Map of Dominica | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: 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.


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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

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total area total: 750 km²
Land: 750 km²
Comparative: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 148 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation

Natural resources: timber

Land use
Arable land: 9%
Permanent crops: 13%
Meadows and pastures: 3%
Forest and woodland: 41%
Other: 34%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 82,608 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 0.4% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Dominican(s)
Adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups: black, Carib Indians

Languages: English (official), French patois

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 profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 29% (female 11,665; male 12,130)
15-64 years: 64% (female 25,606; male 26,890)
65 years and over: 7% (female 3,724; male 2,593) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.4% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 18.63 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.33 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -9.36 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
Current issues natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
Current issues international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 9.9 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.2 years
Male: 74.35 years
Female: 80.2 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.95 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970)
Total population: 94%
Male: 94%
Female: 94%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
Conventional short form: 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 areas

Independence: 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 participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Crispin Anselm SORHAINDO (since 25 October 1993) election last held 4 October 1993 (next to be held NA October 1998); results - President Crispin Anselm SORHAINDO was elected by the House of Assembly to a five-year term
Head of government: Prime Minister (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES (since 21 July 1980, elected for a third term 28 May 1990)
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
House of Assembly: elections last held 28 May 1990 (next to be held by October 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (30 total; 9 appointed senators and 21 elected representatives) DFP 11, UWP 6, DLP 4

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Dominica has no embassy in the US
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us: no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica

Flag 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 symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy 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. Development of the tourist industry remains difficult because of the rugged coastline and the lack of an international airport. In 1994 a tropical storm devastated the banana industry.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1.6% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 30% of GDP; principal crops - bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts; bananas provide the bulk of export earnings; forestry and fisheries potential not exploited

Industries: soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes

Industrial production growth rate: -10% (1994 est.), accounts for 7% of GDP

Labor force: 25,000
By occupation agriculture: 40%
By occupation industry and commerce: 32%
By occupation services: 28% (1984)

Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $70 million
Expenditures: $84 million, including capital expenditures of $26 million (FY90/91 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $48.3 million (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodoties: bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
Partners: UK 55%, CARICOM countries, Italy, US

Imports: $98.8 million (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodoties: manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
Partners: US 25%, CARICOM, UK, Japan, Canada

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $92.8 million (1992)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 30 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 347 kWh (1993)

Electricity consumption

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system: 4,600 telephones; fully automatic network
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: SHF radio and microwave radio relay links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radio links to Saint Lucia

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1

Airports with paved runways
914 to 1523 m: 1
Under 914 m: 1

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer