About Dominica

The Commonwealth of Dominica (pronounced do-mi-NEE-ka), is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea, the northernmost of the Windward Islands. It is known for its rugged natural beauty and home to Morne Trois Pitons (a world heritage site), waterfalls, springs, rivers, sandy and rocky beaches. Some plants and animals thought to be extinct on surrounding islands can still be found in Dominica's forests.The island has several protected areas, including Cabrits National Park as well as 365 rivers.

Here are some other quick facts.

Kalinago Name : Waitikubuli

Meaning : Tall is her Body

AREA : 290 sq miles = 750.6 sq Km

CAPITAL : Roseau

POPULATION : 72,000

LOCATION
The Commonwealth of Dominica is the most northerly and the largest of the Windward Islands situated at 15°10' latitude and 61°3' longitude between the islands of Guadeloupe to the north and Martinique to the south.

AIRPORTS
The Commonwealth of Dominica has two airports, Melville Hall which accommodates small regional jets and Canefield, which accommodate smaller aircraft.

GOVERNMENT
The Commonwealth of Dominica is a republic with an executive branch composed of a President and a Prime Minister. In the unicameral legislature, the House of Assembly, there are 30 members of which 21 are elected members.

CURRENCY
The Eastern Caribbean Dollar is the legal tender and mostly maintains an exchange rate of EC$2.70 =US$l.00.

COMMERCIAL BANKS
Bank of Nova Scotia
FirstCaribbean International Bank (Barbados) Ltd
National Commercial Bank of Dominica
Royal Bank of Canada

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
New Year's Day
Carnival Monday
Carnival Tuesday
Good Friday
Easter Monday
Labour Day
Whit Monday
August Bank Holiday
Independence Day -November 3
Community Day of Service -November 4
Christmas Day
Boxing Day

IMPORTANT EVENTS
Carnival - commencing one week before Ash Wednesday
Labour Day Rally
La St Pierre
Annual Flower Show – May
Domfesta – July/August
World Creole Music Festival – end of October
Independence Celebrations – end of October
Journee Kweyol - last Friday before Independence
Market Day with a difference - last Saturday before Independence

NATIONAL FLOWER
The National Flower of the Commonwealth of Dominica is a wild xerophitic plant known botanically as the Sabinea Carinalis, commonly known as the Carib Wood or Bois Caraibe. When in bloom it displays scarlet flowers along the entire length of its branches, and is found growing along dry coastal areas.

NATIONAL BIRD
The Sisserou Parrot (Amazona Imperiallis), "The Pride of Dominica" is recognised as the national bird of Dominica. The Sisserou Parrot is protected and it is probably among the oldest species of Amazon parrots in the world. It is found only in the Commonwealth of Dominica.

MAIN ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
The Commonwealth of Dominica's main economic activity is agriculture with bananas as its main crop. The island's tourism industry is the second largest area of economic activity, followed by soap export.

HISTORICAL DATA

The Arawaks were guided to Dominica, and other islands of the Caribbean, by the South Equatorial Current from the waters of the Orinoco River. These descendants of the early Taínos were overthrown by the Kalinago tribe of the Caribs.

The Caribs, who settled here in the 14th century, called the island Waitikubuli. Christopher Columbus named the island after the day of the week on which he spotted it - a Sunday ('Doménica' in Italian), 3 November 1493, on his second voyage.

Daunted by fierce resistance from the Caribs and discouraged by the absence of gold, the Spanish did not settle the island.

In 1632, the French claimed Dominica along with all the other 'Petite Antilles' but no settlement was attempted. Between 1642 and 1650 a French missionary became the first regular European visitor to the island. In 1660 the French and English agreed that both Dominica and St. Vincent should not be settled, but instead left to the Caribs as neutral territory. Dominica was officially neutral for the next century, but the attraction of its resources remained. Rival expeditions of English and French foresters were harvesting timber by the start of the 18th century.

The French from Martinique and Guadeloupe set up timber camps to supply the French islands with wood and gradually become permanent settlers. They brought the first enslaved people from West Africa to Dominica.

The French gradually developed plantations in Dominica for coffee. They imported African slaves to fill the labor demands replacing the less cooperative indigenous Caribs.

In 1761, during the Seven Years' War a British expedition against Dominica was successful and the island was conquered along with several other Caribbean islands.

France ceded the island to the British under the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The British established a legislative assembly, representing only the white population.

French invasions in 1795 and 1805 ended in failure. The 1805 invasion burned much of Roseau to the ground.

In 1831 the Brown Privilege Bill conferred political and social rights on free nonwhites. Three Blacks were elected to the legislative assembly the following year.

The abolition of slavery in 1834 enabled Dominica by 1838 to become the only British Caribbean colony to have a Black-controlled legislature in the 19th century.

Dominica became part of the Leeward Island Federation in 1871.

Crown Colony government was re-established in 1896.

Dominica was transferred from the Leeward Island Administration and was governed as part of the Windwards until 1958, when it joined the short-lived West Indies Federation.

Dominica became an associated state of the United Kingdom on February 27, 1967 and formally took responsibility for its internal affairs.

On November 3, 1978, the Commonwealth of Dominica was granted independence by the United Kingdom.

GEOGRAPHICAL DATA

Dominica is nicknamed the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean" for its natural environment. Its economy depends on tourism and agriculture. It is the youngest island in the Lesser Antilles, still being formed by geothermal-volcanic activity, as evidenced by the world's second-largest hot spring, called The Boiling Lake. The island has lush mountainous rainforests. It is home to many rare plants, animals, and bird species.

The Caribbean Sea offshore of Dominica is home to many cetaceans. Most notably a group of sperm whales live in this area year-round. Other cetaceans commonly seen in the area include spinner dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins and bottlenose dolphins. Less commonly seen animals include killer whales, false killer whales, pygmy sperm whales, dwarf sperm whales, Risso's dolphins, common dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, humpback whales and Bryde's whales. This makes Dominica a destination for tourists interested in whale-watching.

Dominica also offers some of the finest offshore locations to experience coral formations and vibrantly coloured fish. Champagne Reef, one of Dominica's most popular destinations for snorkelling is rated as the #1 snorkelling site among 25 snorkelling sites by Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine and 7th among the World's Best Islands for Snorkelling in 2012. Snorkelers love the "bubbles rising from the bottom of a glass of champagne" experience as small, volcanic vents in the ocean floor with powerful streams of miniature bubbles emerge from cracks between the rocks and dance their way to the surface.