Dominica
Commonwealth of Dominica
parliamentary democracyIndependence 3 November 1978 (from UK)
Dominica as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 109 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
18 fieldsLand useshare of 754 sq km
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
Natural hazards
flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
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
People
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2004 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 27.3% (male 9,563; female 9,349)
- 15-64 years:
- 64.8% (male 23,097; female 21,804)
- 65 years and over:
- 7.9% (male 2,209; female 3,256) (2004 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.68 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Government
Parliamentary democracy; President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003); Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004)
18 fieldsHouse of Assembly, 21 seats, elected 31 January 2000one dot, one seat
Administrative divisions
10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES
- 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 1 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2008);
- prime minister appointed by the president
- election results:
- Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by 17 July 2005);
- 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 (17 April 2000) plus a 90 day grace period
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DLP 10, UWP 9, DFP 2
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High 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];
- Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT];
- United Workers Party or UWP [Edison JAMES]
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Swinburne LESTRADE
- chancery:
- 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 364-6781
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 364-6791
- consulate(s) general:
- New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, 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 encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow;
- the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
Economy
The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and international economic developments.
35 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2002 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and international economic developments. Production of bananas dropped precipitously in 2003, a major reason for the 1% decline in GDP. Tourism increased in 2003 as the government sought to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination.
Development of the tourism industry remains difficult, however, because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international airport. The government began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy in 2003 - including elimination of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to address Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMF targets.
In order to diversify the island's production base the government is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and is planning to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the island.
Agriculture - products
bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- NA
- domestic:
- fully automatic network
- international:
- country code - 1-767;
- microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe;
- VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
Transportation
5 fieldsMerchant marine, 6 ships by typeone square, one ship · ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,771 GRT/19,736 DWT
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Military
No regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (including Coast Guard)
3 fieldsMilitary branches
no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (including Coast Guard)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs
- transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe;
- minor cannabis producer;
- anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Dominica.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/dominica/2004.