Dominica

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 11,514 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2018 est.)

Broadcast media

no terrestrial TV service available; subscription cable TV provider offers some locally produced programming plus channels from the US, Latin America, and the Caribbean; state-operated radio broadcasts on 6 stations; privately owned radio broadcasts on about 15 stations (2019)

Internet country code

.dm

Internet users

total: 51,538 | percent of population: 69.62% (July 2018 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: fully automatic network; there are multiple competing operators licensed to provide services, most of them are small and localized; the telecom sector across the Caribbean region remains one of the key growth areas; (2020) | domestic: fixed-line connections continue to decline slowly with only two active operators providing about 4 fixed-line connections per 100 persons; subscribership among the three mobile-cellular providers is about 106 per 100 persons (2019) | international: country code - 1-767; landing points for the ECFS and the Southern Caribbean Fiber submarine cables providing connectivity to other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad and to the US; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia (2019) | note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 2,751 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3.71 (2019 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 78,437 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 105.79 (2019 est.)

Agriculture - products

bananas, citrus, mangos, root crops, coconuts, cocoa | note: forest and fishery potential not exploited

Budget

revenues: 227.8 million (2017 est.) | expenditures: 260.4 million (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

-$70 million (2017 est.) | $5 million (2016 est.)

Debt - external

$280.4 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $314.2 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Ease of Doing Business Index scores

60.5 (2020)

Economic overview

The Dominican economy was dependent on agriculture - primarily bananas - in years past, but increasingly has been driven by tourism, as the government seeks to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination. However, Hurricane Maria, which passed through the island in September 2017, destroyed much of the country’s agricultural sector and caused damage to all of the country’s transportation and physical infrastructure. Before Hurricane Maria, the government had attempted to foster an offshore financial industry and planned to sign agreements with the private sector to develop geothermal energy resources. At a time when government finances are fragile, the government’s focus has been to get the country back in shape to service cruise ships. The economy contracted in 2015 and recovered to positive growth in 2016 due to a recovery of agriculture and tourism. Dominica suffers from high debt levels, which increased from 67% of GDP in 2010 to 77% in 2016. Dominica is one of five countries in the East Caribbean that have citizenship by investment programs whereby foreigners can obtain passports for a fee and revenue from this contribute to government budgets.

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - | 2.7 (2017 est.) | 2.7 (2016 est.) | 2.7 (2015 est.) | 2.7 (2014 est.) | 2.7 (2013 est.)

Exports

$28 million (2017 est.) | $43.7 million (2016 est.)

Exports - commodities

bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Exports - partners

Saudi Arabia 42.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 9.3%, Jamaica 8.1%, St. Kitts and Nevis 7.1%, Guyana 6.7% (2017)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP (official exchange rate)

$557 million (2017 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity) - real

$783 million (2017 est.) | $821.5 million (2016 est.) | $800.4 million (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 60.6% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 26.2% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 21.5% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 54.4% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -62.7% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 22.3% (2017 est.) | industry: 12.6% (2017 est.) | services: 65.1% (2017 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$11,000 (2017 est.) | $11,600 (2016 est.) | $11,300 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP real growth rate

-4.7% (2017 est.) | 2.6% (2016 est.) | -3.7% (2015 est.)

Gross national saving

10.8% of GDP (2017 est.) | 20% of GDP (2016 est.) | 14.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA | highest 10%: NA

Imports

$206.6 million (2017 est.) | $188.4 million (2016 est.)

Imports - commodities

manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners

US 61.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 9.8% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

-13% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.6% (2017 est.) | 0% (2016 est.)

Labor force

25,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 40% | industry: 32% | services: 28% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line

29% (2009 est.)

Public debt

82.7% of GDP (2017 est.) | 71.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$212.3 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $221.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

40.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

23% (2000 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

199,600 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

103.6 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

72% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

25% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

27,800 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

111.4 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,237 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Area

total: 751 sq km | land: 751 sq km | water: NEGL

Area - comparative

slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Coastline

148 km

Elevation

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m | highest point: Morne Diablotins 1,447 m

Environment - current issues

water shortages a continuing concern; pollution from agrochemicals and from untreated sewage; forests endangered by the expansion of farming; soil erosion; pollution of the coastal zone by agricultural and industrial chemicals, and untreated sewage

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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

Geographic coordinates

15 25 N, 61 20 W

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

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 34.7% (2011 est.) | arable land: 8% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 24% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 2.7% (2011 est.) | forest: 59.2% (2011 est.) | other: 6.1% (2011 est.)

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | contiguous zone: 24 nm

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

Natural resources

timber, hydropower, arable land

Population distribution

population is mosly clustered along the coast, with roughly a third living in the parish of St. George, in or around the capital of Roseau; the volcanic interior is sparsely populated

Terrain

rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Administrative divisions

10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter

Capital

name: Roseau | geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W | time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | etymology: the name is French for "reed"; the first settlement was named after the river reeds that grew in the area

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes | citizenship by descent only: yes | dual citizenship recognized: yes | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

history: previous 1967 (preindependence); latest presented 25 July 1978, entered into force 3 November 1978 | amendments: proposed by the House of Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as fundamental rights and freedoms, the government structure, and constitutional amendment procedures requires approval by three fourths of the Assembly membership in the final reading of the amendment bill, approval by simple majority in a referendum, and assent of the president; amended several times, last in 2015

Country name

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica | conventional short form: Dominica | etymology: the island was named by explorer Christopher COLUMBUS for the day of the week on which he spotted it, Sunday ("Domingo" in Latin), 3 November 1493

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Vince HENDERSON (since 18 January 2017) | chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 | telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 | FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791 | consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Charles A. SAVARIN (since 2 October 2013) | head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister | elections/appointments: president nominated by the prime minister and leader of the opposition party and elected by the House of Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 1 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2023); prime minister appointed by the president | election results: Charles A. SAVARIN (DLP) reelected president unopposed

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, unique to Dominica, encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes); green symbolizes the island's lush vegetation; the triple-colored cross represents the Christian Trinity; the yellow color denotes sunshine, the main agricultural products (citrus and bananas), and the native Carib Indians; black is for the rich soil and the African heritage of most citizens; white signifies rivers, waterfalls, and the purity of aspirations; the red disc stands for social justice

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

3 November 1978 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, Commonwealth of Nations, ECCU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts: the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 2 in Dominica; note - in 2015, Dominica acceded to the Caribbean Court of Justice as final court of appeal, replacing that of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, in London | judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 | subordinate courts: Court of Summary Jurisdiction; magistrates' courts

Legal system

common law based on the English model

Legislative branch

description: unicameral House of Assembly (32 seats; 21 representatives directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 9 senators appointed by the president - 5 on the advice of the prime minister, and 4 on the advice of the leader of the opposition party, plus 2 ex-officio members - the house speaker and the attorney general; members serve 5-year terms) | elections: last held on 6 December 2019 (next to be held in 2024); note - tradition dictates that the election is held within 5 years of the last election, but technically it is 5 years from the first seating of parliament plus a 90-day grace period | election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 59.0%, UWP 41.0%; seats by party - DLP 18, UWP 3

National anthem

name: Isle of Beauty | lyrics/music: Wilfred Oscar Morgan POND/Lemuel McPherson CHRISTIAN | note: adopted 1967

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

National symbol(s)

Sisserou parrot, Carib Wood flower; national colors: green, yellow, black, white, red

Political parties and leaders

Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Judith PESTAINA] Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT] Dominica United Workers Party or UWP [Lennox LINTON]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

Military - note

Dominica participates in the Regional Security System (RSS) an international agreement for the defense and security of the eastern Caribbean region (2019)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2019)

Age structure

0-14 years: 21.41% (male 8,135/female 7,760) | 15-24 years: 13.15% (male 5,017/female 4,746) | 25-54 years: 42.79% (male 16,133/female 15,637) | 55-64 years: 10.53% (male 4,089/female 3,731) | 65 years and over: 12.12% (male 4,128/female 4,867) (2020 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Central America :: Dominica Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Dominica. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate

14.5 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

5.9% (2017)

Death rate

8 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 95.7% of population | unimproved: urban: 4.3% of population

Education expenditures

5.6% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

African descent 86.6%, mixed 9.1%, indigenous 2.9%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.6% (2018)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<100 (2018)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

<500 (2018)

Hospital bed density

3.8 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant mortality rate

total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 6.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)

Languages

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.7 years | male: 74.7 years | female: 80.9 years (2020 est.)

Major urban areas - population

15,000 ROSEAU (capital) (2018)

Median age

total: 34.9 years | male: 34.4 years | female: 35.5 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

noun: Dominican(s) | adjective: Dominican

Net migration rate

-5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

27.9% (2016)

People - note

3,000-3,500 Kalinago (Carib) still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the Caribbean; only 70-100 may be "pure" Kalinago because of years of integration into the broader population

Physicians density

1.12 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

74,243 (July 2020 est.)

Population distribution

population is mosly clustered along the coast, with roughly a third living in the parish of St. George, in or around the capital of Roseau; the volcanic interior is sparsely populated

Population growth rate

0.13% (2020 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 61.4%, Protestant 28.6% (includes Evangelical 6.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.1%, Pentecostal 5.6%, Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, other 1.2%), Rastafarian 1.3%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 0.3%, none 6.1%, unspecified 1.1% (2001 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female | total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.02 children born/woman (2020 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 71.1% of total population (2020) | rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) | total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030: PDF

Disputes - international

Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ and continental shelf claims over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer

Airports

2 (2020)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 (2019) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

J7 (2016)

Merchant marine

total: 108 | by type: general cargo 29, oil tanker 29, other 50 (2019)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Portsmouth, Roseau

Roadways

total: 1,512 km (2018) | paved: 762 km (2018) | unpaved: 750 km (2018)