Dominica

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Dominica

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Commonwealth of Dominica Area 751 sq km/290 sq mi Capital Roseau Language English (official), a Dominican patois (which reflects earlier periods of French rule) Religion Roman Catholic 80% Time difference GMT -4 Major holidays 1 January, 1 May, 3–4 November, 25–26 December; variable: Carnival (2 days), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, August Monday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Portsmouth, Marigot, Mahaut, Atkinson, Grand Bay Major ports Roseau, Portsmouth, Berekua, Marigot, Rosalie Physical features second-largest of the Windward Islands, mountainous central ridge with tropical rainforest Airports two international airports with links to other international airports in the region; aircraft arrivals and departures: 18,672 (1997) Railways none Roads total road network: 780 km/485 mi, of which 50.4% paved (1999 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Nicholas Liverpool from 2003 Head of government Roosevelt Skerrit from 2004 Political system liberal democracy Political executive parliamentary Administrative divisions ten parishes Political parties Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), centrist; Labour Party of Dominica (LPD), left-of-centre coalition (before 1985 the DLP); Dominica United Workers' Party (DUWP), left of centre Death penalty retained and used for ordinary crimes Armed forces defence force disbanded in 1981; police force of approximately 300 Education spend (% GDP) 5.6 (2001 est) Health spend (% GDP) 4.3 (2002)


ECONOMY

Currency East Caribbean dollar, although the pound sterling is also accepted GDP (US$) 279 million (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 3 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 273 million (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 5,560 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 1.5% (2006 est) Unemployment 11% (2004 est) Labour force 40% agriculture, 32% industry, 28% services (2003 est) Foreign debt (US$) 226 million (2004 est) Major trading partners USA, UK, Jamaica, the Netherlands, South Korea, Belgium, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago Resources pumice, limestone, clay Industries banana packaging, vegetable oils, soap, canned juice, cigarettes, rum, beer, furniture, paint, cardboard boxes, candles, tourism Exports bananas, soap, coconuts, grapefruit, galvanized sheets. Principal market: UK 26.2% (2005) Imports food and live animals, basic manufactures, machinery and transport equipment, mineral fuels. Principal source: USA 38.3% (1999) Arable land 6.7% (2006 est) Agricultural products bananas, coconuts, mangoes, avocados, papayas, ginger, citrus fruits, vegetables; livestock rearing; fishing


POPULATION

Population 71,400 (2006 est) Population growth rate -0.1% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 95 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 73 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 38%, 15–59 47%, 60+ 15% (2001 est) Ethnic groups majority descended from African slaves; a small number of the indigenous Arawaks remain Life expectancy 72 (men); 77 (women) (2000–05) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 14 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 12 Literacy rate 96% (men); 95% (women) (2001 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 4.9 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 3.9 (2003 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 100 (urban); 90 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 29.4 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 58.7 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 647 (1997) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 252 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 18.2 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 28.8 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

1493 Visited by explorer Christopher Columbus, who named the island Dominica (‘Sunday Island’). 1627 Presented by English King Charles I to Earl of Carlisle, but initial European attempts at colonization fiercely resisted by indigenous Carib community. later 18th century Succession of local British and French conflicts over control of the fertile island. 1763 British given possession of the island by Treaty of Paris; France continued to challenge this militarily until 1805, when there was formal cession in return for £12,000. 1834 Slaves emancipated. 1870 Became part of British Leeward Islands federation. 1940 Transferred to British Windward Islands federation. 1951 Universal adult suffrage established. 1958–62 Part of West Indies Federation. 1960 Granted separate, semi-independent status, with legislative council and chief minister. 1961 Edward le Blanc, leader of newly formed DLP, became chief minister. 1978 Independence achieved as republic within Commonwealth, with Patrick John (DLP) as prime minister. 1980 Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) won convincing victory in general election; Eugenia Charles became Caribbean's first woman prime minister. 1983 Small force participated in US-backed invasion of Grenada. 1985 Regrouping of left-of-centre parties resulted in new Labour Party of Dominica (LPD). 1991 Windward Islands confederation comprising St Lucia, St Vincent, Grenada, and Dominica proposed. 1993 Charles resigned DFP leadership, but continued as prime minister. 1995 DUWP won general election; Edison James appointed prime minister; Eugenia Charles retired from politics. 1998 Vernon Shaw elected president. 2000 Rosie Douglas elected prime minister, leading DLP-DFP coalition, but died in October; replaced by Pierre Charles. 2002 Pierre Charles informed Caribbean Development Bank that country was facing economic and financial crisis. 2004 Charles died in office, aged 46; succeeded by Roosevelt Skerrit. Government cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favour of those with China. 2005 General elections won by Skerrit and governing Labour Party. 2007 Hurricane Dean devastated banana crop, the main industry.


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