| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Central America and the Caribbean |
| Geographical Location |
15° 25' North Latitude
61° 20' West Longitude |
| Surface Area |
754 sq km |
| Climate |
Tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall |
| Natural Resources |
Timber, hydropower, arable land |
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| Political Information |
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| Country Name |
Commonwealth of Dominica |
| Capital City |
Roseau |
| Government Type |
Parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth |
| 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 Day |
3 November 1978 (from UK) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
69,029 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Dominican |
| Ethnic Groups |
Black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian |
| Religion |
Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), other 6%, none 2% |
| Languages |
English (official), French patois |
| Population Growth Rate |
-0.27% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
| Industries |
Soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes |
| Labor Force |
25,000 (1999 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28% |
| Agriculture Products |
Bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited |
| Export Commodities |
Bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges |
| Export Partners |
UK 21.5%, Jamaica 20%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.3%, Guyana 7%, Japan 5.3%, US 4.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.5%, Poland 4% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals |
| Import Partners |
China 20.1%, US 18.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 10.2%, UK 7.2%, South Korea 5.3%, Japan 4.5% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
- |
| Highways |
780 km |
| Pipelines |
- |
| Airports |
2 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Portsmouth, Roseau |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+1767 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.dm |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
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. |
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