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: 15 25 N 61 20 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Comparative: slightly more than four times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 148 km

Maritime claims

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

Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation

Natural resources: timber hydropower arable land

Land use

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months

Geography


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Population: 71,540 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: -1.14% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: black Carib Amerindian

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% other 6%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -1.14% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 18.27 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 7.3 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -22.39 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 17.13 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 2.05 children born/woman (2000 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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth

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

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats 9 appointed senators 21 elected by popular vote representatives; members serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme 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: Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Labor Party of Dominica or LPD [Rosie DOUGLAS]; United Workers Party or UWP [Edison JAMES]

International organization participation: ACCT ACP C Caricom CDB ECLAC FAO G-77 IBRD ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC ITU NAM (observer) OAS OECS OPANAL OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCL WHO WIPO WMO WTrO

Diplomatic representation
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; US interests are served by the embassy in Bridgetown Barbados

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)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy depends on agriculture and is highly vulnerable to climatic conditions notably tropical storms. Agriculture primarily bananas accounts for 21% of GDP and employs 40% of the labor force. Development of the tourist industry remains difficult because of the rugged coastline lack of beaches and the lack of an international airport. Hurricane Luis devastated the country's banana crop in September 1995; tropical storms had wiped out one-quarter of the crop in 1994 as well. The economy's recovery continued in 1998 fueled by increases in construction soap production and tourist arrivals. The government is attempting to develop an offshore financial industry in order to diversify the island's production base.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 2% (1998 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: bananas citrus mangoes root crops coconuts cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited

Industries: soap coconut oil tourism copra furniture cement blocks shoes

Industrial production growth rate: -10% (1997 est.)

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

Unemployment rate: 20% (1999 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.1% (1998)

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: $60.8 million (1998)
Commodities: bananas 50% soap bay oil vegetables grapefruit oranges
Partners: Caricom countries 47% UK 36% US 7% (1996 est.)

Imports: $120.4 million (1998)
Commodities: manufactured goods machinery and equipment food chemicals
Partners: US 41% Caricom countries 25% UK 13% Netherlands Canada (1996 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $90 million (1998 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 40 million kWh (1998)

Electricity consumption: 37 million kWh (1998)

Electricity exports: 0 kWh (1998)

Electricity imports: 0 kWh (1998)

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: NA

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $N/A
Percent of gdp: NA%

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 (1999 est.)

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)

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; banking industry is vulnerable to money laundering