Dominica

Location

• Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
• known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its 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

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
Roseau	16,571	Capital

Size

• 291 square miles
• 754 square kilometers
• slightly more than four times the size of Washington, D.C.

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 Britain in 1763, and Dominica became a British colony in 1805. Slavery ended in 1833, and in 1835, the first three men of African descent were elected to the legislative assembly of Dominica. In 1871, Dominica became first part of the British Leeward Islands and then the British Windward Islands until 1958. In 1967, Dominica became an associated state of the UK, formally taking responsibility for its internal affairs, and the country gained its independence in 1978. In 1980, Dominica's fortunes improved when Mary Eugenia CHARLES -- the first female prime minister in the Caribbean -- replaced a corrupt and tyrannical administration, and she served for the next 15 years. In 2017, Hurricane Maria passed over the island, causing extensive damage to structures, roads, communications, and the power supply, and largely destroying critical agricultural areas.

Climate

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Terrain

rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Languages

English (official), French patois

Religions

Roman Catholic 52.7%, Protestant 29.7% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 6.7%, Pentecostal 6.1%, Baptist 5.2%, Christian Union Church 3.9%, Methodist 2.6%, Gospel Mission 2.1%, other Protestant 3.1%), Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 4.3%, none 9.4%, unspecified 1.4% (2011 est.)

Government

parliamentary republic

• Constitution: history: previous 1967 (pre-independence); latest presented 25 July 1978, entered into force 3 November 1978amendment process: proposed by the House of Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as fundamental rights and freedoms, the government structure, and constitutional amendment procedures requires approval by three fourths of the Assembly membership in the final reading of the amendment bill, approval by simple majority in a referendum, and assent of the president
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal System: common law based on the English model
• Executive Branch: chief of state: President Sylvanie BURTON (since 2 October 2023)head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime ministerelection/appointment process: 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); prime minister appointed by the presidentmost recent election date: 27 September 2023election results: 2023: parliament elects Sylvanie BURTON (DLP) with 20 votes for and five against2018: Charles A. SAVARIN (DLP) reelected president unopposedexpected date of next election: October 2028
• Judicial Branch: highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; the Caribbean Court of Justice is the final court of appealjudge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62subordinate courts: Court of Summary Jurisdiction; magistrates' courts
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: House of Assemblylegislative structure: unicameralnumber of seats: 32 (21 directly elected; 9 appointed)electoral system: proportional representationscope of elections: full renewalterm in office: 5 yearsmost recent election date: 12/6/2022parties elected and seats per party: Dominica Labor Party (DLP) (19); Independents (2)percentage of women in chamber: 40.6%expected date of next election: December 2027

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• highly agrarian OECS island economy; ECCU-member state; large banana exporter; improved oversight of its citizenship-by-investment program; emerging ecotourism, information and communications, and education industries
• Budget: revenues: $233.831 million (2017 est.)expenditures: $164.673 million (2017 est.)note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: timber, hydropower, arable land
• Industries: soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
• Agricultural Products: taro, grapefruits, yams, bananas, coconuts, plantains, milk, yautia, sugarcane, oranges (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• Land Use: agricultural land: 33.3% (2022 est.)arable land: 8% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 22.7% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 2.7% (2022 est.)forest: 63.8% (2022 est.)other: 2.8% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: refined petroleum, ships, plastic products, semi-finished iron, cars (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: USA 24%, China 11%, Indonesia 8%, Trinidad & Tobago 7%, Italy 7% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: iron blocks, medical instruments, excavation machinery, power equipment, soap (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: Bahamas, The 13%, Saudi Arabia 11%, Iceland 10%, Guyana 7%, Antigua & Barbuda 7% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports