Yearbook 2007
Dominica. According to CountryAAH, Roseau is the capital city of Dominica. The banana industry, the country’s by far the most important economic sector, suffered a disaster in August when virtually all of the harvest was destroyed in Hurricane Dean. The industry had been fighting headwinds for several years as the EU gradually abandoned its favorable trade agreements with former colonies such as Dominica. In recent years, the country has strived to reduce its dependence on banana production revenue by replacing it with revenues from tourism in particular. Poorly developed infrastructure, e.g. the absence of a major airport, however, has put spikes in the wheel for that development.
- According to abbreviationfinder: DM is the 2-letter acronym for the country of Dominica.
Country data
Area: 750 km2 (world ranking: 175)
Population: 74,000
Population density: 99 per km2 (as of 2017, world ranking: 187)
Capital: Roseau
Official languages: English
Gross domestic product: US $ 563 million; Real growth: -4.2%
Gross national product (GNP, per resident and year): 6990 US$
Currency: 1 Eastern Caribbean. Dollar (EC $) = 100 cents
Embassy
Rue des Aduatiques 100, B-1040 Brussels
T +32 2 7334328,
Fax +32 2 7357237
Government
Head of State: Charles Savarin, Head of Government: Roosevelt Skerrit, Exterior: Francine Baron
National holiday: 3.11.
Administrative structure
10 districts
State and form of government
Constitution of 1978
Parliamentary republic (in the Commonwealth)
Parliament: House of Assembly with 32 members (21 elected, 9 appointed by the head of state, 1 ex officio, 1 speaker), election every 5 years.
choice of head of state by parliament every 5 J.
Voting age 18 years
Population: Dominicans, last census in 2011 (prelim.). 71,293 residents
überw. of African descent; 1.5% indigenous people; white minority
Cities (with population): (as of 2011) Roseau 14,725 residents, Portsmouth 4167, Canefield 3324, Marigot 2411
Religions: 53% Catholics, 7% Adventists, 6% Pentecostals, 5% Baptists and others; 9% without religion (as of 2006)
Languages: English, Patois (Creole), Cocoy (Pidgin English) Employed
By economic sector: No information
Unemployment (in% of all economically active persons)
No information
Inflation rate (in%): 2017: 0.6%
Foreign trade: Import: 215 Million US $ (2017); Export: US $ 21 million (2017)
History. – After the elections of May 2005 and the confirmation of Roosevelt Skerrit in the role of premier, Dominica continued the economic recovery policies agreed with the International Monetary Fund, strengthening the public finance framework and proceeding with the debt restructuring. Among the priority objectives of its action, the executive placed the pursuit of stable growth and the reduction of poverty, presenting to this end in April 2006 its first Strategy for growth and social protection; on the fiscal level, in March of the same year, the value added tax was introduced. The damage caused by Hurricane Dean in August 2007 and the subsequent global crisis had negative effects on the country, who in December 2009 – in advance of the natural deadline set for May 2010 – returned to the polls for the renewal of Parliament. The Labor party of Dominica (LPD) won 18 of the 21 seats up for grabs; the remaining 3 were instead conquered by the United workers party (UWP), which however contested the results. The UWP also filed an appeal against the election of confirmed Prime Minister Skerrit, complaining of a violation of the electoral rules for his dual citizenship (French alongside that of Dominica). In January 2012, the court ruled in Skerrit’s favor and the sentence was later upheld on appeal. The opposition also boycotted the parliamentary vote for the election of the next two heads of state: in September 2012 that of Eliud Williams, took over from President Nicholas Liverpool who resigned for health reasons; in September 2013 that of Charles Savarin. In the parliamentary elections of December 2014, the LPD confirmed itself as the winner by winning 15 seats, and Skerrit assumed the post of premier for the fourth time.
Climate
The climate is tropical, tempered by northeasterly winds, with heavy rains, which can lead to floods and landslides, especially in the hurricane season between May and November.