Dominica




                                 Geography


Location:
     Caribbean, in the eastern Caribbean Sea, about halfway between Puerto
     Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
Map references:
     Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones
     of the World
Area:
total area:
     750 sq km
land area:
     750 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
     0 km
Coastline:
     148 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
     24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
     200 nm
territorial sea:
     12 nm
International disputes:
     none
Climate:
     tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain:
     rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Natural resources:
     timber
Land use:
arable land:
     9%
permanent crops:
     13%
meadows and pastures:
     3%
forest and woodland:
     41%
other:
     34%
Irrigated land:
     NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
     NA
natural hazards:
     flash floods are a constant threat; occasional hurricanes




international agreements:
     party to - Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea,
     Ozone Layer Protection


                                  People


Population:
     87,696 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     1.32% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     20.46 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     4.98 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     -2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     10.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     76.96 years
male:
     74.12 years
female:
     79.95 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     1.99 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Dominican(s)
adjective:
     Dominican
Ethnic divisions:
     black, Carib Indians
Religions:
     Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%,
     Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, unknown 1%,
     other 5%
Languages:
     English (official), French patois
Literacy:
     age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
total population:
     94%
male:
     94%
female:
     94%
Labor force:
     25,000
by occupation:
     agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28% (1984)


                                Government




Names:
conventional long form:
     Commonwealth of Dominica
conventional short form:
Digraph:
     DO
Type:
     parliamentary democracy
Capital:
     Roseau
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 UK)
National holiday:
     Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Constitution:
     3 November 1978
Legal system:
     based on English common law
Suffrage:
     18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
     President Crispin Anselm SORHAINDO (since 25 October 1993) election
     last held 4 October 1993 (next to be held NA October 1998); results -
     President Crispin Anselm SORHAINDO was elected by the House of
     Assembly to a five year term
head of government:
     Prime Minister (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES (since 21 July 1980, elected for
     a third term 28 May 1990)
cabinet:
     Cabinet; appointed by the president on the advice of the prime
     minister
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
House of Assembly:
     elections last held 28 May 1990 (next to be held May 1995); results -
     percent of vote by party NA; seats - (30 total; 9 appointed senators
     and 21 elected representatives) DFP 11, UWP 6, DLP 4
Judicial branch:
     Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
     Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), Brian ALLEYNE; Dominica Labor Party
     (DLP), Rosie DOUGLAS; United Workers Party (UWP), Edison JAMES
Other political or pressure groups:
     Dominica Liberation Movement (DLM), a small leftist group
Member of:
     ACCT, ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICFTU, IDA,
     IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS,
     UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO




Diplomatic representation in US:
     Dominica has no chancery in the US
consulate(s) general:
     New York
US diplomatic representation:
     no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown
     (Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica
Flag:
     green with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part
     is yellow (hoist side), black, and white - the horizontal part is
     yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the
     cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green
     five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10
     administrative divisions (parishes)


                                  Economy


Overview:
     The economy is dependent on agriculture and thus is highly vulnerable
     to climatic conditions. Agriculture accounts for about 30% of GDP and
     employs 40% of the labor force. Principal products include bananas,
     citrus, mangoes, root crops, and coconuts. Development of the tourist
     industry remains difficult because of the rugged coastline and the
     lack of an international airport.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $185 million (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     2.6% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
     $2,100 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     5.2% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
     15% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
     $70 million
expenditures:
     $84 million, including capital expenditures of $26 million (FY91 est.)
Exports:
     $54.6 million (1992)
commodities:
     bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
partners:
     UK 50%, CARICOM countries, Italy, US
Imports:
     $97.5 million (1992)
commodities:
     manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
partners:
     US 25%, CARICOM, UK, Canada
External debt:
     $92.8 million (1992)
Industrial production:
     growth rate 4.2% (1992); accounts for 7% of GDP




Electricity:
capacity:
     7,000 kW
production:
     16 million kWh
consumption per capita:
     185 kWh (1992)
Industries:
     soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Agriculture:
     accounts for 30% of GDP; principal crops - bananas, citrus, mangoes,
     root crops, coconuts; bananas provide the bulk of export earnings;
     forestry and fisheries potential not exploited
Illicit drugs:
     transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and
     Europe
Economic aid:
recipient:
     Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
     (1970-89), $120 million
Currency:
     1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
     East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year:
     1 July - 30 June


                              Communications


Highways:
total:
     750 km
paved:
     370 km
unpaved:
     gravel or earth 380 km
Ports:
     Roseau, Portsmouth
Airports:
total:
     2
usable:
     2
with permanent-surface runways:
     2
with runways over 3,659 m:
     0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     1
Telecommunications:
     4,600 telephones in fully automatic network; VHF and UHF link to Saint
     Lucia; new SHF links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; broadcast stations
     - 3 AM, 2 FM, 1 cable TV






                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force
Defense expenditures:
     $NA, NA% of GDP