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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts; forestry and fisheries potential not exploited

Budget [time series]

revenues: $77 million expenditures: $78 million, including capital expenditures of $22 million (FY95/96)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$110 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]

The economy is dependent on agriculture and thus is highly vulnerable to climatic conditions, notably tropical storms. Agriculture, primarily bananas, accounts for 26% of GDP and employs 40% of the labor force. Development of the tourist industry remains difficult because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the lack of an international airport. Hurricane Luis devastated the country's banana crop in September 1995; tropical storms had wiped out one-quarter of the crop in 1994 as well. The government is attempting to develop an offshore financial industry in order to diversify the island's production base.

Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

8,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

448 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

37 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1-2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports [time series]

total value: $51.8 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: bananas 50%, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges partners: Caricom countries 47%, UK 36%, US 7% (1996 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July-30 June Communications

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

purchasing power parity-$208 million (1996 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 26% industry: NA% services: NA% (1995)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$2,500 (1996 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

3.7% (1996 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $98.1 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals partners: US 41%, Caricom 25%, UK 13%, Netherlands, Canada

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-0.4% (1996 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

1.7% (1996)

Labor force [time series]

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

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

45,000 (1993 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: fully automatic network international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

14,613 (1993 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 cable

Televisions [time series]

5,200 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

15% (1992 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 750 sq km land: 750 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

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

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

13 30 N, 61 20 W

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 9% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 67% other: 8% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months

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

Constitution [time series]

3 November 1978

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the Ambassador to Dominica resides in Bridgetown (Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Crispin Anselm SORHAINDO (since 25 October 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Edison C. JAMES (since 12 June 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 4 October 1993 (next to be held NA October 1998); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Crispin Anselm SORHAINDO elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA

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

[1] (202) 364-6791 consulate(s) general: New York

Flag (Flag description) [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)

Government type [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

3 November 1978 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (located in Saint Lucia), one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote representatives; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 12 June 1995; byelections held 13 August 1996 (next to be held by October 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-UWP 12, DLP 5, DFP 4

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Roseau

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

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

Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Rosie DOUGLAS]; United Workers Party or UWP [Edison JAMES]

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

Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 27% (male 8,987; female 8,826) 15-64 years: 63% (male 21,231; female 20,464) 65 years and over: 10% (male 2,572; female 3,697) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

17.35 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.29 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black, Carib Amerindian

Infant mortality rate [time series]

9.04 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 77.8 years male: 74.94 years female: 80.8 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94% (1970 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Net migration rate [time series]

-24.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

65,777 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-1.33% (1998 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%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.9 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Transportation

Airports [time series]

2 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Portsmouth, Roseau

Railways [time series]

0 km