Search results
Dominica is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea, the northernmost of the Windward Islands (though it is sometimes considered the southernmost of the Leeward Islands). The size of the country is about 289.5 square miles (750 km 2) and it is about 29 miles (47 km) long and 16 miles (26 km) wide.
- Flag of Dominica
The flag of Dominica was adopted on 3 November 1978, with...
- Geography of Dominica
Dominica is an island in the Caribbean Sea, located about...
- President
The president of Dominica is the head of state under the...
- House of Assembly of Dominica
The House of Assembly is the legislature of Dominica.It is...
- Kalinago
On Dominica the runaways formed distinct Maroon communities...
- Demographics of Dominica
Population. According to the preliminary 2011 census results...
- Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Roseau,...
- Boiling Lake
The Boiling Lake is a flooded fumarole located in Morne...
- West Indies Associated States
West Indies Associated States was the collective name for a...
- Eugenia Charles
Mary Eugenia Charles (15 May 1919 – 6 September 2005) was a...
- Flag of Dominica
- Overview
- Relief, drainage, and soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
- People
- Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources
- Manufacturing, trade, and services
Dominica, island country of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It lies between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante to the north and Martinique to the south. The country has been a member of the Commonwealth since independence in 1978.
The island is 29 miles (47 km) long and has a maximum breadth of 16 miles (26 km). The capital and chief port is Roseau. Dominica’s great natural beauty, especially its spectacular mountainous topography, has impressed generations of nature lovers.
The island is of volcanic formation. Dominica has a number of active volcanoes, although eruptions are rare. Other signs of geothermal activity include fumaroles (volcanic vents) and hot springs. In the south, Boiling Lake lies 2,300 feet (700 metres) above sea level; its waters are often forced 3 feet (1 metre) above normal by the pressure of esca...
Dominica has a pleasant climate, particularly during the cooler months from December to March. Summer temperatures reach an average high of 90 °F (32 °C). Winter temperatures are not much lower, the average high being anywhere from 84 to 86 °F (29 to 30 °C). The dry season is from February to May, and the rainy season is from June to October, the most likely period for hurricanes (tropical cyclones). Rainfall varies, being especially heavy in the mountainous interior. Average annual coastal rainfall varies from about 60 inches (1,500 mm) to 145 inches (3,700 mm), but in the mountains average rainfall can reach 250 inches (6,350 mm).
Britannica Quiz
Dominica is the most heavily forested island of the Lesser Antilles. The forest is the habitat of a considerable variety of birds and animals. Two parrots—the imperial parrot, or sisserou (Amazona imperialis), and the smaller red-necked parrot (Amazona arausiaca)—are found only in Dominica. There are many hummingbirds, of which the blue-headed (Cya...
The population is mainly of African descent, with some Europeans, people from the Indian subcontinent, and Caribs. Dominica is the only island with a relatively large and distinctive group of Carib Indians, descendants of the people who inhabited the island before European colonization. Most of the remaining Caribs, a small number of whom are solely of Carib descent, live in the approximately 3,700-acre (1,500-hectare) Carib Territory in the east of the island and are among Dominica’s poorest residents.
Exclusive academic rate for students! Save 67% on Britannica Premium.
Learn More
English is the official language, but a French patois is commonly spoken, and the original Carib language is evidenced in a number of place-names. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic, but there are also Methodists, Pentecostals, and Seventh-day Adventists. Dominica experienced out-migration throughout the 1970s, a trend that culminated with a massive exodus after Hurricane David in 1979. This wave continued in the 1980s but moderated in the 1990s. In 1992 the government initiated a controversial scheme to offer “economic citizenship” to investors from other countries.
Dominica is one of the poorest of the Caribbean countries. Its economy is dependent upon agriculture, which is intermittently destroyed by hurricanes. Attempts to diversify have had some success, with a growing tourism industry and a small offshore financial sector.
Agriculture remains the most important sector of the economy, in terms of both employment and contribution to the gross national product. The main crops are bananas, citrus fruits, and coconuts. Bananas accounted for nearly half of Dominica’s export earnings in the 1980s, but in the late 20th and early 21st centuries the banana crops were devastate...
Pumice, a volcanic rock used chiefly for building purposes, is the most important commercial mineral. There are also deposits of clay and limestone. Extensive copper deposits in the northeast have been investigated for possible exploitation.
Most of the main products and exports are derived from the agricultural sector; they include copra, coconut oil, soap, bay oil, and fruit juices. Soap, derived from coconut oil, is an important export. There is a small garment-assembly sector. Wood products, including furniture, are produced from local timber. Portsmouth is the main boatbuilding centre. Imports include food, mineral fuels, and manufactured goods.
Tourism developed dramatically in the late 20th century despite the island’s poor transportation infrastructure and the relative lack of hotel facilities and good beaches. Approximately 80,000 “stay-over” tourists visit the island each year, while the ports of Prince Rupert Bay and Roseau serve more than 300,000 cruise-ship passengers on day visits annually. The island has sought to develop reserves of its unique flora and fauna to attract tourists and markets itself as the “nature island” of the Caribbean.
Oct 20, 2023 · Category Dominica on sister projects : Wikivoyage. it: Dominica. island sovereign state in the Caribbean Sea. someja satełitar in otobre. image. flag image. coat of arms image.
history of Dominica, survey of the notable events and people in the history of Dominica. A small island country of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea, Dominica is known for its natural beauty, particularly its rainforests and mountainous terrain.
Feb 27, 2020 · Atlas of the Caribbean. Maps of Dominica. Hidden category: Atlas entries in progress fase 9.
The first written records in the history of Dominica began in November 1493, when Christopher Columbus spotted the island. Prior to European contact, Dominica was inhabited by the Arawak. Dominica was a French colony from 1715 until the end of the Seven Years' War in 1763, and then became a British colony from 1763 to 1978. It became an ...
