*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