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Dominica
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The Commonwealth of Dominica, popularly
known as Dominica, is an island nation in the
Caribbean Sea. It should not be confused with
the Dominican Republic, another Caribbean
nation.
The name is pronounced IPA: /ˌdɒ.mɪnˈiː.kə/
("do-min-EE-ka"). In Latin the name means
"Sunday", which was the day of its discovery by
Europeans.
Dominica's pre-Columbian name is Wai'tu kubuli,
which means "Tall is her body." Because it lies
between two overseas départements (territories)
of France, Guadeloupe to the north and
Martinique to the south, and due to a
considerable historical influence from France,
the island is sometimes called "French
Dominica." The island is also nicknamed "The
Nature Isle of the Caribbean" due to its
seemingly unspoiled natural beauty.
Dominica is a lush island of mountainous
rainforests, home of many rare plant, animal and
bird species. The isle of Dominica is one of the
youngest islands in the Lesser Antilles, and it
is still being formed by geothermal-volcanic
activity. Dominica's economy is heavily
dependent on both tourism and agriculture.
History
Main article: History of Dominica
Dominica was first sighted by Europeans,
including Christopher Columbus, in 1493. They
encountered the indigenous peoples known as the
Caribs, but soon left the island after being
defeated by the Caribs. In 1627 the British also
tried and failed to capture Dominica. In 1635
the French claimed the island and sent
missionaries, but were unable to wrench Dominica
from the Caribs. They abandoned the island,
along with the island of Saint Vincent, in the
1660s.
For the next hundred years Dominica remained
isolated, and even more Caribs settled there
after being driven from surrounding islands as
European powers entered the region. France
formally ceded possession of Dominica to Britain
in 1763. Britain then set up a government and
made the island a colony in 1805. The
emancipation of African slaves occurred
throughout the British Empire in 1834, and by
1838 Dominica became the first British Caribbean
colony to have a Black-controlled legislature.
In 1896 Britain re-took governmental control of
Dominica and turned it into a crown colony. Half
a century later, from 1958 to 1962, Dominica
became a province of the short-lived West Indies
Federation. In 1978 Dominica finally became an
independent nation. Dominica's fortunes improved
in 1980 when its 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.
Geography
Map of DominicaMain article: Geography of
Dominica
Dominica is an island nation and borderless
country in the Caribbean Sea. The size of the
country is about 751 square kilometers (290
square miles). The capital is Roseau.
Dominica is largely covered by rainforest and is
home to the world's second-largest boiling lake.
Dominica also has many waterfalls, springs and
rivers. Some plants and animals thought to be
extinct on surrounding islands can still be
found in Dominica's forests. The volcanic nature
of the island and the lack of sandy beaches have
made Dominica a popular scuba diving spot.
The Commonwealth of Dominica is engaged in a
long-running dispute with Venezuela over
Venezuela's territorial claims to the sea
surrounding Isla Aves (Bird Island), a tiny
islet located 110 km (70 miles) west of the
island of Dominica
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Background:
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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. |
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Location:
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Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from
Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago |
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Geographic coordinates:
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15 25
N, 61 20 W
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Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total: 754 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 754 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than four times the size of
Washington, DC |
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Climate:
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tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy
rainfall |
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Terrain:
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rugged mountains of volcanic origin |
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Nationality:
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noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican |
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Ethnic groups:
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black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian,
Carib Amerindian |
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Religions:
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Roman
Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%,
Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist
2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6% |
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Languages:
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English (official), French patois |
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Currency:
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East
Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
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Currency code:
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XCD
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Exchange rates:
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East
Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate
since 1976) |
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