Birth rate:
15.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
−11.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.65 years
male: 71.73 years
female: 77.71 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.96 children born/woman (2005 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%), other 6%, none 2%
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 J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October
2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8
January 2004); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister
Pierre CHARLES
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held
October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of
legislative vote - NA%
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21
elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010);
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 (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace
period
election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.08%, UWP 43.6%,
DFP 3.15%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1
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 [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; 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, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne LESTRADE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364–6781 FAX: [1] (202) 364–6791 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to
Barbados is accredited to Dominica
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 encircled by 10
green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent
the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
Economy Dominica
Economy - overview:
The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas,
and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and
international economic developments. Production of bananas dropped