Dominica
Commonwealth of Dominica
parliamentary democracyIndependence 3 November 1978 (from the UK)
Dominica as the 2010 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 125 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 half way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
20 fieldsLand useshare of 751 sq km
Location
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about half way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 0.02 cu km/yr
- per capita:
- 213 cu m/yr (1996)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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
22 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2010 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2001 census)
Religions(2001 census)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.76 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.02 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Government
Parliamentary democracy; President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003); Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004)
19 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
House of Assembly, 21 seats, elected 18 December 2009one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Capital
- name:
- Roseau
- 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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term;
- election last held on 1 October 2003 (next to be held in 2013);
- prime minister appointed by the president
- election results:
- Nicholas LIVERPOOL consented to a second term in 2008 at the request of the prime minister and leader of the opposition
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats; 9 members appointed, 21 elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
- 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%; seats by party - DLP 18, UWP 3
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];
- Dominica United Workers Party or UWP [Earl WILLIAMS]
International organization participation
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, PetroCaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Hubert J. CHARLES
- 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 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 anthem
- name:
- "Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendor"
- lyrics/music:
- Wilfred Oscar Morgan POND/Lemuel McPherson CHRISTIAN
note: adopted 1967
Economy
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.
44 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2004 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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. In order to diversify the island's production base, the government also is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and has signed an agreement with the EU 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. This restructuring paved the way for an economic recovery - real growth for 2006 reached a two-decade high - and helped to reduce the debt burden, which remains at about 85% of GDP. Hurricane Dean struck the island in August 2007 causing damages equivalent to 20% of GDP. In 2009, growth slowed as a result of the global recession; it picked up only slightly in 2010.
Public debt
78% of GDP (2009 est.) · 85% of GDP (2006 est.) (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 18
Central bank discount rate
6.5% (31 December 2009) · 6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61
Commercial bank prime lending rate
10.02% (31 December 2009 est.) · 9.06% (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103
Stock of narrow money
$74.84 million (31 December 2009) · $67.94 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 183
Stock of broad money
$398.5 million (31 December 2009) · $362 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 176
Stock of domestic credit
$213.6 million (31 December 2008 est.) · $193.1 million (31 December 2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Agriculture - products
bananas, citrus, mangos, root crops, coconuts, cocoa note: forest and fishery potential not exploited
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- fully automatic network
- domestic:
- Fixed-line teledensity is roughly 25 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity approached 150 per 100 persons in 2009
- 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
Broadcast media
- no terrestrial television 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)
Transportation
5 fieldsMerchant marine, 40 ships by typeone square, one ship
Military
No regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2010)
5 fieldsMilitary branches
no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2010)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - 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)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Dominica.” The World Factbook 2010. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/dominica/2010.