1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 750 sq km land area: 750 sq km 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
current issues: NA natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 9% permanent crops: 13% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 41% other: 34%
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
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
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
Age structure
0-14 years: 29% (female 11,665; male 12,130) 15-64 years: 64% (female 25,606; male 26,890) 65 years and over: 7% (female 3,724; male 2,593) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
18.63 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
5.33 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
black, Carib Indians
Infant mortality rate
9.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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: 77.2 years male: 74.35 years female: 80.2 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970) total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94%
Nationality
noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
Net migration rate
-9.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
82,608 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
0.4% (1995 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
1.95 children born/woman (1995 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
Constitution
3 November 1978
Digraph
DO
Diplomatic representation in US
Dominica has no embassy in the US consulate(s) general: New York
Executive branch
chief of state: President Crispin Anselm SORHAINDO (since 25 October 1993) election last held 4 October 1993 (next to be held NA October 1998); results - President Crispin Anselm SORHAINDO was elected by the House of Assembly to a five-year term head of government: Prime Minister (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES (since 21 July 1980, elected for a third term 28 May 1990) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
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)
House of Assembly
elections last held 28 May 1990 (next to be held by October 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
Member of
ACCT, ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, 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), Brian ALLEYNE; Dominica Labor Party (DLP), Rosie DOUGLAS; United Workers Party (UWP), Edison JAMES
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 30% 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 $26 million (FY90/91 est.)
Currency
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $120 million
Electricity
capacity: 7,000 kW production: 30 million kWh consumption per capita: 347 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
$48.3 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges partners: UK 55%, CARICOM countries, Italy, US
External debt
$92.8 million (1992)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer
Imports
$98.8 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals partners: US 25%, CARICOM, UK, Japan, Canada
Industrial production
growth rate -10% (1994 est.); accounts for 7% of GDP
Industries
soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.6% (1993 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $200 million (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$2,260 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
1.6% (1994 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. Development of the tourist industry remains difficult because of the rugged coastline and the lack of an international airport. In 1994 a tropical storm devastated the banana industry.
Unemployment rate
15% (1992 est.)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
4,600 telephones; fully automatic network local: NA intercity: NA international: SHF radio and microwave radio relay links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radio links to Saint Lucia
Television
broadcast stations: 1 cable televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1
Highways
total: 750 km paved: 370 km unpaved: gravel or earth 380 km
Merchant marine
none
Ports
Portsmouth, Roseau
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Branches
Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP ________________________________________________________________________ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC