# Library

ABOUT REFERENCES APPENDICES FAQs CONTACT

Central America and Caribbean :: Dominica

- ## Introduction :: DOMINICA

- 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. 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

- Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
  Geographic coordinates:
  15 25 N, 61 20 W
  Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean
  Area:
  total: 751 sq km
  land: 751 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 189
  Area - comparative:
  slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
  Land boundaries:
  0 km
  Coastline:
  148 km
  Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  Climate:
  tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
  Terrain:
  rugged mountains of volcanic origin
  Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Morne Diablotins 1,447 m
  Natural resources:
  timber, hydropower, arable land
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 34.7%
  arable land 8%; permanent crops 24%; permanent pasture 2.7%
  forest: 59.2%
  other: 6.1% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  NA
  Total renewable water resources:
  NA
  Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
  total: 0.02 cu km/yr
  per capita: 244.1 cu m/yr (2004)
  Natural hazards:
  flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
  Environment - current issues:
  NA
  Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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
  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 and Society :: DOMINICA

- Nationality:
  noun: Dominican(s)
  adjective: Dominican
  Ethnic groups:
  black 86.6%, mixed 9.1%, indigenous 2.9%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2001 est.)
  Languages:
  English (official), French patois
  Religions:
  Roman Catholic 61.4%, Protestant 20.6% (inclues Evangelical 6.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.1%, Pentecostal 5.6%, Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, other 1.3%), Rastafarian 1.3%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.2%, other 0.3%, none 6.1%, unspecified 1.1% (2001 est.)
  Population:
  73,607 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 202
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.96% (male 8,265/female 7,902)
  15-24 years: 16.14% (male 6,117/female 5,762)
  25-54 years: 41.83% (male 15,617/female 15,170)
  55-64 years: 9.39% (male 3,696/female 3,213)
  65 years and over: 10.69% (male 3,463/female 4,402) (2015 est.)
  population pyramid:
  Median age:
  total: 32.6 years
  male: 32.1 years
  female: 33 years (2015 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  0.21% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 183
  Birth rate:
  15.41 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 129
  Death rate:
  7.91 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 102
  Net migration rate:
  -5.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 195
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 69.5% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 0.84% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  ROSEAU (capital) 15,000 (2014)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  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: 1.15 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 11.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 128
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.79 years
  male: 73.82 years
  female: 79.91 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 78
  Total fertility rate:
  2.04 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 116
  Health expenditures:
  6% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Hospital bed density:
  3.8 beds/1,000 population (2012)
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 95.7% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 4.3% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 79.6% of population
  rural: 84.3% of population
  total: 81.1% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 20.4% of population
  rural: 15.7% of population
  total: 18.9% of population (2007 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  25.9% (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 61

- ## Government :: DOMINICA

- Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
  conventional short form: Dominica
  etymology: island named by Christopher COLUMBUS after the day of the week on which he spotted it, Sunday ("Domingo" in Latin), 3 November 1493
  Government type:
  parliamentary democracy
  Capital:
  name: Roseau
  geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  Administrative divisions:
  10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter
  Independence:
  3 November 1978 (from the UK)
  National holiday:
  Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
  Constitution:
  previous 1967 (preindependence); latest presented 25 July 1978, entered into force 3 November 1978; amended several times, last in 1984 (2015)
  Legal system:
  common law based on the English model
  International law organization participation:
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  Citizenship:
  citizenship by birth: yes
  citizenship by descent: yes
  dual citizenship recognized: yes
  residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Charles A. SAVARIN (since 2 October 2013)
  head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
  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 30 September 2013 (next to be held in October 2018); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Charles A. SAVARIN (DLP) elected president by a vote of 19-0 on 30 September 2013
  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 Assembly, and 2 ex-officio members - the House Speaker and the Clerk of the House; members serve 5-year terms)
  elections: last held on 8 December 2014 (next to be held in 2019); note - tradition dictates that the election is held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament plus a 90-day grace period
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DLP 15, UWP 6
  Judicial branch:
  highest court(s): The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the itinerant superior court of record for the 9-member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States to include Dominica; the ECSC - based on St. Lucia - is headed by the chief justice and is comprised of the Court of Appeal with 3 justices and the High Court with 16 judges; sittings of the Court of Appeal and High Court rotate among the 9 member states; 2 High Court judges reside in Dominica; note - Dominica is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice
  judge selection and term of office: ECSC chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; 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
  Political parties and leaders:
  Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Judith PESTAINA]
  Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]
  Dominica United Workers Party or UWP [Hector JOHN]
  Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)
  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
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hubert J. CHARLES (since 16 July 2010)
  chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791
  consulate(s) general: New York
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to 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, 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
  National symbol(s):
  Sisserou parrot, Carib Wood flower; national colors: green, yellow, black, white, red
  National anthem:
  name: "Isle of Beauty"
  lyrics/music: Wilfred Oscar Morgan POND/Lemuel McPherson CHRISTIAN
  note: adopted 1967

- ## Economy :: DOMINICA

- Economy - overview:
  The Dominican economy has been 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. Moreover, Dominica has an offshore medical education sector. In order to diversify the island's economy, the government is also attempting to foster an offshore financial industry and plans to sign agreements with the private sector to develop geothermal energy resources. In 2003, the government began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy - including the elimination of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to address an economic and financial crisis and to meet IMF requirements. In 2009 and 2013, the economy contracted as a result of the global recession; growth remains anemic. Although public debt levels continue to exceed pre-recession levels, the debt burden declined from 78% of GDP in 2011 to approximately 70% in 2012.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $790 million (2014 est.)
  $760.5 million (2013 est.)
  $756 million (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 206
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $524 million (2014 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  3.9% (2014 est.)
  0.6% (2013 est.)
  -1.3% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 80
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $11,200 (2014 est.)
  $10,700 (2013 est.)
  $10,700 (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 129
  Gross national saving:
  1.7% of GDP (2014 est.)
  0.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
  -3.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 171
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 59.3%
  government consumption: 21.5%
  investment in fixed capital: 25.6%
  investment in inventories: 0%
  exports of goods and services: 58.2%
  imports of goods and services: -64.6%
  (2014 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 14.8%
  industry: 14.3%
  services: 70.9% (2014 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  bananas, citrus, mangos, root crops, coconuts, cocoa
  note: forest and fishery potential not exploited
  Industries:
  soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
  Industrial production growth rate:
  1% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 133
  Labor force:
  25,000 (2000 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 209
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 40%
  industry: 32%
  services: 28% (2002 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  23% (2000 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 173
  Population below poverty line:
  29% (2009 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%
  Budget:
  revenues: $148.1 million
  expenditures: $148.1 million (2014 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  28.3% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 97
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  0% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 43
  Public debt:
  70% of GDP (2012 est.)
  78% of GDP (2009 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 40
  Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.8% (2014 est.)
  0% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 53
  Central bank discount rate:
  6.5% (31 December 2010)
  6.5% (31 December 2009)
  country comparison to the world: 51
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  8.94% (31 December 2014 est.)
  9.08% (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 98
  Stock of narrow money:
  $86.92 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $78.84 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 188
  Stock of broad money:
  $463.3 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $429.1 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 183
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $314.8 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $319.6 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 176
  Current account balance:
  -$68 million (2014 est.)
  -$68 million (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 78
  Exports:
  $38.6 million (2014 est.)
  $41 million (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 205
  Exports - commodities:
  bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
  Exports - partners:
  Japan 35.7%, Jamaica 18.4%, Antigua and Barbuda 10.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 6.3%, St. Lucia 4.6%, St. Kitts and Nevis 4% (2014)
  Imports:
  $186.9 million (2014 est.)
  $178.6 million (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 207
  Imports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
  Imports - partners:
  Japan 40%, Trinidad and Tobago 16.9%, US 12%, China 7% (2014)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $100 million (31 December 2015 est.)
  $103 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  Debt - external:
  $292.9 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $292.9 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 186
  Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
  2.7 (2014 est.)
  2.7 (2013 est.)
  2.7 (2012 est.)
  2.7 (2011 est.)
  2.7 (2010 est.)

- ## Energy :: DOMINICA

- Electricity - production:
  96.5 million kWh (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 200
  Electricity - consumption:
  89.75 million kWh (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 201
  Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 132
  Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 142
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  33,200 kW (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 197
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  60.2% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 133
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 80
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  18.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 98
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  21.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 13
  Crude oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 126
  Crude oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 117
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 182
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 125
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 175
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  900 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 204
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  915.9 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 198
  Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 179
  Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 138
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 88
  Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 189
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 131
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  132,100 Mt (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 206

- ## Communications :: DOMINICA

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 17,600
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 188
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 92,200
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 192
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: fully automatic network
  domestic: fixed-line connections continued to decline slowly with the two active operators providing about 20 fixed-line connections per 100 persons; subscribership among the three mobile-cellular providers continued to increase with teledensity reaching 150 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 1-767; landing points for the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and the Global Caribbean Network (GCN) submarine cables providing connectivity to other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia (2010)
  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 (2007)
  Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2009)
  Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2004)
  Internet country code:
  .dm
  Internet users:
  total: 43,400
  percent of population: 59.1% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 190

- ## Transportation :: DOMINICA

- Airports:
  2 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 199
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
  Roadways:
  total: 1,512 km
  paved: 762 km
  unpaved: 750 km (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 178
  Merchant marine:
  total: 43
  by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 22, chemical tanker 2, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 32 (Australia 1, Estonia 6, Germany 5, Greece 4, India 2, Latvia 2, Norway 1, Russia 3, Saudi Arabia 2, Syria 4, Turkey 1, Ukraine 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 73
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Portsmouth, Roseau

- ## Military :: DOMINICA

- Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2012)
  Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 19,075 (2010 est.)
  Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 16,035
  females age 16-49: 15,499 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 675
  female: 636 (2010 est.)

- ## Transnational Issues :: DOMINICA

- 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 (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
  Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer (2008)

GO TOP