Dominica

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Dominica's Information


Capital	Roseau
Languages	English (official), French patois
Ethnic Groups	Black 86.6%, mixed 9.1%, indigenous 2.9%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2001 est.)
Religion	Roman Catholic 61.4%, Protestant 28.6% (includes Evangelical 6.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.1%, Pentecostal 5.6%, Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, other 1.2%), Rastafarian 1.3%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 0.3%, none 6.1%, unspecified 1.1% (2001 est.)
Government	Parliamentary republic
Independance	3 November 1978 (from the UK)
Area	751.00 km²
Land Area	751.00 km²
Population	73,757.00 Population is mosly clustered along the coast, with roughly a third living in the parish of St. George, in or around the capital of Roseau; the volcanic interior is sparsely populated
Location	Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
GDP(PPP)	$812,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$11,400.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partner is Japan.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are bananas, soap, bay oil, and vegetables.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, and chemicals.
Climate	Tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain	Rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Where is Dominica?

Located in the Caribbean, Dominica is an island nation. It has a 148.00 km coastline. Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island.

Roseau is the capital city of Dominica. It is the oldest and largest city in the country, and its most important economic center. It is a small city with a compact urban settlement and an important port for foreign trade. Its service sector makes up a large part of the local economy.

Geography

Dominica has a mean elevation of 0 m above sea level.

It has a tropical climate that sees heavy rainfall and is moderated by northeast trade winds. Its terrain consists of rugged mountains of volcano origin.

Population

Dominica has a population of 73,757 making it the 200th largest in the world. The majority of the population resides along the coast.

English is the official language; French patois spoken. Major ethnic groups reported include black, mixed, and indigenous. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic or Protestant Christians.

English is the official language of the Commonwealth of Dominica. However, Dominican Creole French is also spoken by a large percentage of the population. Some of the influence of Creole French can be explained by Dominica's proximity to French-speaking islands Martinique and Guadeloupe. Dominica is a member of La Francophonie, and has been a member since 1979. Cockoy is another language spoken in Dominica, although it is considered to be a dialect based on English.

Government

Dominica is an independent country. It gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1978. Its constitution was last ratified in 1978.

The government of Dominica is a democracy whereby there are three arms of government namely Executive, Judiciary, and Legislature. The leader of the government is the president. The executive power rests with the cabinet.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Dominica's GDP is $812,000,000.00 (USD) with $11,400.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 204th largest economy and its citizens the 128th richest in the world. The currency of Dominica is the Dollar (XCD).

Its major export partner is Japan. Its main exports are bananas, soap, bay oil, and vegetables. Its major import partners are Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States. Its major imports include manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, and chemicals.

Flag

Dominica is a small, rugged island country located in the Caribbean region. Its flag was designed by a playwright by the name of Alwin Bully in 1978. It has been used since, although some small changes have been made over the years. The flag is known for including a bird - the sisserou parrot - on it. This bird is only found in Dominica.