36 births are expected against about 59 deaths. Despite its very different history, the overall shape most resembles those of North Macedonia, Belgium and Barbados. Under the medium scenario the population falls to about 3,700 by 2050.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
Comparing each five-year band with its neighbours picks out the cohorts that break a smooth slope. These irregularities usually record past surges or deficits in births, or migration concentrated at particular ages; the pattern alone does not identify which. The guide to baby booms and echo cohorts explains how to date and interpret them.
| Age band in 2026 | Born about | Feature | Versus neighbouring bands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15–19 | 2007–2011 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +22% |
| 25–29 | 1997–2001 | Notch (smaller cohort) | −20% |
| 5–9 | 2017–2021 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +17% |
| 10–14 | 2012–2016 | Notch (smaller cohort) | −16% |
Deaths have exceeded births every year since 2021; they also did so in 1997, but births then outnumbered deaths again. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 2015 and 2020.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Montserrat is projected to record 36 births (about 36 births a year) and 59 deaths, a natural decrease of 23. Net migration adds −10 people, ranking #186 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 1,118 births, 1,436 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −618. Over that period migration moved the total more than the balance of births and deaths did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −112 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 79.2 years49.7 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 74.6 years47.5 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 16.2 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 4.9per 1,000 births · 141 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 5.9per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 30.2 yearssex ratio at birth 104.3
Women in Montserrat are projected to live 4.6 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 141 to 4.9 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #169 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 30.2 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Montserrat
The median age of 41.8 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.45 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 76.7 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,328 | #233 | Largest first |
| Median age | 41.8 years | #47 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.45 | #181 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | -0.8% | #226 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 76.7 years | #108 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 20.1% | #46 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Montserrat
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55–59 | 316 | 7.3% | 153 / 163 |
| 2 | 60–64 | 308 | 7.1% | 165 / 143 |
| 3 | 35–39 | 306 | 7.1% | 131 / 175 |
| 4 | 40–44 | 296 | 6.8% | 129 / 167 |
| 5 | 50–54 | 290 | 6.7% | 150 / 140 |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Montserrat has 2,149 males and 2,179 females. That is 98.6 males per 100 females, ranking #109 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.7% of the population and females for 50.3%. There are 30 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 105.9 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 104.3 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Montserrat has changed since 1950
The population has decreased from 12,944 in 1950 to 4,328 in 2026, a change of 67%. Over the same span, median age moved from 17.8 to 41.8 years.
The under-15 share changed from 43.4% to 15.5%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 8.0% to 20.1%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Montserrat’s population is projected to decline by about 15%, reaching 3,692 in 2050. The median age changes from 41.8 to 45.0 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 5.7 percentage points to 25.8%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 14.5%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The highest population in the available annual series occurs at its 1950 boundary, with 12,944 people. Because the source series used here begins in 1950, the page reports the timing as “1950 or earlier” rather than claiming an exact peak year.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12,944 | 17.8 | 4.82 | 48.6 | 455 | 268 | −283 | -0.8% |
| 1960 | 12,034 | 17.4 | 4.55 | 58.6 | 379 | 183 | −262 | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 11,332 | 19.5 | 3.74 | 65.3 | 274 | 152 | −132 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 11,339 | 23.2 | 2.24 | 69.3 | 214 | 148 | −156 | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 10,677 | 27.1 | 2.16 | 70.9 | 196 | 127 | −181 | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 5,029 | 35.8 | 1.23 | 73.2 | 44 | 82 | −594 | -12.6% |
| 2010 | 4,794 | 37.7 | 1.58 | 74.7 | 46 | 57 | +73 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 4,508 | 40.5 | 1.95 | 75.6 | 58 | 58 | −30 | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 4,420 | 41.5 | 1.44 | 76.2 | 39 | 60 | −12 | -0.7% |
| 2024* | 4,389 | 41.6 | 1.45 | 76.3 | 38 | 60 | −7 | -0.7% |
| 2026* | 4,328 | 41.8 | 1.45 | 76.7 | 36 | 59 | −10 | -0.8% |
| 2030* | 4,202 | 43.2 | 1.46 | 77.3 | 34 | 58 | −8 | -0.8% |
| 2040* | 3,902 | 45.6 | 1.49 | 78.9 | 36 | 58 | −6 | -0.8% |
| 2050* | 3,692 | 45.0 | 1.51 | 80.5 | 35 | 55 | −1 | -0.7% |
| 2060* | 3,475 | 46.9 | 1.52 | 82.0 | 27 | 51 | +2 | -0.6% |
| 2070* | 3,256 | 48.4 | 1.54 | 83.4 | 27 | 48 | +1 | -0.5% |
| 2080* | 3,080 | 48.4 | 1.54 | 84.7 | 26 | 45 | +2 | -0.8% |
| 2090* | 2,922 | 48.5 | 1.55 | 85.9 | 23 | 40 | +3 | -0.7% |
| 2100* | 2,783 | 49.8 | 1.56 | 87.0 | 22 | 40 | +3 | -0.7% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 102 | 99 | 201 | 4.6% |
| 5–9 | 113 | 135 | 248 | 5.7% |
| 10–14 | 105 | 119 | 224 | 5.2% |
| 15–19 | 144 | 140 | 284 | 6.5% |
| 20–24 | 123 | 118 | 241 | 5.6% |
| 25–29 | 112 | 93 | 205 | 4.7% |
| 30–34 | 140 | 132 | 272 | 6.3% |
| 35–39 | 131 | 175 | 306 | 7.1% |
| 40–44 | 129 | 167 | 296 | 6.8% |
| 45–49 | 140 | 137 | 277 | 6.4% |
| 50–54 | 150 | 140 | 290 | 6.7% |
| 55–59 | 153 | 163 | 316 | 7.3% |
| 60–64 | 165 | 143 | 308 | 7.1% |
| 65–69 | 137 | 129 | 266 | 6.1% |
| 70–74 | 149 | 105 | 254 | 5.9% |
| 75–79 | 90 | 90 | 180 | 4.1% |
| 80–84 | 49 | 55 | 104 | 2.4% |
| 85–89 | 17 | 27 | 44 | 1.0% |
| 90–94 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 0.4% |
| 95–99 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0.1% |
| 100+ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Montserrat’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- North Macedonia97% overlap · median age 41.4
- Belgium96% overlap · median age 42.1
- Switzerland96% overlap · median age 43.2
- Barbados96% overlap · median age 39.7
- Austria95% overlap · median age 43.9
- Latvia95% overlap · median age 43.8
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Montserrat.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Montserrat Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/montserrat/
MLA
“Montserrat Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/montserrat/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Montserrat Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/montserrat/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Montserrat in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Montserrat's population in 2026 is projected at 4,328.
What is the median age in Montserrat?
The projected median age in Montserrat in 2026 is 41.8 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Montserrat?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.45 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Montserrat's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will decline by about 15%, from 4.3K to 3.7K.
What share of Montserrat is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 20.1% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 25.8%.
How many babies are born in Montserrat each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 36 births and 59 deaths in 2026, about 36 births a year. Deaths exceed births by 23.
What is life expectancy in Montserrat for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 79.2 years for women and 74.6 years for men, a gap of 4.6 years in favour of women.
Does Montserrat have more immigrants or emigrants?
Montserrat is projected to lose about 10 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −618.
What is the sex ratio in Montserrat?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 98.6 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.