Dominica

Dominica Background

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 Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.

Dominica Information

• Population: 69,278 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
• Location:: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
• Religions:: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6%
• Ethnic Groups:: black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian
• Land Boundaries:: 0 km
• Area: total: 754 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 754 sq km
• Coast Line: 148 km
• Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
• Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm
• Land Use: arable land: 6.67% permanent crops: 20% other: 73.33% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: NA
• Natural Resources: timber, hydropower, arable land
• Highways: total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.)
• Railways:
• Ports & Harbours: Portsmouth, Roseau
• Airports: 2 (2003 est.)