World Facts Index
 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 of Dominica
|
Location:
|
Caribbean, island between
the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the
way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago |
|
Coordinates:
|
15 25 N, 61 20 W |
|
Area:
|
total: 754 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 754 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
slightly more than four
times the size of Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
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0 km |
|
Coastline:
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148 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
|
Climate:
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tropical; moderated by
northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall |
|
Terrain:
|
rugged mountains of
volcanic origin |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m |
|
Natural resources:
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timber, hydropower, arable
land |
|
Natural hazards:
|
flash floods are a constant
threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer
months |
|
Geography - note:
|
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
|
Population of Dominica
|
Population:
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72,514 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
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) |
|
Median age:
|
30.1 years |
|
Growth rate:
|
-0.08% |
|
Infant mortality:
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13.71 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 74.87 years
male: 71.95 years
female: 77.93 years |
|
Fertility rate:
|
1.94 children born/woman |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
black, mixed black and European, European,
Syrian, Carib Amerindian |
|
Religions:
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Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15%
(Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%,
other 6% |
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Languages:
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English (official), French patois |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over has ever
attended school
total : 94%
male: 94%
female: 94%
|
Government
|
Country name:
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conventional long form: Commonwealth
of Dominica |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy; republic within
the Commonwealth |
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Capital:
|
Roseau |
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Administrative divisions:
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10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David,
Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul,
Saint Peter |
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Independence:
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3 November 1978 (from UK) |
|
National holiday:
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Independence Day, 3 November (1978) |
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Constitution:
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3 November 1978 |
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Legal system:
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based on English common law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
|
Executive branch:
|
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 in October 2008); prime
minister appointed by the president
|
|
Legislative branch:
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unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed
senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms) |
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Judicial branch:
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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) |
Economy
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. In 2003, the government
began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy - including elimination of
price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases -
to address Dominica's economic and financial crisis of 2001-02 and to meet IMF
targets. This restructuring paved the way for the current economic recovery -
real growth for 2006 reached a two-decade high - and will help to reduce the
debt burden, which remains at about 100% of GDP. In order to diversify the
island's production base, the government is attempting to develop an offshore
financial sector and is researching Dominica's capability to export geothermal
energy.
|
GDP:
|
$648 million (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
-1% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$5,500 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 18%
industry: 24%
services: 58% |
|
Inflation rate:
|
1% |
|
Labor force:
|
25,000 |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%,
services 28% |
|
Unemployment:
|
23% |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $73.9 million
expenditures: $84.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 47.1%
hydro: 52.9%
other: 0%
nuclear: 0% |
|
Industries:
|
soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra,
furniture, cement blocks, shoes |
|
Agriculture:
|
bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops,
coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited |
|
Exports:
|
bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables,
grapefruit, oranges |
|
Export partners:
|
UK 25.9%, Jamaica 14.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.8%, Guyana
7.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%, Saint Lucia 4% |
|
Imports:
|
manufactured goods, machinery and
equipment, food, chemicals |
|
Import partners:
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US 24.2%, China 19.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.3%, UK 4.7%,
South Korea 4.6%, Japan 4.4% |
|
Currency:
|
East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |