Airports [time series]

2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

NA

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

Roseau, Portsmouth

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

4,600 telephones in fully automatic network; VHF and UHF link to St. Lucia; new SHF links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; stations--3 AM, 2 FM, 1 cable TV

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

NA

Military manpower [time series]

NA

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 30% of GDP; principal crops--bananas, citrus fruit, coconuts, root crops; bananas provide the bulk of export earnings; forestry and fisheries potential not exploited

Aid [time series]

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $109 million

Budget [time series]

revenues $60 million; expenditures $52 million, including capital expenditures of $18 million (FY88)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

East Caribbean dollar (plural--dollars); 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Electricity [time series]

7,000 kW capacity; 16 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports [time series]

$46 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--bananas, coconuts, grapefruit, soap, galvanized sheets; partners--UK 72%, Jamaica 10%, OECS 6%, US 3%, other 9%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$63.6 million (December 1987)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July-30 June

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$137 million, per capita $1,408; real growth rate 5.6% (1988 est.)

Imports [time series]

$66.0 million (c.i.f., 1987); commodities--food, oils and fats, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment; partners--US 23%, UK 18%, CARICOM 15%, OECS 15%, Japan 5%, Canada 3%, other 21%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 5.9% in manufacturing (1987)

Industries [time series]

agricultural processing, tourism, soap and other coconut-based products, cigars, pumice mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4.9% (1987)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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, coconuts, citrus, and root crops. In 1988 the economy achieved a 5.6% growth in real GDP on the strength of a boost in construction, higher agricultural production, and growth of the small manufacturing sector based on soap and garment industries. The tourist industry remains undeveloped because of a rugged coastline and the lack of an international-class airport.

Unemployment rate [time series]

10% (1989 est.)

Climate [time series]

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Coastline [time series]

148 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Contiguous zone [time series]

24 nm;

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

flash floods a constant hazard; occasional hurricanes

Extended economic zone [time series]

200 nm;

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

9% arable land; 13% permanent crops; 3% meadows and pastures; 41% forest and woodland; 34% other

Natural resources [time series]

timber

Note [time series]

located 550 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea

Terrain [time series]

rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]

12 nm

Area (Total area) [time series]

750 km2; land area: 750 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter

Capital [time series]

Roseau

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

negligible

Constitution [time series]

3 November 1978

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

there is no Chancery in the US; US--no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica

Executive branch [time series]

president, prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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)

Independence [time series]

3 November 1978 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Chief of State--President Sir Clarence Augustus SEIGNORET (since 19 December 1983); Head of Government--Prime Minister (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES (since 21 July 1980)

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral House of Assembly (includes 9 appointed senators and 21 elected representatives)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Commonwealth of Dominica

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, CARICOM, Commonwealth, FAO, GATT (de facto), G-77, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, OAS, OECS, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Dominica Liberation Movement (DLM), a small leftist group

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), (Mary) Eugenia Charles; Labor Party of Dominica (LPD, a leftist-dominated coalition), Michael Douglas; United Workers Party (UWP), Edison James

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18 President--last held 20 December 1988 (next to be held December 1993); the president is elected by the House of Assembly; House of Assembly--last held 1 July 1985 (next to be held July 1990); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(21 total) DFP 17, LPD 4

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Birth rate [time series]

26 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

mostly black; some Carib indians

Infant mortality rate [time series]

13 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

25,000; 40% agriculture, 32% industry and commerce, 28% services (1984)

Languages (Language) [time series]

English (official); French patois widely spoken

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

73 years male, 79 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

80% (est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Dominican(s); adjective--Dominican

Net migration rate [time series]

- 4 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

25% of labor force

Population [time series]

84,854 (July 1990), growth rate 1.7% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

80% Roman Catholic; Anglican, Methodist

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.6 children born/woman (1990)