Dominica Location:
15°18'N, 61°23'W
Dominica Geography:
Dominica is an island nation and borderless country in the Caribbean Sea, the southernmost of the Leeward Islands. The size of the country is about 289.5 square miles (754 km2). 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. Dominica is home to several protected areas, including Cabrits National Park. The local people like to say that Dominica has 365 rivers.
It is said that when his royal sponsors asked Christopher Columbus to describe this island in the "New World," he crumpled a piece of parchment roughly and threw it on the table. This, Columbus explained, is what Dominica looks like—completely covered with mountains with nary a flat spot.
Morne Trois Pitons National Park is a tropical forest blended with scenic volcanic features.[1] It was recognized as a World Heritage Site on Tuesday, April 4, 1995. Currently it is the only such site in the Caribbean.
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 70 miles (110 km) west of the island of Dominica.
The only two major cities are Roseau and Portsmouth.
Dominica People:
Population
- August 2006 estimate 71,727 (201st1)
- 2003 census 71,727
- Density 105 /km2 (95th)
272 /sq mi
Dominica Government:
Government Parliamentary democracy
- President Nicholas Liverpool
- Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit
Dominica Communication:
There are two small airports on the island: the main one is Melville Hall Airport (DOM), about one hour away from Portsmouth; the second one is Canefield (DCF) which is about fifteen minutes' travel from Roseau. Neither of them is big enough for typical commercial size airplanes, although Melville Hall is under expansion. As of 2007, American Airlines, LIAT and Caribbean Star are the three major airlines. There is no night-time service, because the airports do not have night lights.
There is no major highway on the island. Before the road was built between Portsmouth and Roseau, people had to take boats which took several hours from one way to the other. Now, it takes about one hour to drive from Portsmouth to Roseau. Minibus services form the major public transport system. It costs about 1 EC to go anywhere in Portsmouth area, about 8 EC from Portsmouth to Roseau (2006).
Dominica Economy:
The Dominican economy is dependent on both tourism and agriculture. Forty percent of Dominican workers are in the agricultural sector, and Dominica's primary agricultural exports include tobacco, bananas, vegetables, citrus, copra, coconut oil, and essential oils such as bay oil. The country's industries, other than tourism, include soap, furniture, cement blocks, and shoes. Dominica is further benefited by the presence of an offshore Devry owned medical school - Ross University , in the northern town of Portsmouth. Over 1,000 students mainly from USA and Canada live and study in Portsmouth.
Market day occurs each weekend in Roseau.The Dominican economy has high poverty (30%), high unemployment (23%), and a low per capita GDP (US$5,400). The Dominican economy has been hurt by problems in the banana industry. The entire economy suffers when weather conditions damage the banana crop, or when the price of bananas falls. The European Union has phased out preferred access of bananas to its markets, causing banana demand to fall. In response, the Dominican government privatized the banana industry. Also, the government has attempted to diversify the economy and has lifted price controls in an attempt to improve the lagging economy. The government is also trying to develop tourism, especially ecotourism. The lack of a large international airport or sandy beaches limit opportunities for standard tourism, but the island's heavily rainforested landscape and beautifully preserved environment could lure those looking for unparalleled ecotourism experiences. Indeed, it is remarked that of all the islands of the Caribbean, Dominica is the only one Christopher Columbus might still recognise.
Dominica More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominica | 
