2000 Edition

Background

Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years.

Area

land

754 sq km

total

754 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

highest point

Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, 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%

forests and woodland

67%

other

8% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

13%

permanent pastures

3%

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, hydropower, arable land

Terrain

rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Age structure

0-14 years: 29% (male 10,556; female 10,254) 15-64 years: 63% (male 23,151; female 21,984) 65 years and over: 8% (male 2,294; female 3,301) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

18.27 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

black, Carib Amerindian

Infant mortality rate

17.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.36 years (2000 est.)

male

70.5 years

total population

73.35 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over has ever attended school

female

94% (1970 est.)

male

94%

total population

94%

Nationality

adjective

Dominican

noun

Dominican(s)

Net migration rate

-22.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

71,540 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

-1.14% (2000 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: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.05 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; US interests are served by the embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

chief of mission

Ambassador Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (resident in Dominica)

telephone

(202) 364-6781

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

chief of state

President Vernon Lorden SHAW (since 7 October 1998)

election results

Vernon Lorden SHAW elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA

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

head of government

Prime Minister Roosevelt DOUGLAS (since 2 February 2000)

FAX

(202) 364-6791

consulate(s) general

New York

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; republic within the Commonwealth

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, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

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

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPD 10, UWP 9, DFP 2

elections

last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by NA 2005)

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Political parties and leaders

Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Labor Party of Dominica or LPD ; United Workers Party or UWP

Political pressure groups and leaders

Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited

Budget

expenditures

$79.9 million, including capital expenditures of $11.5 million (FY97/98)

revenues

$72 million

Currency

1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$90 million (1998 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 21% 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's recovery continued in 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

37 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

40 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

50%

hydro

50%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports

$60.8 million (1998)

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 - $225 million (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

21%

industry

16%

services

63% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,400 (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$120.4 million (1998)

Imports - commodities

manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners

US 41%, Caricom countries 25%, UK 13%, Netherlands, Canada (1996 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

-10% (1997 est.)

Industries

soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.1% (1998)

Labor force

25,000

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

20% (1999 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

46,000 (1997)

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 - main lines in use

18,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

0 (however, there is one cable television company) (1997)

Televisions

6,000 (1997)

Airports

2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

393 km

total

780 km

unpaved

387 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Portsmouth, Roseau

Railways

0 km

Military branches

Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

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

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC