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Region:
Caribbean
Capital:
Roseau
Population:
69,278 (July
2004 est.)
Surface
area:
751 sq km
Currency:
EC dollar
GDP
per capita:
purchasing power
parity - $5,400
(2002 est.)
Background:
Dominica was
the last of the
Caribbean islands
to be colonized
by Europeans,
due chiefly to
the fierce resistance
of the native
Caribs. France
ceded possession
to Great Britain
in 1763, which
made the island
a colony in 1805.
In 1980, two
years after independence,
Dominica's fortunes
improved when
a corrupt and
tyrannical administration
was replaced
by that of Mary
Eugenia CHARLES,
the first female
prime minister
in the Caribbean,
who remained
in office for
15 years. Some
3,000 Carib Indians
still living
on Dominica are
the only pre-Columbian
population remaining
in the eastern
Caribbean.
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
precipitously
in 2003, a major
reason for the
1% decline in
GDP. Tourism
increased in
2003 as the government
sought to promote
Dominica as an
"ecotourism"
destination.
Development of
the tourism industry
remains difficult,
however, because
of the rugged
coastline, lack
of beaches, and
the absence of
an international
airport. The
government began
a comprehensive
restructuring
of the economy
in 2003 - including
elimination of
price controls,
privatization
of the state
banana company,
and tax increases
- to address
Dominica's economic
crisis and to
meet IMF targets.
In order to diversify
the island's
production base
the government
is attempting
to develop an
offshore financial
sector and is
planning to construct
an oil refinery
on the eastern
part of the island.
United
Nations membership
date:
18 December 1978
New
York Mission:
Permanent Mission
of the Commonwealth
of Dominica
to the United
Nations
800 Second Avenue,
Suite 400H
New York, N.Y.
10017 USA
Telephone: 212-949-0853
Fax: 212-808-4975,
661-0979
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