The 2003 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
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:
69,655 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 27.8% (male 9,807; female 9,571)
15–64 years: 64.3% (male 23,024; female 21,768)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,226; female 3,259) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.4 years
male: 28.1 years
female: 28.8 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
−0.63% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
16.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
−16.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 20.29 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.12 years
male: 71.23 years
female: 77.15 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
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% (2003 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 Nicholas LIVERPOOL (since 10 November
2003)
elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held
NA October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL 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 17 July
2005) note - tradition dictates that the election will be held
within five years of the last election, but technically it is five
years from the first seating of parliament (17 April 2000) plus a 90
day grace period
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 leaders:
Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,