Edition 2003 — Dominica — World Factbook

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: 27.8% (male 9,807; female 9,571) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 23,024; female 21,768) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,226; female 3,259) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002) Military Dominica

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

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. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean. Geography Dominica

Birth rate

16.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $84.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
revenues: $73.9 million

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

6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$161.5 million (2001)

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 Swinburne LESTRADE
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781

Disputes - international

protests Venezuela's claim to give full effect to Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Economic aid - recipient

$24.4 million (1995)

Economy - overview

The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and international economic developments. Hurricane Luis devastated the country's banana crop in 1995 after tropical storms wiped out a quarter of the 1994 crop. The economy subsequently has been fueled by increases in construction, soap production, and tourist arrivals. Development of the tourism industry remains difficult however, because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international airport. Economic growth is sluggish, and unemployment is greater than 20%. The government has been attempting to develop an offshore financial sector in order to diversify the island's production base.

Electricity - consumption

67.35 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

72.41 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 47.1%
hydro: 52.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

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, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
chief of state: President Nicholas LIVERPOOL (since 10 November 2003)
election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA%
elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES (since 1 October 2000); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister Roosevelt DOUGLAS

Exports

$50 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Exports - partners

UK 36.1%, Jamaica 18%, US 7.5%, Antigua and Barbuda 6.4%, Guyana 5.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.4% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 364-6791

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June Communications Dominica

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) Economy Dominica

GDP

purchasing power parity - $380 million (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 18%
industry: 24%
services: 58% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.2% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

15 25 N, 61 20 W

Geography - note

known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world People Dominica

Government type

parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth

Highways

paved: 393 km
total: 780 km
unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.)

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

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

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$135 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners

China 23.9%, US 23.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 11.9%, South Korea 7.6%, UK 7.3%, Japan 4.5% (2002)

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

female: 10.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 20.29 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 15.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1% (2001 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, 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) Transportation Dominica

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: 4%
other: 80% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 16%

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)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -DLP 10, UWP 9, DFP 2
elections: last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by 17 July 2005) note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament (17 April 2000) plus a 90 day grace period

Life expectancy at birth

female: 77.15 years (2003 est.)
male: 71.23 years
total population: 74.12 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
female: 94% (2003 est.) Government Dominica
male: 94%
total population: 94%

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

Median age

female: 28.8 years (2002)
male: 28.1 years
total: 28.4 years

Merchant marine

none (2002 est.)

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA% Transnational Issues Dominica

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Nationality

adjective: Dominican
noun: Dominican(s)

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

-16.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (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

69,655 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

30% (2002 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.63% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Portsmouth, Roseau

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

46,000 (1997)

Railways