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Communications

Airports [time series]

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

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 750 km paved: 370 km unpaved: gravel or earth 380 km

Ports [time series]

Roseau, Portsmouth

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $70 million expenditures: $84 million, including capital expenditures of $26 million (FY91 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $120 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 7,000 kW production: 16 million kWh consumption per capita: 185 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$54.6 million (1992) commodities: bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges partners: UK 50%, CARICOM countries, Italy, US

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$92.8 million (1992)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe

Imports [time series]

$97.5 million (1992) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals partners: US 25%, CARICOM, UK, Canada

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

growth rate 4.2% (1992); accounts for 7% of GDP

Industries [time series]

soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

5.2% (1992 est.)

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

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $185 million (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$2,100 (1992 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

2.6% (1992 est.)

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, 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.

Unemployment rate [time series]

15% (1992 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 750 sq km land area: 750 sq km comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Coastline [time series]

148 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

Caribbean, in the eastern Caribbean Sea, about halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

timber

Terrain [time series]

rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Government

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

Constitution [time series]

3 November 1978

Digraph [time series]

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

Dominica has no chancery in the US consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch [time series]

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

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)

Legislative branch (House of Assembly) [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

3 November 1978 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica

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), Brian ALLEYNE; Dominica Labor Party (DLP), Rosie DOUGLAS; United Workers Party (UWP), Edison JAMES

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica

People

Birth rate [time series]

20.46 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.98 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

black, Carib Indians

Infant mortality rate [time series]

10.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

25,000 by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28% (1984)

Languages [time series]

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 76.96 years male: 74.12 years female: 79.95 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970) total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

87,696 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.32% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, unknown 1%, other 5%

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.99 children born/woman (1994 est.)