1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 750 km2 land area: 750 km2 comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Coastline
148 km
Environment
flash floods a constant hazard; occasional hurricanes
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 9% permanent crops: 13% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 41% other: 34%
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
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
timber
Terrain
rugged mountains of volcanic origin
People and Society
Birth rate
20.82 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
5.06 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
black, Carib Indians
Infant mortality rate
10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
25,000 by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28% (1984)
Languages
English (official), French patois
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 76.72 years male: 73.89 years female: 79.71 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970) total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94%
Nationality
noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
Net migration rate
-2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
86,547 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
1.31% (1993 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, unknown 1%, other 5%
Total fertility rate
2.03 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter
Capital
Roseau
Chief of State
President Sir Clarence Augustus SEIGNORET (since 19 December 1983)
Constitution
3 November 1978
Digraph
DO
Diplomatic representation in US
there is no chancery in the US
Executive branch
president, prime minister, Cabinet
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)
Head of Government
Prime Minister (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES (since 21 July 1980, elected for a third term 28 May 1990)
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
Independence
3 November 1978 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly
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
Names
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica
National holiday
Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Other political or pressure groups
Dominica Liberation Movement (DLM), a small leftist group
Political parties and leaders
Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES; Dominica Labor Party (DLP), Rosie DOUGLAS; United Workers Party (UWP), Edison JAMES
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
parliamentary democracy
US diplomatic representation
no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica
Economy
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
Budget
revenues $70 million; expenditures $84 million, including capital expenditures of $26 million (FY91 est.)
Currency
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $120 million
Electricity
7,000 kW capacity; 16 million kWh produced, 185 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
$66.0 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges partners: UK 50%, CARICOM countries, US, Italy
External debt
$87 million (1991)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Imports
$110.0 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals partners: US 27%, CARICOM, UK, Canada
Industrial production
growth rate 4.5% in manufacturing (1988 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP
Industries
soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.5% (1991)
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $174 million (1991 est.)
National product per capita
$2,100 (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate
2.1% (1991 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.
Unemployment rate
15% (1991)
Communications
Airports
total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1
Highways
750 km total; 370 km paved, 380 km gravel and earth
Ports
Roseau, Portsmouth
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
Military and Security
Branches
Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
NA