1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
15 25 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 8,680; female 8,530) 15-64 years: 64% (male 21,090; female 20,294) 65 years and over: 9% (male 2,570; female 3,717) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
16.92 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
6.35 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
black, Carib Amerindian
Infant mortality rate
8.75 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
English (official), French patois
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 78.01 years male: 75.15 years female: 81.01 years (1999 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
-24.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
64,881 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
-1.41% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6%
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: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.89 children born/woman (1999 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
Country name
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica
Data code
DO
Executive branch
chief of state: President Vernon Lorden SHAW (since 7 October 1998) 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 7 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vernon Lorden SHAW elected president; percent of legislative vote--NA
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 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, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (resident in Dominica) chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 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
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 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 (next to be held by October 2000); byelections held 13 August 1996 election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--UWP 12, DLP 5, DFP 4
National holiday
Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Budget
revenues: $72 million expenditures: $79.9 million, including capital expenditures of $11.5 million (FY97/98)
Currency
1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Debt--external
$105 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$24.4 million (1995)
Economy--overview
The economy depends on agriculture and is highly vulnerable to climatic conditions, notably tropical storms. Agriculture, primarily bananas, accounts for 20% of GDP and employs 40% of the labor force. Development of the tourist industry remains difficult because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the lack of an international airport. Hurricane Luis devastated the country's banana crop in September 1995; tropical storms had wiped out one-quarter of the crop in 1994 as well. The economy began to recover in mid-1998, fueled by increases in construction, soap production, and tourist arrivals. The government is attempting to develop an offshore financial industry in order to diversify the island's production base.
Electricity--consumption
40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 50% hydro: 50% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
$50.4 million (1997)
Exports--commodities
bananas 50%, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
Exports--partners
Caricom countries 47%, UK 36%, US 7% (1996 est.)
Fiscal year
1 July--30 June
GDP
purchasing power parity--$216 million (1997 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 20% industry: 16% services: 64% (1996 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$3,300 (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
1.8% (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$104.2 million (1997)
Imports--commodities
manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
Imports--partners
US 41%, Caricom 25%, UK 13%, Netherlands, Canada
Industrial production growth rate
-10% (1997 est.)
Industries
soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.2% (1997)
Labor force
25,000
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
15% (1992 est.)
Communications
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
0 (there is one cable television company) (1997)
Televisions
5,200 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Airports
2 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 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; banking industry is vulnerable to money laundering