The 2001 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

sq km

      land: 754 sq km

      water: 0 sq km

      Area - comparative: slightly more than four times the size of

       Washington, DC

      Land boundaries: 0 km

      Coastline: 148 km

      Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

      exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

      territorial sea: 12 NM

      Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

      Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin

      Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

      highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

      Natural resources: timber, hydropower, arable land

      Land use: arable land: 9%

      permanent crops: 13%

      permanent pastures: 3%

      forests and woodland: 67%

      other: 8% (1993 est.)

      Irrigated land: NA sq km

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

      Environment - current issues: NA

      Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,

       Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental

       Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

       Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

      signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

      Dominica People

      Population: 70,786 (July 2001 est.)

      Age structure: 0–14 years: 28.72% (male 10,300; female 10,027)

      15–64 years: 63.45% (male 23,056; female 21,855)

      65 years and over: 7.83% (male 2,267; female 3,281) (2001 est.)

      Population growth rate: −0.98% (2001 est.)

      Birth rate: 17.81 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

      Death rate: 7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

      Net migration rate: −20.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

      Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

      under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

      15–64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

      65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

      total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

      Infant mortality rate: 16.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.6 years

      male: 70.74 years

      female: 76.61 years (2001 est.)

      Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/woman (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

      HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

      Nationality: noun: Dominican(s)

      adjective: Dominican

      Ethnic groups: black, Carib Amerindian

      Religions: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6%

      Languages: English (official), French patois

      Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

      total population: 94%

      male: 94%

      female: 94% (1970 est.)

      Dominica Government

      Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica

      conventional short form: Dominica

      Government type: parliamentary democracy; republic within the

       Commonwealth

      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)

      National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

      Constitution: 3 November 1978

      Legal system: based on English common law

      Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch: chief of state: President Vernon Lordon SHAW (since 6 October 1998)

      head of government: Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES (since 1 October 2000); note - assumed post after death of Roosevelt DOUGLAS

      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 6 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003); prime minister appointed by the president

      election results: Vernon Lordon SHAW elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA%

      Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)

      elections: last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by NA 2005)

      election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -DLP 11, UWP 8, DFP 2

      Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the

       Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of

       the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of

       Summary Jurisdiction)

      Political parties and leaders: Dominica Freedom Party or DFP

       [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Pierre CHARLES];

       United Workers Party or UWP [Edison JAMES]

      Political pressure groups and leaders: Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

      International organization participation: 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, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

       WTrO

      Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador

       Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (resident in Dominica)

      chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

      telephone: [1] (202) 364–6781

      FAX: [1] (202) 364–6791

      consulate(s) general: New York

      Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; US interests are served by the embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados

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