Dominica

Commonwealth of Dominica

parliamentary democracyIndependence 3 November 1978 (from UK)

Dominica as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalRoseau
Area750 km2
Locationin the eastern Caribbean, about halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and
1993

Every edition of Dominica

Populationas each edition published it
86,547 people July 1993 est. · 84,854 in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.31% 1993 est. · -0.04% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 28.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
76.72 years 1993 est. · 78.7 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.03 children per woman 1993 est. · 2.6 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
10.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 13 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,100 1991 est. · $18,700 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
2.1% 1991 est. · 2.1% in 2025

Geography

In the eastern Caribbean, about halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and | Tobago

13 fields

Land useshare of 750 km2

arable land 9%permanent crops 13%meadows and pastures 3%forest and woodland 41%other 34%
Area
750km2
land area: 750 km2comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
148km
land boundaries: 0 kmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

in the eastern Caribbean, about halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Climate

  • tropical;
  • moderated by northeast trade winds;
  • heavy rainfall

Terrain

rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Environment

flash floods a constant hazard; occasional hurricanes

People

14 fields
Population
86,547
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 1.31% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
20.82Death
5.06Net migration
-2.63

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years76.72
73.89 · 79.71
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy94%
94% · 94%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)

Religions

Roman Catholic 77%Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%)none 2%unknown 1%other 5%
Labor force
25,000
by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28% (1984)

Infant mortality rate

10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.03 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Dominican(s)
adjective:
Dominican

Ethnic divisions

black, Carib Indians

Languages

English (official), French patois

Government

Parliamentary democracy

21 fields

Names

conventional long form:
Commonwealth of Dominica
conventional short form:
Dominica

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

Independence

3 November 1978 (from UK)

Constitution

3 November 1978

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Political parties and leaders

  • Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES;
  • Dominica Labor Party (DLP), Rosie DOUGLAS;
  • United Workers Party (UWP), Edison JAMES

Other political or pressure groups

Dominica Liberation Movement (DLM), a small leftist group

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

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

Leaders

Chief of State:
President Sir Clarence Augustus SEIGNORET (since 19 December 1983)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES (since 21 July 1980, elected for a third term 28 May 1990)

Member of

ACCT, ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

there is no chancery in the US

US diplomatic representation

no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica

Flag

  • 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)

Economy

The economy is dependent on agriculture and thus is highly vulnerable to | climatic conditions.

18 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$2,100
(1991 est.)
Real growth rate
2.1%
(1991 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 4.5% in manufacturing (1988 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP

Budget

Revenues
$70 millionExpenditures
$84 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $26 million (FY91 est.)

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 1991, GDP grew by 2.1%. The tourist industry remains undeveloped because of a rugged coastline and the lack of an international airport.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $174 million (1991 est.)

Exports

$66.0 million (c.i.f., 1991)

commodities:
bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
partners:
UK 50%, CARICOM countries, US, Italy

Imports

$110.0 million (c.i.f., 1991)

commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
partners:
US 27%, CARICOM, UK, Canada

External debt

$87 million (1991)

Electricity

7,000 kW capacity; 16 million kWh produced, 185 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 26% of GDP;
  • principal crops - bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts;
  • bananas provide the bulk of export earnings;
  • forestry and fisheries potential not exploited

Economic aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $120 million

Currency

1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

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

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

4 fields

Highways

750 km total; 370 km paved, 380 km gravel and earth

Ports

Roseau, Portsmouth

Airports

total:
2
usable:
2
with permanent-surface runways:
2
with runways over 3,659 m:
0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
1

Telecommunications

  • 4,600 telephones in fully automatic network;
  • VHF and UHF link to Saint Lucia;
  • new SHF links to Martinique and Guadeloupe;
  • broadcast stations - 3 AM, 2 FM, 1 cable TV

Defense Forces

Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force

3 fields

Branches

Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

Central Intelligence Agency. “Dominica.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/dominica/1993.

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