Statistical information Dominica 1992

Dominica in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 750 km²
Land: 750 km²
Comparative:slightly more than four times the size of Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 148 km
Maritime claimsContiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: none
Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin
ElevationNatural resources: timber
Land use: arable land: 9%; permanent crops: 13%; meadows and pastures 3%; forest and woodland 41%; other 34%
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 87,035 (July 1992), growth rate 1.6% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Dominican(s; adjective - Dominican
Ethnic groups: mostly black; some Carib Indians
Languages: English (official; French patois widely spoken
Religions: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, unknown 1%, other 5%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 24 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: -3 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: flash floods a constant hazard; occasional hurricanes
Current issues note: located 550 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 11 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 79 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 94% (male 94%, female 94%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Roseau
Administrative divisions:
10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint
George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick,
Saint Paul, Saint Peter
Dependent areasIndependence: 3 November 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Constitution: 3 November 1978
Legal system: based on English common law
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal at age 18
House of Assembly: last held 28 May 1990 (next to be held May 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (30 total; 9 appointed senators and 21 elected representatives) DFP 11, UWP 6, DLP 4
President:last held 20 December 1988 (next to be held December 1993); results - President Sir Clarence Augustus SEIGNORET was reelected by the
House of Assembly
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: there is no Chancery in the US
US: no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica
Diplomatic representationFlag description
: green with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white - 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)
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The economy is dependent on agriculture and thus is highly vulnerable to climatic conditions. Agriculture accounts for about 30% of GDP and employs 40% of the labor force. Principal products include bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, and coconuts. In 1990, GDP grew by 7%, bouncing back from the 1.6% decline of 1989. The tourist industry remains undeveloped because of a rugged coastline and the lack of an international airport.
GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $170 million, per capita $2,000; real growth rate 7.0% (1990 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 30% of GDP; principal crops - bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, and coconuts; bananas provide the bulk of export earnings; forestry and fisheries potential not exploited
Industries: soap, beverages, tourism, food processing, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 4.5% in manufacturing (1988 est.), accounts for 11% of GDP
Labor force: 25,000; agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28% (1984)
Organized labor: 25% of labor force
Unemployment rate: 10% (1989 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $48 million; expenditures $85 million, including capital expenditures of $41 million (FY90)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $59.9 million (f.o.b., 1990)
Commodoties: bananas, coconuts, grapefruit, soap, galvanized sheets
Partners: UK 72%, Jamaica 10%, OECS 6%, US 3%, other 9%
Imports: $103.9 million (c.i.f., 1990)
Commodoties: food, oils and fats, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment
Partners: US 23%, UK 18%, CARICOM 15%, OECS 15%, Japan 5%, Canada 3%, other 21%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 7,000 kW capacity; 16 million kWh produced, 185 kWh per capita (1991)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports:
2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs