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1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
Dominica
    n 1: a country on the island of Dominica [syn: Dominica,
         Commonwealth of Dominica]
    2: a volcanic island in the Windward Islands that was once a
       stronghold of the Carib Indians

2. CIA World Factbook 2002
Dominica

   Introduction 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.
  
   Geography Dominica
   ------------------
                              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
                Geographic coordinates: 15 25 N, 61 20 W
                        Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
                                  Area: total: 754 sq km
                                        water: 0 sq km
                                        land: 754 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
                                        territorial sea: 12 NM
                                        exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 4%
                                        permanent crops: 16%
                                        other: 80% (1998 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 party to: Biodiversity, Climate
                            agreements: 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
                      Geography - note: known as "The Nature Island of the
                                        Caribbean" due to its spectacular,
                                        lush, and varied flora and fauna,
                                        which are protected by an extensive
                                        natural park system; the most
                                        mountainous of the Lesser Antilles,
                                        its volcanic peaks are cones of lava
                                        craters and include Boiling Lake,
                                        the second-largest, thermally active
                                        lake in the world
  
   People Dominica
   ---------------
                            Population: 70,158 (July 2002 est.)
                         Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.3% (male 10,052;
                                        female 9,800)
                                        15-64 years: 63.8% (male 23,011;
                                        female 21,782)
                                        65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,245;
                                        female 3,268) (2002 est.)
                Population growth rate: -0.81% (2002 est.)
                            Birth rate: 17.3 births/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                            Death rate: 7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                    Net migration rate: -18.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population
                                        (2002 est.)
                             Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
                                        under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
                                        15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
                                        65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/
                                        female
                                        total population: 1.01 male(s)/
                                        female (2002 est.)
                 Infant mortality rate: 15.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
                                        est.)
              Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.86 years
                                        female: 76.88 years (2002 est.)
                                        male: 70.98 years
                  Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (2002 est.)
      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
     HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
                                  AIDS:
                     HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
                           Nationality: noun: Dominican(s)
                                        adjective: Dominican
                         Ethnic groups: black, mixed black and European,
                                        European, Syrian, 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.)
  
   Government Dominica
   -------------------
                          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)
                                        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%
                                        cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the
                                        president on the advice of the prime
                                        minister
                                        head of government: Prime Minister
                                        Pierre CHARLES (since 1 October
                                        2000); note - assumed post after
                                        death of Prime Minister Roosevelt
                                        DOUGLAS
                    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 10,
                                        UWP 9, 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 Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM
                               leaders: (a small leftist party)
             International organization ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,
                         participation: FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
                                        IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
                                        Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber),
                                        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
                                        consulate(s) general: New York
                                        FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791
     Diplomatic representation from the the US does not have an embassy in
                                    US: Dominica; US interests are served by
                                        the embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados
                      Flag description: green, with a centered cross of
                                        three equal bands - the vertical
                                        part is yellow (hoist side), black,
                                        and white and 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)
  
   Economy Dominica
   ----------------
                    Economy - overview: The Dominican economy depends on
                                        agriculture, primarily bananas, and
                                        remains highly vulnerable to
                                        climatic conditions. Hurricane Luis
                                        devastated the country's banana crop
                                        in 1995 after tropical storms wiped
                                        out a quarter of the 1994 crop. The
                                        subsequent recovery has been fueled
                                        by increases in construction, soap
                                        production, and tourist arrivals.
                                        Development of the tourism industry
                                        remains difficult however, because
                                        of the rugged coastline, lack of
                                        beaches, and the absence of an
                                        international airport. Economic
                                        growth is sluggish, and unemployment
                                        is greater than 20%. The government
                                        has been attempting to develop an
                                        offshore financial sector in order
                                        to diversify the island's production
                                        base.
                                   GDP: purchasing power parity - $262
                                        million (2001 est.)
                GDP - real growth rate: -3.2% (2001 est.)
                      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,700
                                        (2001 est.)
           GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18%
                                        industry: 23%
                                        services: 59% (2001 est.)
         Population below poverty line: NA%
     Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
                      percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
      Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2001 est.)
                           Labor force: 25,000
           Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and
                                        commerce 32%, services 28%
                     Unemployment rate: 23% (2000 est.)
                                Budget: revenues: $72 million
                                        expenditures: $79.9 million,
                                        including capital expenditures of
                                        $11.5 million (FY97/98)
                            Industries: soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra,
                                        furniture, cement blocks, shoes
     Industrial production growth rate: -10% (1997 est.)
              Electricity - production: 67 million kWh (2000)
    Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47.76%
                                        hydro: 52.24%
                                        other: 0% (2000)
                                        nuclear: 0%
             Electricity - consumption: 62.31 million kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
                Agriculture - products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root
                                        crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and
                                        fishery potential not exploited
                               Exports: $49 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
                 Exports - commodities: bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables,
                                        grapefruit, oranges
                    Exports - partners: Caricom countries 47%, UK 36%, US 7%
                                        (1996 est.)
                               Imports: $132 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.)
                 Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and
                                        equipment, food, chemicals
                    Imports - partners: US 41%, Caricom countries 25%, UK
                                        13%, Netherlands, Canada (1996 est.)
                       Debt - external: $150 million (2000)
              Economic aid - recipient: $24.4 million (1995)
                              Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
                         Currency code: XCD
                        Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar
                                        - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
                           Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
  
   Communications Dominica
   -----------------------
        Telephones - main lines in use: 19,000 (1996)
          Telephones - mobile cellular: 461 (1996)
                      Telephone system: general assessment: NA
                                        domestic: fully automatic network
                                        international: microwave radio relay
                                        and SHF radiotelephone links to
                                        Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and
                                        UHF radiotelephone links to Saint
                                        Lucia
              Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)
                                Radios: 46,000 (1997)
         Television broadcast stations: 0 (however, there is one cable
                                        television company) (1997)
                           Televisions: 6,000 (1997)
                 Internet country code: .dm
     Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)
                        Internet users: 2,000 (2000)
  
   Transportation Dominica
   -----------------------
                                          Railways: 0 km
                                          Highways: total: 780 km
                                                    paved: 390 km
                                                    unpaved: 390 km (2001)
                                         Waterways: none
                                 Ports and harbors: Portsmouth, Roseau
                                   Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
                                          Airports: 2 (2001)
                     Airports - with paved runways: total: 2
                                                    914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001)
  
   Military Dominica
   -----------------
                       Military branches: Commonwealth of Dominica Police
                                          Force (including Special Service
                                          Unit, Coast Guard)
           Military expenditures - dollar $NA
                                  figure:
       Military expenditures - percent of NA%
                                     GDP:
  
   Transnational Issues Dominica
   -----------------------------
               Disputes - international: none
                          Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics
                                         bound for the US and Europe; minor
                                         cannabis producer; banking industry
                                         is vulnerable to money laundering
  
                                       



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