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National Map
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Dominica |
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National Flag
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Dominica |
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Flag Description:
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)
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
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Dominica |
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National Anthem
Of |
Dominica |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Dominica |
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Background:
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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. |
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Location:
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Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from
Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago |
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Geographic coordinates:
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15 25 N,
61 20 W |
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total:
754 sq km
land: 754 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
more than four times the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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148 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical;
moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall |
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Terrain:
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rugged
mountains of volcanic origin |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m |
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Natural resources:
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timber,
hydropower, arable land |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 6.67%
permanent crops: 20%
other: 73.33% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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flash
floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can
be expected during the late summer months |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
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Population:
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69,029
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 26.7% (male 9,328/female 9,125)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 23,225/female 21,900)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,193/female 3,258)
(2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
29.59 years
male: 29.26 years
female: 29.95 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.27%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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15.73
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.81
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-11.6
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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 (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
14.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 74.65 years
male: 71.73 years
female: 77.71 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.96
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican |
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Ethnic groups:
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black,
mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib
Amerindian |
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Religions:
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Roman
Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal
3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%),
other 6%, none 2% |
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Languages:
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English
(official), French patois |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 94%
male: 94%
female: 94% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
conventional short form: Dominica |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy; republic within the
Commonwealth |
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Capital:
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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) |
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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 |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since
October 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt
SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004); note - assumed post
after death of Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES
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% |
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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)
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
52.08%, UWP 43.6%, DFP 3.15%; seats by party - DLP 12,
UWP 8, independent 1 |
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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) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Dominica
Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor
Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; United Workers Party
or UWP [Edison JAMES] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Dominica
Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party) |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, ACP,
C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS,
OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Swinburne 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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the US
does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador
to Barbados is accredited to Dominica |
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Flag description:
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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)
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Economy - overview:
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The
Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily
bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic
conditions and international economic developments.
Production of bananas dropped precipitously in 2003, a
major reason for the 1% decline in GDP. Tourism
increased in 2003 as the government sought 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. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$384
million (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-1% (2003
est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 18%
industry: 24%
services: 58% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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25,000
(1999 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%
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Unemployment rate:
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23% (2000
est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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30% (2002
est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1% (2001
est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $73.9 million
expenditures: $84.4 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (2001) |
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas,
citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and
fishery potential not exploited |
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Industries:
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soap,
coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks,
shoes |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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-10%
(1997 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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68.41
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 47.1%
hydro: 52.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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63.62
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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600
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Exports:
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$39
million f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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bananas,
soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges |
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Exports - partners:
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UK 21.6%,
Jamaica 14.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.8%, Guyana 7.5%,
Japan 5.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%, US 4.3%, Saint
Lucia 4% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$98.2
million f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food,
chemicals |
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Imports - partners:
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China
20.4%, US 16.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.3%, UK 6.9%,
South Korea 4.6%, Japan 4.3% (2004) |
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Debt - external:
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$161.5
million (2001) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$22.8
million (2003 est.) |
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Currency (code):
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East
Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
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Currency code:
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XCD |
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Exchange rates:
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East
Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7
(2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 July -
30 June |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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23,700
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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9,400
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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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 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 2, FM
4, shortwave 0 (2004) |
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Radios:
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46,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (2004)
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Televisions:
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6,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.dm |
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Internet hosts:
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681
(2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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16 (2000)
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Internet users:
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12,500
(2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
780 km
paved: 393 km
unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Portsmouth, Roseau |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,771 GRT/19,736 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 19, chemical
tanker 2, container 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 21 (Estonia 6, Greece 3, Pakistan
1, Russia 2, Singapore 6, Syria 2, UAE 1) (2005) |
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Airports:
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2 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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no
regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police
Force (includes Coast Guard) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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NA |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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NA |
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Disputes - international:
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joins
other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that
Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under
UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its
EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the
Caribbean Sea |
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Illicit drugs:
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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 |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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