*Dominica, Geography

Location:
  in the eastern Caribbean, 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 km2
 land area:
  750 km2
 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 km2
Environment:
  flash floods a constant hazard; occasional hurricanes

*Dominica, People

Population:
  86,547 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  1.31% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  20.82 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  5.06 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  -2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  76.72 years
 male:
  73.89 years
 female:
  79.71 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  2.03 children born/woman (1993 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)

*Dominica, Government

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Commonwealth of Dominica
 conventional short form:
  Dominica
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)
Constitution:
  3 November 1978
Legal system:
  based on English common law
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Political parties and leaders:
  Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES; 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
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 House of Assembly:
  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
 President:
  last held 20 December 1988 (next to be held December 1993); results -
  President Sir Clarence Augustus SEIGNORET was reelected by the House of
  Assembly
Executive branch:
  president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Assembly
Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  President Sir Clarence Augustus SEIGNORET (since 19 December 1983)
 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES (since 21 July 1980, elected for a
  third term 28 May 1990)
Member of:
  ACCT, ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
  there is no chancery in the US
US diplomatic representation:
  no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados),
  but travels frequently to Dominica

*Dominica, Government

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)

*Dominica, 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. In 1991, GDP grew by 2.1%. The tourist industry
  remains undeveloped because of a rugged coastline and the lack of an
  international airport.
National product:
  GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $174 million (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  2.1% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
  $2,100 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.5% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
  15% (1991)
Budget:
  revenues $70 million; expenditures $84 million, including capital
  expenditures of $26 million (FY91 est.)
Exports:
  $66.0 million (c.i.f., 1991)
 commodities:
  bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
 partners:
  UK 50%, CARICOM countries, US, Italy
Imports:
  $110.0 million (c.i.f., 1991)
 commodities:
  manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
 partners:
  US 27%, CARICOM, UK, Canada
External debt:
  $87 million (1991)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 4.5% in manufacturing (1988 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP
Electricity:
  7,000 kW capacity; 16 million kWh produced, 185 kWh per capita (1992)
Industries:
  soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Agriculture:
  accounts for 26% of GDP; principal crops - bananas, citrus, mangoes, root
  crops, coconuts; bananas provide the bulk of export earnings; forestry and
  fisheries potential not exploited
Economic aid:
  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

*Dominica, Communications

Highways:
  750 km total; 370 km paved, 380 km gravel and earth
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

*Dominica, Defense Forces

Branches:
  Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force
Manpower availability:
  NA
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP