2021 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 colonized the island in 1805. Slavery ended in 1833 and in 1835 the first three men of African descent were elected to the legislative assembly of Dominica. In 1871, Dominica became part first of the British Leeward Islands and then the British Windward Islands until 1958. In 1967 Dominica became an associated state of the UK, and formally took responsibility for its internal affairs. 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. On 18 September 2017, Hurricane Maria passed over the island causing extensive damage to structures, roads, communications, and the power supply, and largely destroying critical agricultural areas.

Area

land

751 sq km

total

751 sq km

water

NEGL

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

highest point

Morne Diablotins 1,447 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

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

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

34.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 24% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 2.7% (2018 est.)

forest

59.2% (2018 est.)

other

6.1% (2018 est.)

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Puerto Rico and 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 monthsvolcanism: Dominica was the last island to be formed in the Caribbean some 26 million years ago, it lies in the middle of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from the island of Saba in the north to Grenada in the south; of the 16 volcanoes that make up this arc, five are located on Dominica, more than any other island in the Caribbean: Morne aux Diables (861 m), Morne Diablotins (1,430 m), Morne Trois Pitons (1,387 m), Watt Mountain (1,224 m), which last erupted in 1997, and Morne Plat Pays (940 m); the two best known volcanic features on Dominica, the Valley of Desolation and the Boiling Lake thermal areas, lie on the flanks of Watt Mountain and both are popular tourist destinations

Natural resources

timber, hydropower, arable land

Population distribution

population is mosly clustered along the coast, with roughly a third living in the parish of St. George, in or around the capital of Roseau; the volcanic interior is sparsely populated

Terrain

rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Age structure

0-14 years

21.41% (male 8,135/female 7,760)

15-24 years

13.15% (male 5,017/female 4,746)

25-54 years

42.79% (male 16,133/female 15,637)

55-64 years

10.53% (male 4,089/female 3,731)

65 years and over

12.12% (male 4,128/female 4,867) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

14.16 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

6.6% (2018)

Death rate

8.14 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

NA

potential support ratio

NA

total dependency ratio

NA

youth dependency ratio

NA

Drinking water source

improved: urban

urban: 95.7% of population

unimproved: urban

urban: 4.3% of population

Education expenditures

5% of GDP (2020)

Ethnic groups

African descent 84.5%, mixed 9%, Indigenous 3.8%, other 2.1%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.6% (2018)

Hospital bed density

3.8 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

7.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

15.67 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.56 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.09 years (2021 est.)

male

74.99 years

total population

77.96 years

Major urban areas - population

15,000 ROSEAU (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

35.5 years (2020 est.)

male

34.4 years

total

34.9 years

Nationality

adjective

Dominican

noun

Dominican(s)

Net migration rate

-5.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

27.9% (2016)

People - note

3,000-3,500 Kalinago (Carib) still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the Caribbean; only 70-100 may be "pure" Kalinago because of years of integration into the broader population

Physicians density

1.12 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

74,584 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

population is mosly clustered along the coast, with roughly a third living in the parish of St. George, in or around the capital of Roseau; the volcanic interior is sparsely populated

Population growth rate

0.07% (2021 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 52.7%, Protestant 29.7% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 6.7%, Pentecostal 6.1%, Baptist 5.2%, Christian Union Church 3.9%, Methodist 2.6%, Gospel Mission 2.1%, other Protestant 3.1%), Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 4.3%, none 9.4%, unspecified 1.4% (2011 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.06 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.85 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.02 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

71.4% of total population (2021)

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

etymology

the name is French for "reed"; the first settlement was named after the river reeds that grew in the area

geographic coordinates

15 18 N, 61 24 W

name

Roseau

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the House of Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as fundamental rights and freedoms, the government structure, and constitutional amendment procedures requires approval by three fourths of the Assembly membership in the final reading of the amendment bill, approval by simple majority in a referendum, and assent of the president; amended several times, last in 2015

history

previous 1967 (preindependence); latest presented 25 July 1978, entered into force 3 November 1978

Country name

conventional long form

Commonwealth of Dominica

conventional short form

Dominica

etymology

the island was named by explorer Christopher COLUMBUS for the day of the week on which he spotted it, Sunday ("Domingo" in Latin), 3 November 1493

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

chief of mission

Ambassador Vince HENDERSON (since 18 January 2017)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

embdomdc@aol.com

FAX

[1] (202) 364-6791

telephone

[1] (202) 364-6781

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Charles A. SAVARIN (since 2 October 2013)

election results

Charles A. SAVARIN (DLP) reelected president unopposed

elections/appointments

president nominated by the prime minister and leader of the opposition party and elected by the House of Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 1 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2023); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004)

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, unique to Dominica, encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes); green symbolizes the island's lush vegetation; the triple-colored cross represents the Christian Trinity; the yellow color denotes sunshine, the main agricultural products (citrus and bananas), and the native Carib Indians; black is for the rich soil and the African heritage of most citizens; white signifies rivers, waterfalls, and the purity of aspirations; the red disc stands for social justice

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

3 November 1978 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, Commonwealth of Nations, ECCU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 2 in Dominica; note - in 2015, Dominica acceded to the Caribbean Court of Justice as final court of appeal, replacing that of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, in London

judge selection and term of office

chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62

subordinate courts

Court of Summary Jurisdiction; magistrates' courts

Legal system

common law based on the English model

Legislative branch

description

unicameral House of Assembly (32 seats; 21 representatives directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 9 senators appointed by the president - 5 on the advice of the prime minister, and 4 on the advice of the leader of the opposition party, plus 2 ex-officio members - the house speaker and the attorney general; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - DLP 59.0%, UWP 41.0%; seats by party - DLP 18, UWP 3

elections

last held on 6 December 2019 (next to be held in 2024); note - tradition dictates that the election is held within 5 years of the last election, but technically it is 5 years from the first seating of parliament plus a 90-day grace period

National anthem

lyrics/music

Wilfred Oscar Morgan POND/Lemuel McPherson CHRISTIAN

name

Isle of Beauty

note

note: adopted 1967

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

National symbol(s)

Sisserou parrot, Carib Wood flower; national colors: green, yellow, black, white, red

Political parties and leaders

Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Judith PESTAINA]Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]Dominica United Workers Party or UWP [Lennox LINTON]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

bananas, yams, grapefruit, taro, milk, coconuts, oranges, yautia, plantains, sugar cane

note

note: forest and fishery potential not exploited

Budget

expenditures

260.4 million (2017 est.)

revenues

227.8 million (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

$5 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$70 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2015

$314.2 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$280.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

The Dominican economy was dependent on agriculture - primarily bananas - in years past, but increasingly has been driven by tourism, as the government seeks to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination. However, Hurricane Maria, which passed through the island in September 2017, destroyed much of the country’s agricultural sector and caused damage to all of the country’s transportation and physical infrastructure. Before Hurricane Maria, the government had attempted to foster an offshore financial industry and planned to sign agreements with the private sector to develop geothermal energy resources. At a time when government finances are fragile, the government’s focus has been to get the country back in shape to service cruise ships. The economy contracted in 2015 and recovered to positive growth in 2016 due to a recovery of agriculture and tourism. Dominica suffers from high debt levels, which increased from 67% of GDP in 2010 to 77% in 2016. Dominica is one of five countries in the East Caribbean that have citizenship by investment programs whereby foreigners can obtain passports for a fee and revenue from this contribute to government budgets.

Exchange rates

currency

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

2.7 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

2.7 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

2.7 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

2.7 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

2.7 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2016

$43.7 million (2016 est.)

Exports 2018

$160 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports - commodities

medical instruments, pharmaceuticals, low-voltage protection equipment, tropical fruits, bandages (2019)

Exports - partners

Saudi Arabia 47%, Qatar 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

54.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption

26.2% (2017 est.)

household consumption

60.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-62.7% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

21.5% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

22.3% (2017 est.)

industry

12.6% (2017 est.)

services

65.1% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$557 million (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2016

$188.4 million (2016 est.)

Imports 2018

$430 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, natural gas, crude petroleum, recreational boats, cars (2019)

Imports - partners

United States 57%, Nigeria 11%, China 6%, Italy 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

-13% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

0% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

0.6% (2017 est.)

Labor force

25,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

40%

industry

32%

services

28% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line

29% (2009 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

71.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

82.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$830 million note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$850 million note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$710 million note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

-3.7% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

2.6% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

-4.7% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$11,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$11,900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$9,900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$221.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$212.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

40.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2000

23% (2000 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

103.6 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

72% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

25% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

27,800 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

111.4 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,237 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

16.08 (2018 est.)

total

11,514 (2018)

Broadcast media

no terrestrial TV service available; subscription cable TV provider offers some locally produced programming plus channels from the US, Latin America, and the Caribbean; state-operated radio broadcasts on 6 stations; privately owned radio broadcasts on about 15 stations (2019)

Internet country code

.dm

Internet users

percent of population

69.62% (2019 est.)

total

50,200 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line connections continue to decline slowly with only two active operators providing about 4 fixed-line connections per 100 persons; subscribership among the three mobile-cellular providers is about 106 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

fully automatic network; there are multiple competing operators licensed to provide services, most of them are small and localized; the telecom sector across the Caribbean region remains one of the key growth areas (2020)

international

country code - 1-767; landing points for the ECFS and the Southern Caribbean Fiber submarine cables providing connectivity to other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad and to the US; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3.71 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

2,660 (2018)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

105.8 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

75,771 (2018)

Airports

total

2 (2020)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2019)

total

2

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

J7

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 30, oil tanker 19, other 44 (2021)

total

93

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Portsmouth, Roseau

Roadways

paved

762 km (2018)

total

1,512 km (2018)

unpaved

750 km (2018)

Military - note

Dominica has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2021)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Coast Guard) under the Ministry of Justice, Immigration, and National Security

Disputes - international

Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ and continental shelf claims over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs

a transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbean

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.18 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.04 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

18.17 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Environment - current issues

water shortages a continuing concern; pollution from agrochemicals and from untreated sewage; forests endangered by the expansion of farming; soil erosion; pollution of the coastal zone by agricultural and industrial chemicals, and untreated sewage

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, 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

Land use

agricultural land

34.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 24% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 2.7% (2018 est.)

forest

59.2% (2018 est.)

other

6.1% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

200 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

19 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

71.4% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

13,176 tons (2013 est.)