Cyb Template 2012
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Dominica KEY FACTS depicted on the national flag, various species of doves and the mountain whistler. There Joined Commonwealth: 1978 are three distinct vegetation and habitat Population: 72,000 (2013) zones determined by rainfall and elevation at GDP p.c. growth: 1.8% p.a. 1990–2013 defined levels around the mountains. The country has two marine reserves and several UN HDI 2014: World ranking 93 hectares of forest reserve. Official language: English Main towns: Roseau (capital, pop. 14,725 in Time: GMT minus 4 hrs 2011), Portsmouth (4,167), Canefield (3,324), Currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$) Marigot (2,411), Salisbury (2,147), Berekua (2,134), Mahaut (2,113), St Joseph (1,746), Geography Wesley (1,362) and Castle Bruce (1,087). Area: 750 sq km Transport: There are 1,510 km of roads, 50 per cent paved. A round-island network was Coastline: 148 km completed in the late 1980s, despite the Capital: Roseau technical difficulties presented by Dominica’s mountainous terrain and friable volcanic rock. The Commonwealth of Dominica is one of 2001 census) minorities. There is a Carib the Windward Islands in the Eastern Banana boats and tourist cruiseships call at reserve on part of the east of the island, Caribbean, lying between Guadeloupe to the Roseau, at the deep-water harbour in referred to as the Carib Territory. north and Martinique to the south. Woodbridge Bay, and in Prince Rupert’s Bay, Language: The official language is English; a Portsmouth. Topography: A volcanic island 46 km in French-based Creole is spoken by most of the length, Dominica has a central mountain The airports at Melville Hall, 64 km north-east population. ridge running from Cape Melville in the north of Roseau, and Canefield, 5 km north of Religion: Mainly Christians (Roman Catholics to the cliffs in the south. Morne Diablotin Roseau, can accommodate only turbo-prop 61 per cent, Seventh Day Adventists six per rises to 1,447 metres. There are numerous passenger aircraft. Tourists flying into cent, Pentecostals six per cent, Baptists four per mountain streams and rivers, none of them Dominica must therefore generally come via cent, Methodists four per cent; 2001 census). navigable. The scenery is outstandingly the nearby island of Antigua. beautiful, with waterfalls and luxuriantly Health: Public spending on health was four wooded mountains. Most beaches are of Society per cent of GDP in 2012. The health system black volcanic sand, with some of golden operates through local clinics, larger health sand. KEY FACTS 2013 centres, a polyclinic in Roseau, and the Climate: The climate is subtropical and hot, Population per sq km: 96 national referral hospital, the Princess but cooled by sea breezes, with a rainy Life expectancy: 76 years (est.) Margaret Hospital. There is a smaller hospital season in June–October, when hurricanes at Portsmouth, and cottage hospitals at Net primary enrolment: 92% (2010) may occur. Rainfall is heavy, especially in Marigot and Grand Bay. Infant mortality was mountain areas. Population: 72,000 (2013); 69 per cent of ten per 1,000 live births in 2013. people live in urban areas; growth 0.0 per Environment: The most significant Education: Public spending on education cent p.a. 1990–2013, due mainly to the environmental issues are shortage of drinking was four per cent of GDP in 2010. There emigration of young people; birth rate 16 per water; deforestation; soil erosion; pollution of are 12 years of compulsory education 1,000 people (est. 26 in 1970); life the coastal zone by chemicals used in starting at the age of five. Primary school expectancy 76 years (est.) farming and factories, and untreated sewage. comprises seven years and secondary five. The population is mostly of African and Some 91 per cent of pupils complete Vegetation: Dominica is known as the mixed African/European descent, with primary school (2010). The school year nature island of the Caribbean. Dense forest European, Syrian and Carib (2.9 per cent in starts in September. and woodland cover 59 per cent of the land area, with subtropical vegetation and orchids in the valleys. Tree ferns are indigenous to the Dominica on the international stage island. Arable and cropped land extends to The popular Caribbean band Midnight Groovers, who have a back catalogue of 40 albums, some 32 per cent of the total land area. The originate from the island. Patricia Janet Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, British peer island has fertile volcanic soil. and former Attorney-General of England and Wales, was born in Dominica in 1955. Wildlife: The forests have a wide range of Dominica was the first state in the Americas to have a female prime minister – Dame bird species (at least three of them rare and Eugenia Charles served from 1980 to 1995. At his appointment in 2004 the current Prime endangered, 2014), including the brilliant Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, was the youngest head of government in the world, aged 31. Dominica parrot, or Sisserou, which is The CommonwealTh Yearbook 2015 Dominica Further education is provided at a teacher- Real growth in GDP 200–300 Russians were granted economic training college; a nursing school; and at the citizenship. % 1.2 regional University of the West Indies, which % The government also encouraged has a branch in Dominica and main campuses 0.9 development of an offshore financial-services in Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and 0.6 sector, including company and bank Tobago. The Dominica State College, a 0.3 registration and internet gambling. publicly funded institution, offers 0.0 From thge mid -199 0 s, there was a period of programmes leading to GCE A-Level, -0.3 certificates, and associate degrees; and a modest econ o mic g rowth, but by 1999 the -0.6 large and diverse programme of continuing economy had stalle d, moving into recession -0.9 education for mature students. in 2000, and shrank by some nine per cent in -1.2 2001–03. The IMF agreed to financial support Media: The Chronicle (founded in 1909), The -1.5 tied to tax increases and cuts in public 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Sun , The Times and The Tropical Star are all expenditure and good growth resumed in weekly. 2004–05, driven by tourism, recovery in banana production and a booming The Dominica Broadcasting Corporation Inflation provides a public radio service, competing construction sector. This growth continued % with several commercial or faith stations. 3.5 through 2007, when Hurricane Dean caused There is no national TV service on the island 3.0 widespread devastation, until 2009 when the but a private cable network covers part of the 2.5 impact of the global recession was keenly country. felt, causing the economy to stall again in 2.0 2010–13, before returning to growth of at Communications: Country code 1 767; 1.5 least one per cent in 2014. internet domain ‘.dm’. The main post office is 1.0 in Roseau. 0.5 History For every 1,000 people there are 238 landlines, 1,300 mobile phone subscriptions 0.0 Throughout its history the fertile island of and 590 internet users (2013). -0.5 Dominica has attracted settlers and 20092010 2011 2012 2013 colonisers and has been the subject of Public holidays: New Year’s Day, Labour Day military, and often bloody, squabbles of (first Monday in May), August Monday (first and co coa ) to new crops (such as citrus, European powers. At the time of Columbus’s Monday in August), National Day (3 melons, pineapples and mangoes), and visit on a Sunday ( dies dominica ) in November), Community Service Day (4 developing export-oriented small industries November 1493, the island was a stronghold November), Christmas Day and Boxing Day. (notably garments and electronics of the Caribs from South America who were Religious festivals whose dates vary from year assembly), taking advantage of such driving out t he Ar a waks. In 1627 the English to year include Carnival (two days in preferences as the Caribbean Basin Initiative took theoretic al po ssession without settling, February/March), Good Friday, Easter Monday (CBI), which allows access to the US but by 1632 the island had become a de and Whit Monday. market. facto French colony; it remained so until They have also encouraged development of 1759 when the English captured it. In 1660 Economy tourism and especially eco-tourism. The key the English and French agreed to leave the Caribs in undisturbed possession, but in fact KEY FACTS 2013 to expansion of tourism was seen in the 1990s as the construction of a new airport French settlers went on arriving, bringing GNI: US$493m enslaved Africans with them. Dominica with a runway long enough for long-haul jets changed hands between the two European GNI p.c.: US$6,760 from North America and Europe, but it powers, passing back to France (1778) and GDP growth: –0.5% p.a. 2009–13 proved impossible to secure financial backing again to England (1783). The French for the project. Inflation: 1.4% p.a. 2009–13 attempted to invade in 1795 and 1805 Between 1991 and 1997, Dominica received Dominica’s economy is vulnerable. Much of before eventually withdrawing, leaving about US$15 million in investment and the island is mountainous and less than 25 Britain in possession. acquired some 750 new citizens – mainly per cent of the country is under cultivation. In 1833 the island was linked to Antigua and non-resident Taiwanese – under its ‘economic Its location exposes it to tropical storms and the other Leeward Islands under a Governor- citizenship programme’ which allowed people hurricanes, which have caused severe General at Antigua, but subsequently to become citizens in return for a substantial damage to the crops making up the became part of the Federation of the investment in Dominica.