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  Dominica  
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 Geography
 People
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This page was last updated on 18 January, 2007


Map of Dominica



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Dominica Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.
   Geography    Dominica Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
15 25 N, 61 20 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 754 sq km
land: 754 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
148 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
timber, hydropower, arable land
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 6.67%
permanent crops: 21.33%
other: 72% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world
   People    Dominica Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
68,910 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 26.1% (male 9,084/female 8,885)
15-64 years: 66% (male 23,419/female 22,079)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,186/female 3,257) (2006 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 30.1 years
male: 29.8 years
female: 30.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.08% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15.27 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
-9.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 13.71 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 74.87 years
male: 71.95 years
female: 77.93 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.94 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), other 6%, none 2%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
English (official), French patois
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 94%
male: 94%
female: 94% (2003 est.)
   Government    Dominica Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
conventional short form: Dominica
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Roseau
geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
3 November 1978 (from UK)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
3 November 1978
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on English common law
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA%
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010); note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace period
election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.07%, UWP 43.6%, DFP 3.15%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; Dominica United Workers Party or UWP [Earl WILLIAMS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne A.S. LESTRADE
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
   Economy    Dominica Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and international economic developments. Tourism has increased as the government seeks to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination. Development of the tourism industry remains difficult, however, because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international airport. The government began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy in 2003 - including elimination of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to address Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMF targets. In order to diversify the island's production base, the government is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and is planning to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the island.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$384 million (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$279 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.1% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$3,800 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 17.7%
industry: 32.8%
services: 49.5% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
25,000 (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 40%
industry: 32%
services: 28%
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
23% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
30% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-0.1% (2005 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $73.9 million
expenditures: $84.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-10% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
83.88 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
78.01 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
900 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$74 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
UK 26.8%, Jamaica 10%, South Korea 8.9%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.8%, Guyana 7.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%, US 4%, Saint Lucia 4% (2005)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$234 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 25.5%, China 20.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.4%, South Korea 7.1%, Japan 4.7%, UK 4.4% (2005)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$213 million (2004)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$29.2 million (2004 est.)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 July - 30 June
   Communications    Dominica Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
21,000 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
41,800 (2004)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: NA
domestic: fully automatic network
international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2004)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.dm
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
263 (2006)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
20,500 (2005)
   Transportation    Dominica Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 780 km
paved: 393 km
unpaved: 387 km (1999)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 48 ships (1000 GRT or over) 634,668 GRT/1,100,558 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 24, chemical tanker 4, container 2, petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: 45 (Estonia 11, Germany 1, Greece 5, Latvia 1, Norway 1, NZ 4, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 9, Syria 1, Turkey 3, UAE 2, Ukraine 2) (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Portsmouth, Roseau
   Military    Dominica Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes coast guard)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 18,227 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 15,136 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 602 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
   Transnational Issues    Dominica Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 18 January, 2007


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