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Island in Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico, about 12 by 30 miles across.
Received independence from Britain in 1978.
A parliamentary democracy
Figures unless otherwise stated are from the CIA Factbook.
Estimated per capita GDP:
2005 $3,800
2003 $5,500
1999 $4,000
Unemployment (2000 estimate): 23 percent.
Exports: bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
Factbook: "Tourism increased in 2003 as the government sought to promote Dominica as an 'ecotourism' destination. Development of the tourism industry remains difficult, however, because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international airport."
Deaths: 8.32, up from 6.81 in 2005. Births: 15.73, the same as in 2005.
Estimate for July 2008: 72,514, up from 69,029 in 2005. Growth rate estimated for 2008: 0.196 percent per year.
About 3,000 are Carib Indians, the only pre-Columbian people remaining in the eastern Caribbean.
More people leaving than arriving, a net loss of 5.46 migrants per 1,000 population, down from 11.6 for 2005.
Infant mortality estimated for 2008: 14.12, down from 14.15 in 2005 (deaths before the age of one year, per 1,000 live births)
Average life expectancy estimated for 2008: 75.33, up from 75.1 years in 2007.
SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
Copyright © 2008 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.