1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 750 sq km land: 750 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative
slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Coastline
148 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m
Environment-current issues
NA
Environment-international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
13 30 N, 61 20 W
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 9% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 67% other: 8% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
Natural resources
timber
Terrain
rugged mountains of volcanic origin
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 27% (male 8,987; female 8,826) 15-64 years: 63% (male 21,231; female 20,464) 65 years and over: 10% (male 2,572; female 3,697) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
17.35 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
6.29 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
black, Carib Amerindian
Infant mortality rate
9.04 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
English (official), French patois
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.8 years male: 74.94 years female: 80.8 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94% (1970 est.)
Nationality
noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
Net migration rate
-24.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
65,777 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
-1.33% (1998 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%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.9 children born/woman (1998 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
Constitution
3 November 1978
Country name
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica
Data code
DO
Executive branch
chief of state: President Crispin Anselm SORHAINDO (since 25 October 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Edison C. JAMES (since 12 June 1995) 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 4 October 1993 (next to be held NA October 1998); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Crispin Anselm SORHAINDO elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA
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 Ambassador to Dominica resides in Bridgetown (Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica
Flag description
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)
Government type
parliamentary democracy
Independence
3 November 1978 (from UK)
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme 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 [Rosie DOUGLAS]; United Workers Party or UWP [Edison JAMES] Political pressure groups and leaders: Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote representatives; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 12 June 1995; byelections held 13 August 1996 (next to be held by October 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-UWP 12, DLP 5, DFP 4
National capital
Roseau
National holiday
Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture-products
bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts; forestry and fisheries potential not exploited
Budget
revenues: $77 million expenditures: $78 million, including capital expenditures of $22 million (FY95/96)
Currency
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Debt-external
$110 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $NA
Economy-overview
The economy is dependent on agriculture and thus is highly vulnerable to climatic conditions, notably tropical storms. Agriculture, primarily bananas, accounts for 26% of GDP and employs 40% of the labor force. Development of the tourist industry remains difficult because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the lack of an international airport. Hurricane Luis devastated the country's banana crop in September 1995; tropical storms had wiped out one-quarter of the crop in 1994 as well. The government is attempting to develop an offshore financial industry in order to diversify the island's production base.
Electricity-capacity
8,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
448 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
37 million kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1-2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
total value: $51.8 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: bananas 50%, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges partners: Caricom countries 47%, UK 36%, US 7% (1996 est.)
Fiscal year
1 July-30 June Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$208 million (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: 26% industry: NA% services: NA% (1995)
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$2,500 (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
3.7% (1996 est.)
Imports
total value: $98.1 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals partners: US 41%, Caricom 25%, UK 13%, Netherlands, Canada
Industrial production growth rate
-0.4% (1996 est.)
Industries
soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Inflation rate-consumer price index
1.7% (1996)
Labor force
total: 25,000 by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28% (1984)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios
45,000 (1993 est.)
Telephone system
domestic: fully automatic network international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
Telephones
14,613 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations
1 cable
Televisions
5,200 (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate
15% (1992 est.)
Transportation
Airports
2 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1996 est.) Ports and harbors: Portsmouth, Roseau
Merchant marine
none
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military branches
Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)
Military expenditures-dollar figure
$NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP
NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
none
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer