2001 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2001 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Administrative divisions
10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter
Age structure
0-14 years: 28.72% (male 10,300; female 10,027) 15-64 years: 63.45% (male 23,056; female 21,855) 65 years and over: 7.83% (male 2,267; female 3,281) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products
bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Airports
2 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.) Dominica Military
Area
total: 754 sq km land: 754 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
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. Dominica Geography
Birth rate
17.81 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget
revenues: $72 million expenditures: $79.9 million, including capital expenditures of $11.5 million (FY97/98)
Capital
Roseau
Climate
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Coastline
148 km
Constitution
3 November 1978
Country name
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica
Currency
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code
XCD
Death rate
7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external
$108.9 million (1999)
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (resident in Dominica) chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781
Disputes - international
none
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 subsequent recovery has been 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
57.7 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production
62 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 48.39% hydro: 51.61% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)
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, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Dominica People
Ethnic groups
black, Carib Amerindian
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
Executive branch
chief of state: President Vernon Lordon SHAW (since 6 October 1998) head of government: Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES (since 1 October 2000); note - assumed post after death of Roosevelt DOUGLAS 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 6 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vernon Lordon SHAW elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA%
Exports
$60.7 million (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities
bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
Exports - partners
Caricom countries 47%, UK 36%, US 7% (1996 est.)
FAX
[1] (202) 364-6791 consulate(s) general: New York
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June Dominica Communications
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) Dominica Economy
GDP
purchasing power parity - $290 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 21% industry: 16% services: 63% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
0.5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates
15 25 N, 61 20 W
Government type
parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth
Highways
total: 750 km paved: 375 km unpaved: 375 km (2001)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer; banking industry is vulnerable to money laundering
Imports
$126 million (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities
manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners
US 41%, Caricom countries 25%, UK 13%, Netherlands, Canada (1996 est.)
Independence
3 November 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate
-10% (1997 est.)
Industries
soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Infant mortality rate
16.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.5% (2000 est.)
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
Internet country code
.dm
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
16 (2000)
Internet users
2,000 (2000) Dominica Transportation
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)
Labor force
25,000
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 9% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 67% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Languages
English (official), French patois
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -DLP 11, UWP 8, DFP 2
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73.6 years male: 70.74 years female: 76.61 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94% (1970 est.) Dominica Government
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
Merchant marine
none (2000 est.)
Military branches
Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure
$NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
NA% Dominica Transnational Issues
National holiday
Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Nationality
noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
Natural hazards
flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
Natural resources
timber, hydropower, arable land
Net migration rate
-20.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Political parties and leaders
Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Pierre CHARLES]; United Workers Party or UWP [Edison JAMES]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)
Population
70,786 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Population growth rate
-0.98% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors
Portsmouth, Roseau
Radio broadcast stations
AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
46,000 (1997)
Railways
0 km
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 (2001 est.)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Telephone system
general assessment: NA 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
19,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular
461 (1996)
Television broadcast stations
0 (however, there is one cable television company) (1997)
Televisions
6,000 (1997)
Terrain
rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Total fertility rate
2.03 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate
20% (1999 est.)
Waterways
none