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Commonwealth of Dominica in the Caribbean Sea
World Factbook: "The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and international economic developments. Tourism has increased as the government seeks to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination and has developed a new tourism development plan with assistance from the European Union."
Dominica has been nicknamed the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean" for its unspoiled natural beauty.
Estimated per capita GDP (2010 U.S. dollars)
2010: $10,400
In 2009 Dominca's revenues were 45% of GDP and 124% of expenditures
Public debt for 2009 was 78% of GDP
Labor force in agriculture
2000: 40%
Unemployment rate
2000: 23%
Infant mortality (deaths before the age of one year per 1,000 live births)
2011: 12.78 deaths
2005: 14.15
Average life expectancy at birth
2011: 75.98 years
2007: 75.1
Dominica has a URL and radio station for Domincans living abroad:
http://www.thedominican.net
Population
2011: 72,969
Living in an urban area:
2010: 67%
Birth rate
2011: 15.62 per 1,000 population per year -- 1,138 infants per year on a island 12 by 30 miles. But the death rate is 8.06 per 1,000 and net migration is a negative 5.43 per thousand, leaving a growth rate of 154 persons per year).
Net migration rate
More people leaving than arriving, a net loss of 5.43 person per 1,000 population. It is a migration out typical of small islands -- not unlike people from small towns in the United States generations past.
Ethnicities
Most all Dominicans are descendants of enslaved Africans brought in by colonial planters in the 18th century. Dominica is the only island in the eastern Caribbean to retain some of its pre-Columbian population --the Carib Indians -- about 3,000 of whom live on the island's east coast. 2001 census: black 86.8%, mixed 8.9%, Carib Amerindian 2.9%, white 0.8%, other 0.7%
Religions
2001 census: Roman Catholic 61.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6%, Pentecostal 5.6%, Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.2%, other Christian 7.7%, Rastafarian 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.6%, none 6.1%
Dominica (domin-EEK-a or dom-IN-ica) is an island in Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico, about 12 by 30 miles in size. The driest months are between February and May. The island has lush mountainous rainforests and rare plant, animal, and bird species. Dominica is Sunday in Latin, the day that Columbus discovered the island.
Parliamentary democracy. Chief of state: the president, elected by the legislature, the House of Assembly, for a five-year term. The House of Assembly has 30 seats. Nine members are appointed, and 21 are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms). A prime ministeris head of the government.
Capital: Roseau
France formally ceded possession of Dominica to the United Kingdom in 1763. The United Kingdom then set up a government and made the island a colony in 1805.
and, in 1838, Dominica became the first British Caribbean colony to have a legislature controlled by a black majority.
Received independence from Britain in 1978.
2008: Transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer
2010: A Dominican living in the United States writes that there are two kinds of Dominicans: those who have migrated and those who want to migrate and those who want. He writes "
In 2010, the International Living Index rates Dominica as follows:
Environment 90, Freedom 100, Health 68, Infrastructure 36, Risk and Safety 100, Climate 57.
June 17, 2011 BBC News: "Dominica has a relatively low crime rate for the Caribbean. Although it is among the poorest countries in the region, its differences in wealth distribution are not as marked as in the larger Caribbean islands"
SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
Copyright © 2009-2011 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.