1985 Edition

Agriculture

bananas, citrus, coconuts, cocoa, essential oils

Aid

economic — bilateral ODA and OOF (1970-80), from Western (non-US) countries, $22.6 million; no military aid

Airfields

2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanentsurface runways; 1 with runways 1,2202,439 m

Area

752.7 km2; about one-fourth the size of Rhode Island; 67% forest; 24% arable; 2% pasture; 7% other Water

Branches

legislative, 11-member popularly elected unicameral House of Assembly; executive, Cabinet headed by Prime Minister; judicial, magistrate's courts and regional court of appeals

Royal Dominica Police Force

Budget

revenues, $32 million; expenditures, $40 million (1982)

Capital

Roseau

Civil air

unknown number of major transport aircraft

Coastline

148 km People

Communists

negligible

Elections

every five years; most recent 21 July 1980 Political parties and leaders: Labor Party of Dominica (LPD), Michael Douglas; Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), (Mary) Eugenia Charles

Electric power

7,000 kW capacity (1984); 16 million kWh produced (1984), 216 kWh per capita

Ethnic divisions

mostly black; some CaribIndians

Exports

$24.7 million (1982); bananas, coconuts, lime juice and oil, cocoa, reexports

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June Communications

GNP

$56.4 million (1983), $762 per capita; 1981 real growth rate, 8%

Government leader

(Mary) Eugenia CHARLES, Prime Minister (since July 1980); Clarence Augustus SEIGNORET, President (since December 1983)

Highways

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

Imports

$48.5 million (1982); machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured articles, cement

Labor force

23,000; 40% agriculture, 32% industry and commerce, 28% services; 15-20% unemployment

Language

English (official); French patois widely spoken

Legal system

based on English common law; three local magistrate courts and the British Caribbean Court of Appeals •

Limits of territorial waters (claimed)

3 nm (200 nm fishing zone; 20 nm economic zone)

Literacy

about 95%

Major industries

agricultural processing, tourism, soap and other coconut-based products, cigars

Major trade partners

exports — US, UK, other EC, other CARICOM countries

Member of

CARICOM, Commonwealth, FAO, GATT (de facto), G-77, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, OAS, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO Economy

Monetary conversion rate

2.70 East Caribbean dollars=US$l (February 1984)

Nationality

noun — Dominican(s); adjective— Dominican

Official name

Commonwealth of Dominica

Organized labor

25% of the labor force Government

Other political or pressure groups

Dominica Liberation Movement (DLM), a small leftist group

Political subdivisions

10 parishes

Population

74,000 (July 1985), average annual growth rate —0.2%

Ports

1 major (Roseau), 1 minor (Portsmouth)

Railroads

none

Religion

80% Roman Catholic; Anglican, Methodist

Suffrage

universal adult suffrage at age 18

Telecommunications

4,600 telephones in fully automatic network (5.6 per 100 popl.); VHP and UHF link to St. Lucia; new SHF links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; 3 AM stations, 1 FM station, 1 TV station Defense Forces

Type

independent state within Commonwealth recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State

Voting strength

(1980 election) House of Assembly seats— DFP 17, LPD 2, independent 2