Country Facts

History

Summmary

Dominica was inhabited first by the indigenous Arawaks (Taino) and later by the Caribs (Kalinqgo). The island was sighted by Christopher Columbus in 1493. Under a French-British treaty signed in 1660, Dominica was defined a natural isle left to the possession of the Carib inhabitants. Nonetheless, French settlers established plantations there under a French governor. The island changed hands several times between the French and British in the wars of the mid-1700s before Dominica became a British possession in 1805. It was a member of the Leeward Islands Federation until 1939, and then joined the Windward Islands in 1940 until that Federation arrangement ended in 1959.

In 1960 Dominica achieved separate status with its own administrator and was a participant in the West Indies Federation until 1962. The island became a West Indies Associated State in March 1967, achieving full autonomy in internal affairs. Great Britain retained responsibility for defense and foreign relations. On November 3, 1978, Dominica became an independent republic within the Commonwealth.

Geography

Background

Dominica measures 29 miles long and 16 miles wide, and covers some 290 square miles (750.6 sq. km.). It has 148 km of coastline and is about four times the size of the District of Columbia. The island is blessed with 365 rivers and warm tropical climate, hence Dominica's unchallenged claim to be the "Nature Island of the Caribbean." Average daytime temperatures range from 75 to 80 degrees F (27C), with cooler temperatures in the mountains. The dry season is from January to April. The rainy season is from July to October. The terrain in rugged and mountainous; the highest point is Morne Diablotin which rises to 1,447 ft. Dominica also has the second largest thermally active lake in the world, "the Boiling Lake."

Location

Dominica is a Caribbean Island, lying almost in the center of the arc of islands known as the Lesser Antilles. This arc extends from the Trinidad-Grenada Passage in the south up to the Anegada Passage between the Virgin Islands and Anguilla. The island is located between the French overseas departments of Guadeloupe to the north and Martinique to the south.

Coordinates

The geographic coordinates are 15 25 N, 61 20 W.

Labour Unions

Unions:

Dominica Amalgamated Worker's Union (5,000 members)
Dominica Public Service Union (2,700 members)
Dominica Farmers' Union (2,500 members)
Dominica Trade Union (650 members)
Waterfront and Allied Workers' Union (5,000 members)

Politics

Present Government Leaders

President: His Excellency Nicholas J. O. Liverpool
Prime Minister: Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit

Summary

Dominica is a democratic parliamentary Republic with an executive Branch composed of a President and a Prime Minister. The president is elected by the House of Assembly for a term of five years. A presidential candidate is nominated jointly by the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition. The President appoints as Prime Minister the elected member of the House who commands the support of a majority of its elected members. He/she also appoints other ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister. The President serves as the constitutional Head of State.

In the unicameral legislature (one chamber), the House of Assembly, there are 30 members: one elected representative from each of the 21 constituencies,and nine senators who are appointed (five on the advice of the Prime Minister and four on the advice of the Leader of Opposition), and a Speaker of the House. The life of Parliament is fixed at five years.

The legal system is based on English common law. There are three local levels of judiciary courts and the Caribbean Court of Appeal.

Political Parties

Dominica Labour Party (DLP)
United Workers' Party (UWP)
Dominica Freedom Party (DFP)
Dominica Progressive Force (DPF)

POLITICS

Current Elected Officials Current Elected Officials Three political parties, the Dominica Labour Party (DLP), the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), and the United Workers Party (UWP) contested the elections of 2000. As no party secured a majority, a coalition government of the Dominica Labour Party and the Dominica Freedom Party emerged in 2000. The next general election is constitutionally due in 2005. Countries With Which Dominica Maintains Diplomatic Relations CountrySince United States of America1978 Republic of Koreas1979 United Kingdom1979 Venezuela1979 Canada1979 Israel1979 Kingdom of the Netherlands1980 Germany1980 Belgium1980 France1980 India1981 Holy See1982 Austrailia1982 Austria1982 Japan1983 Denmark1985 Argentina1985 Peru1986 Spain1986 Brazil1986 Chile1991 Mexico1991 Democratic People's Republic of Korea1991 Colombia1992 Indonesia1994 Russian Federation1995 European Union1996 Cuba1996 Portugal1996 Republic of Macedonia1996 Czech Republic1996 Republic of South Africa1998 Slovenia2000 Costa Rica2001 Norway2001 Libya2001 Cyprus2001 Ireland2001 Federal Republic of Nigeria2002 Mauritius2003 Qatar2004 People's Republic of China2004 Present Cabinet of the Coalition Government of Dominica The new Cabinet of the Government of Dominica was sworn in on May 12th, 2005, following the General Election of May 5th, 2005. Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit Prime Ministry & Minister for Finance Hon. Ian Douglas Attorney General Hon. Reginald Austrie Minister for Housing, Lands, Telecommunications Hon. Vince Henderson Minister of Education, Sports, Youth Affairs Senator Charles Savarin Minister of Trade, Labour & Foreign Affairs Hon. John Fabien Minister of Health & Social Security Hon. Matthew Walter Minister of Community Development, Culture Hon. Ambrose George Minister of Public Works Seantor Yvor Nassief Minister of Tourism & Industry and Public Sector Affairs Hon. Lorraine Bannis-Roberts Junior Minister of Tourism Hon. Urban Baron Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works Hon. Kelly Graneau Ministry of Carib Affairs Colin McIntyre Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Enviornment

ECONOMICS

GDP - purchasing power parity = $380 million - real growth rate = 1.2% Currency East Caribbean dollar (rate of exchange - U.S. $1.00 =2.70) GDP Composition by Sector - agriculture = 18% - industry = 24% - services = 58%

PEOPLE & CULTURE

Population Dominica has a population of 69,655 people, with a growth rate of -0.63%. Languages English is the official language, with French Kweyol the second language.

ENTRY INTO DOMINICA

U.S. Citizen Requirements Visa information for U.S. Citizens Click Here REGULATIONS FOR ENTRY INTO DOMINICA BY FOREIGN VISITORS Click Here Commonwealth Countries Antigua and Barbuda Austrailia The Bahamas Bangladesh Barbados Belize Botswana Britain Brunei Canada Cyprus The Gambia Ghana Grenada Guyana India Jamaica Kenya Kiribati Lesotho Malawi Malaysia Maldives Malta Mauritius Namibia Republic of Nauru Republic of South Africa New Zealand Nigeria Pakistan Papua New Guinea St.Kitts and Nevis St.Lucia St.Vincent and The Grenadines The Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Solomon Islands Sri Lanka Swaziland Tanzania Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tuvalu Uganda Vanuatu Western Samoa Zambia Zimbabwe