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. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.

Geographic coordinates: 15 25 N 61 20 W

Area
Rank: 189
Land: 751 km²
Water: 0 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

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

Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation
Extremes highest point: Morne Diablotins 1447 m

Natural resources: timber hydropower arable land

Land use
Permanent crops: 24%
Other: 68% (2011)

Irrigated land: NA

Total renewable water resources: NA

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: 73,286 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 202
Growth rate: 0.22% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 176
Below poverty line: 29% (2009 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups: black 86.8% mixed 8.9% Carib Amerindian 2.9% white 0.8% other 0.7% (2001 census)

Languages: English (official) French patois

Religions: Roman Catholic 61.4% Protestant 20.6% (Seventh-Day Adventist 6% Pentecostal 5.6% Baptist 4.1% Methodist 3.7% Church of God 1.2%) Jehovah's Witnesses 1.2% other Christian 7.7% Rastafarian 1.3% other or unspecified 1.6% none 6.1% (2001 census)

Age structure
15-24 years: 17.2% (male 6,475/female 6,100)
25-54 years: 41.2% (male 15,337/female 14,841)
55-64 years: 9% (male 3,487/female 3,074)
65 years and over: 10.4% (male 3,328/female 4,296) (2013 est.)

Median age
Male: 31.2 years
Female: 32.1 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.22% (2013 est.)
Rank: 176

Birth rate: 15.61 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 130

Death rate: 7.97 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 103

Net migration rate: -5.4 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 193

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: ROSEAU (capital) 14,000 (2011)

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 131
Male: 15.99 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 7.79 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 78
Male: 73.43 years
Female: 79.49 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 119

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 1.59 physicians/1000 population (2001)

Hospital bed density: 3.8 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 24.9% (2008)
Rank: 61

Education expenditures: 3.5% of GDP (2010)
Rank: 126

Literacy
Total population: 94%
Male: 94%
Female: 94% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 13 years
Female: 13 years (2008)

Country name
Conventional short form: Dominica

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 15 18 N 61 24 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 10 parishes; Saint Andrew Saint David Saint George Saint John Saint Joseph Saint Luke Saint Mark Saint Patrick Saint Paul Saint Peter

Independence: 3 November 1978 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 3 November (1978)

Constitution: previous 1967 (preindependence); latest presented 25 July 1978 entered into force 3 November 1978; amended several times last in 1984 (2011)

Legal system: common law based on the English model

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
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 on 30 September 2013 (next to be held in October 2018); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Charles A. SAVARIN elected president 19-0 on 30 September 2013

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (32 seats; 9 members appointed 21 elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms 1 speaker elected from among persons who are not members of the House responsible for the management and general administration of the House and one ex-officio Clerk of the House)
Elections: last held on 18 December 2009 (next to be held in 2015); 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 61.2% UWP 34.9% other 3.9%; seats by party - DLP 18 UWP 3

Judicial branch: note - Dominica is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice
Judge selection and term of office: ECSC chief justice appointed by Her Majesty Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
Subordinate courts: Court of Summary Jurisdiction; magistrates' courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP AOSIS C Caricom CD CDB CELAC Commonwealth of Nations ECCU FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC ISO (subscriber) ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA NAM OAS OECS OIF OPANAL OPCW Petrocaribe UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCL WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 3,216 New Mexico Avenue NW Washington DC 20,016
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 364-6,781
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 364-6,791
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica

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 unique to Dominica encircled by 10 green five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes); green symbolizes the island's lush vegetation; the triple-colored cross represents the Christian Trinity; the yellow color denotes sunshine the main agricultural products (citrus and bananas) and the native Carib Indians; black is for the rich soil and the African heritage of most citizens; white signifies rivers waterfalls and the purity of aspirations; the red disc stands for social justice

National symbols: Sisserou parrot

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Wilfred Oscar Morgan POND/Lemuel McPherson CHRISTIAN

Economy overview: The Dominican economy has been dependent on agriculture - primarily bananas - in years past but increasingly has been driven by tourism as the government seeks to promote Dominica as an 'ecotourism' destination. Moreover Dominica has successfully developed an offshore medical education sector. In order to diversify the island's economy the government is also attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and plans to sign agreements with the private sector to develop geothermal energy resources. 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 an economic and financial crisis and to meet IMF requirements. Hurricane Dean struck the island in August 2007 causing damages equivalent to 20% of GDP. In 2009 the economy contracted as a result of the global recession and growth remains anemic. Economic growth in 2010-11 was about 1%. Although debt levels in 2012 continued to exceed pre-recession levels the debt burden notably declined from 80% to approximately 70% of GDP.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 204

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 206

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 94

Gross national saving:
Rank: 128

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 18.1%
Investment in fixed capital: 22.2%
Investment in inventories: 0%
Exports of goods and services: 46.4%
Imports of goods and services: -55.6%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 15.6%
Services: 68.7% (2013 est.)

Agriculture products: bananas citrus mangos root crops coconuts cocoa

Industries: soap coconut oil tourism copra furniture cement blocks shoes

Industrial production growth rate: -1% (2013 est.)
Rank: 176

Labor force: 25,000 (2000 est.)
Rank: 207
By occupation industry: 32%
By occupation services: 28% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate: 23% (2000 est.)
Rank: 171

Population below poverty line: 29% (2009 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: NA%

Budget
Expenditures: $185.2 million (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -7.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 190

Taxes and other revenues: 29.9% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 93

Public debt: 78% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 39

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.4% (2012 est.)
Rank: 58

Central bank discount rate: 6.5% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 51

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 9.03% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 96

Stock of narrow money: $84.39 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 183

Stock of broad money: $421.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 180

Stock of domestic credit: $304.1 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 171

Current account balance: -$54.9 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 73

Exports: $40.6 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 201
Commodities: bananas soap bay oil vegetables grapefruit oranges
Partners: Japan 38.8% Jamaica 8.3% Antigua and Barbuda 7.7% Guyana 6.5% Paraguay 5.6% Trinidad and Tobago 4.2% (2012)

Imports: $182.7 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 202
Commodities: manufactured goods machinery and equipment food chemicals
Partners: Japan 39.3% US 15.6% Trinidad and Tobago 13.5% China 5.1% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $94.56 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 166

Debt external: $272.1 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 183

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 100.5 million kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 198
Consumption: 93.47 million kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 198
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 129
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 137
Installed generating capacity: 97,000 kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 174
Generation sources fossil fuels: 19.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 192
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 77
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 6.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 122
Generation sources other renewable sources: 74.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 1

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 166
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 105
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 179
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 124

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 138
Products consumption: 918 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 206
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 171
Products imports: 916 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 195

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 123
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 140
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 90
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 185
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 131

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 141,600 Mt (2011 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 14,600 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 197
Mobile cellular: 109,300 (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 191

Telephone system
Domestic: fixed-line connections continued to decline slowly with the two active operators providing about 20 fixed-line connections per 100 persons; subscribership among the three mobile-cellular providers continued to increase with teledensity reaching 150 per 100 persons
International: country code - 1-767; landing points for the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and the Global Caribbean Network (GCN) submarine cables providing connectivity to other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia (2010)

Broadcast media: no terrestrial TV service available; subscription cable TV provider offers some locally produced programming plus channels from the US Latin America and the Caribbean; state-operated radio broadcasts on 6 stations; privately owned radio broadcasts on about 15 stations (2007)

Internet
Country code: .dm
Hosts: 723 (2012)
Hosts rank: 175
Users: 28,000 (2009)
Users rank: 183

Airports: 2 (2013)
Rank: 199
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2013)

Roadways
Rank: 177
Paved: 762 km
Unpaved: 750 km (2010)

Merchant marine
Rank: 73
By type: bulk carrier 11 cargo 22 chemical tanker 2 petroleum tanker 4 refrigerated cargo 3 roll on/roll off 1
Foreign owned: 32 (Australia 1 Estonia 6 Germany 5 Greece 4 India 2 Latvia 2 Norway 1 Russia 3 Saudi Arabia 2 Syria 4 Turkey 1 Ukraine 1)
Registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2010)

Disputes international: Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human habitation a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer (2008)