蒙特塞拉特是位于西印度群岛中背风群岛南部的火山岛,由哥倫布在1493年以西班牙境內同名的山命名,現今是英國的海外領土。該島长18公里,宽11公里。该岛首府为普利茅斯。岛上有三座主要的火山,年降雨量1,525毫米。
蒙特塞拉特島原本盛产海岛棉、香蕉、糖和蔬菜等,因1995年7月18日開始的火山爆發,導致首府普利茅斯及島內其它多處被毀滅,使得三分之二人口逃往外國。火山爆發仍繼續,使得島上多處不可居住。目前布萊茲成為實質上的首府。
地区和定居点
编辑Montserrat had traditionally been divided into three parishes; since the 1995 volcanic eruption, only one (Saint Peter, which is Northern Montserrat) is inhabited.
Villages in the northern part of the island include:
- Brades, (the de facto capital)
- Little Bay, the new port, which is rapidly expanding to become a new town
- Saint John's
- Salem
The northern zone of Montserrat has a number of different beaches. Each one has its own appeal and all are worth visiting.
The old capital town, Plymouth, was in the south and has been destroyed or buried by volcanic eruption. While the Soufrière Hills Volcano Hazard Zone in the south is (de-facto) never publicly accessible, the level of access to Central Montserrat Hazard Zones in the centre of the island is variable, based on current volcanic activity levels.
The Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO)[失效連結] has divided the at-risk areas of the island into zones as part of a Hazard Level System. A map on MVO's website (mvo.ms) updates frequently to indicate the level of permitted access for each zone by one of four colours: green (unrestricted), yellow (daytime access or transit), orange (controlled access), and red (authorised access only).
北蒙特塞拉特 Northern Montserrat, the area not covered by the Hazard Level System, offers unrestricted access and is home to the majority of residents and attractions. Brades, the de facto capital, and the new John A. Osborne Airport are here. |
中蒙特塞拉特和特别地带 The Central Hazard Zones include four hazard zones that sometimes allow full or partial access. Zones A and B often allow full unrestricted access, while Zones C and F allow daytime access only; the MVO has been known to close Zone C for long stretches of time. |
苏弗雷火山警戒区 The Soufrière Hills Volcano Hazard Zone, or Zone V in the Hazard Level System, includes the Soufrière Hills volcano and the abandoned capital Plymouth. The 1995 eruption of the volcano covered the whole area with volcanic debris. The volcano continues to erupt and for your own safety, you currently cannot enter this area. In theory, this area would be opened for daytime use only if a year were to pass with no volcanic activity, something which has not occurred. Maritime transit is currently not permitted off the eastern coast (Zone E) but is often permitted off the western coast (Zone W) during daytime hours, provided that boats do not stop. |