Country Summary: Dominica (Commonwealth of Dominica)

Country Name: Dominica (Commonwealth of Dominica)

Capital: Roseau

Government Type: parliamentary republic

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 colonized the island in 1805. Slavery ended in 1833 and in 1835 the first three men of African descent were elected to the legislative assembly of Dominica. In 1871, Dominica became part first of the British Leeward Islands and then the British Windward Islands until 1958. In 1967, Dominica became an associated state of the UK, and formally took responsibility for its internal affairs. 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. On 18 September 2017, Hurricane Maria passed over the island, causing extensive damage to structures, roads, communications, and the power supply, and largely destroying critical agricultural areas.

Continent: Caribbean

Population: 74,656 (2023 est.)

Ethnic Groups: African descent 84.5%, mixed 9%, Indigenous 3.8%, other 2.1%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.)

Languages: English (official), French patois

Religions: Roman Catholic 52.7%, Protestant 29.7% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 6.7%, Pentecostal 6.1%, Baptist 5.2%, Christian Union Church 3.9%, Methodist 2.6%, Gospel Mission 2.1%, other Protestant 3.1%), Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 4.3%, none 9.4%, unspecified 1.4% (2011 est.)

Economic Overview: highly agrarian OECS island economy; ECCU-member state; large banana exporter; improved oversight of its citizenship-by-investment program; emerging ecotourism, information and communications, and education industries

Currency: East Caribbean Dollar (XCD)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $204.343 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $833.828 million (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars

Real GDP Growth Rate: 5.65% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per Capita: $11,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars

Exports: 

• $192.278 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

• Comparison Ranking: 203

Export Commodities: medical instruments, low-voltage protection equipment, sutures, soap, bandages (2021)

Export Partners: Saudi Arabia 28%, France 6%, United States 5%, Grenada 5%, China 4% (2021)

Imports: 

• $349.052 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

• Comparison Ranking: 206

Import Commodities: refined petroleum, natural gas, crude petroleum, recreational boats, cars (2021)

Import Partners: United States 75%, China 5%, Trinidad and Tobago 4%, United Kingdom 2%, Italy 2% (2021)

Natural Resources: timber, hydropower, arable land

Agricultural Products: bananas, yams, grapefruit, taro, milk, coconuts, oranges, yautia, plantains, sugar cane

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

Industrial Production Growth Rate: 

• 1.07% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

• Comparison Ranking: 148

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

• Volcanism: Dominica was the last island to be formed in the Caribbean some 26 million years ago, it lies in the middle of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from the island of Saba in the north to Grenada in the south; of the 16 volcanoes that make up this arc, five are located on Dominica, more than any other island in the Caribbean: Morne aux Diables (861 m), Morne Diablotins (1,430 m), Morne Trois Pitons (1,387 m), Watt Mountain (1,224 m), which last erupted in 1997, and Morne Plat Pays (940 m); the two best known volcanic features on Dominica, the Valley of Desolation and the Boiling Lake thermal areas, lie on the flanks of Watt Mountain and both are popular tourist destinations

Geography:

• Total: 751 sq km

• Land: 751 sq km

• Water: 0 sq km

(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)

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