664 Area Code – Brades, Montserrat: Location, Time Zone & History

Montserrat, the small Caribbean island served by area code 664, is nicknamed the "Emerald Isle of the Caribbean" for its Irish heritage, visible in local place names, the shamrock on its flag crest, and a public holiday for St. Patrick's Day. The island's history took a dramatic turn on July 18, 1995, when the Soufriere Hills volcano became active; the ensuing eruptions destroyed the former capital, Plymouth, forced roughly two-thirds of the population to relocate, and turned the southern half of the island into an exclusion zone. Plymouth remains the territory's capital on paper, though it sits buried in volcanic material and uninhabited, while Brades has served as the de facto seat of government since the disaster.

Area code 664 itself dates to July 1, 1996, when it split off from the old regional area code 809, which had covered much of the Caribbean since the 1960s; a permissive dialing period allowed both codes to work through June 1, 1997. As of the 2018 census, the island's population stood at 4,649. Today its economy centers on geothermal energy development, tourism, government services, and agriculture, serving communities including Brades, Little Bay, Salem, St. John's, and Davy Hill.

Montserrat also has a notable place in music history: AIR Studios, built there in 1979, hosted recording sessions for the Rolling Stones, Elton John, and Paul McCartney before closing following Hurricane Hugo in 1989.