Dominica is a Caribbean island country between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago. It is often known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system. The most mountainous island of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world.
;Note : Should not be confused with the Caribbean nation of the Dominican Republic.
Regions
; Administrative divisions : 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter
Cities
Other destinations
Understand
Climate
Tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall. Flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months.
Terrain
Rugged mountains of volcanic origin.
; highest point : Morne Diablatins 1,447 m
History
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.
Get in
Visitors from the United States, Canada and European Union nations are granted automatic visas on entry for up to 21 days (with extensions available). Other nations should check with Dominica immigration before traveling.
By plane
There are two airports in Dominica, Melville Hall(DOM) and Canefield(DCF). Most commercial flights land at Melville Hall.
By boat
From Martinique and Guadeloupe ferries on most days of the week. Arrival in Roseau.
Get around
Car Rental
As far as freedom of movement and exploration a car can be invaluable. Though small the island's tightly turning mountain roads make for relatively long journey and a hair raising experience. Driving is on the left hand side of the road and there are various car rental agencies at both airports.
Tips:
Talk
; Languages : English (official), French patois
Buy
The best local handicrafts are Carib made baskets. The earth tone colors come from burying the fibers in the ground for different lengths of time.
Eat
Drink
Freshly squeezed grapefruit is ubiquitous and is perfect with every meal. Coconut water is cheap and readily available by the side of the road. Another local specialty is sorrel. This red refreshing drink is brewed from the flowers of an hibiscus specie common also in Jamaica. The popular locally brewed beer is Kabuli. Ask your hotel to set up a tour of the brewery.
There are many vendors of fruit juice in Roseau. Almost without exception this is non-pasteurised fruit juice with water and sugar added. The added water is usually chlorinated tap water.
A juice vendor known as Pal sells his juice by the area where one can find a bus to Portsmouth. Pal is one of the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable fruit enthusiasts on the island. He sometimes has juice from rare fruits.
Sleep
Learn
Founded in 1978 Ross University, an American medical school, located in Portsmouth, offers a Basic Sciences curriculum designed to prepare students for licensing and practice in the U.S.
Work
Work permits are inexpensive. (EC$100 to work as a teacher, for example.) A permit is granted after some months and the usual health check, police check, etc.
Stay safe
Stay healthy
Tap water is safe to drink, but since it is sometimes drawn straight from Dominica's many rivers, it has a tendency to turn brown after heavy rainfall. It's better to drink the bottled water available almost anywhere.
Basic healthcare is available at Princess Margaret Hospital in Roseau.
North Americans moving to Dominica often experience boils for the first time and fingernail and toenail fungi. Stomach problems are rare among travellers.
Towns are sprayed with insecticides periodically to control the mosquitoes responsible for spreading Dengue fever. However, the spraying may not be done at the scheduled time and pesticides may drift into your home if the windows are open.
Respect
In the high lands and uninhabited central regions water is gathered at roadside springs. Sometimes the bus will stop and passengers will fill their water bottles. Locals prefer the taste of this water to bottled water.
Public water is bacterially safe to drink due to heavy chlorination and has the expected chlorine flavor.
Contact
Area code is 767, on the North American exchange.
Digicel is a local cellular company which provides prepaid plans for those visiting for short periods. Cable & Wireless and Orange also provide cell service.
The Commonwealth of Dominica, commonly known as Dominica (Dominique), is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. It should not be confused with the Dominican Republic, another Caribbean nation. The name is pronounced ˌdɒmɪˈniːkə (dom-in-EE-cuh). In Latin, its name means "Sunday", which was the day on which it was discovered by Columbus.
Dominica's pre-Columbian name was Wai'tu kubuli, which means "Tall is her body". The indigenous people of the island, the Caribs, have a territory similar to the Indian reserves of North America. Because the island lies between two French overseas departments (Guadeloupe to the north and Martinique to the south), and because it was colonized by France for a time, it is sometimes called "French Dominica". However, its official language is English - though a French creole is commonly spoken.
Dominica has been nicknamed the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean" due to its seemingly unspoiled natural beauty. It is one of the youngest islands in the Lesser Antilles, and it is still being formed by geothermal-volcanic activity. The island features lush mountainous rainforests, home of many rare plant, animal and bird species. There are xeric areas in some of the western coastal regions but heavy rainfall can be expected inland. The Sisserou parrot is featured on the national flag. Dominica's economy is heavily dependent on both tourism and agriculture.
History
The island of Dominica's indigenous Arawak people were expelled or exterminated by Caribs in the fourteenth century. 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 Tainos were overthrown by the Kalinago tribe of the Caribs.
The Caribs arrived on this island by special boats which they are still making at their own territory on the island. Christopher Columbus arrived at this island on Sunday November 3 1493. He and his crew members soon left the island after being defeated by the Caribs. In 1627 England 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 the United Kingdom in 1763. The United Kingdom 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, the United Kingdom 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.
Politics
Dominica is a parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth of Nations. The President is head of state, while executive power rests with the Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister. The unicameral parliament consists of the thirty-member House of Assembly, which consists of twenty-one directly elected members and nine Senators, who may either be appointed by the President or elected by the other members of the House of Assembly.
Unlike other former British colonies in the region, Dominica was never a Commonwealth realm with the British monarch as head of state, as it instead became a republic on independence. Dominica is a full and participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Dominica is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98).
Parishes
Dominica is divided into ten parishes:
#Saint Andrew Parish
#Saint David Parish
#Saint George Parish
#Saint John Parish
#Saint Joseph Parish
#Saint Luke Parish
#Saint Mark Parish
#Saint Patrick Parish
#Saint Paul Parish
#Saint Peter Parish
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. 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.
Weather
It has two seasons, wet and dry. The weather is very tropical in nature with the temperature being above 20 degrees Celsius most of the time. The high amounts of annual rain actually feeds into the rivers. It is also in the hurricane region. In 1979, Dominica was hit directly by Category 5 storm Hurricane David, causing widespread and extreme damage.
Demographics
Almost all of the 70,000 nationals of Dominica today are descendants of African slaves, brought in by colonial planters in the eighteenth century. Dominica is the only Eastern Caribbean island that still has a population of pre-Columbian native Caribs, who were exterminated or driven from neighboring islands. There are only about 3,000 Caribs remaining. They live in eight villages on the East Coast of Dominica. This special Carib Territory was granted by the British Queen in 1903.. There are also about 1,000 medical students from the United States and Canada who study at the Ross University school of medicine in Portsmouth.
The population growth rate of Dominica is very low, due primarily to emigration to other Caribbean islands, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, or Canada. English is the official language of Dominica and is universally understood; however, because of historic French domination, and to the island's location between two French-speaking territories (Martinique and Guadeloupe) Antillean Creole "Patois", a French-based creole language, is the mother tongue of 80% of the Dominican people. Dominica is therefore a member of the Francophonie organization. About 80% of the population is Catholic, though in recent years a number of Protestant churches have been established.
It has recently been noted that Dominica has an incredibly high proportion of the population who are centenarians (over the age of 100). As of March 2007, there are 22 centenarians out of the island's 70,000 inhabitants - three times the average incidence of centenarianism than in developed countries. The reasons for this are the subject of current research being undertaken at Ross University School of Medicine.
Culture
Dominica is home to a wide range of people. Historically occupied by several native tribes, only a Carib tribe remained by the time European settlers reached the island. French and British settlers each claimed the island, and imported slaves from Africa. The remaining Caribs live on a 3,700 acre territory at the east coast side of the island. They elect their own chief. This mix of cultures is important to Dominica.
The famed novelist Jean Rhys was born and raised in Dominica. The island is obliquely depicted in her best-known book, Wide Sargasso Sea. Recently, Caribbean writer Marie-Elena John's debut novel Unburnable has evoked much of the spirit of Dominica captured by Rhys, prompting comparisons between the two novels, in spite of the hundred-year difference, and suggesting that Dominica has remained one of the Caribbean's most pristine islands. Rhys's friend, the political activist and writer Phyllis Shand Allfrey, set her 1954 novel, The Orchid House (ISBN 0-8135-2332-X), in Dominica.
The dialect of Dominica also includes Cocoy and Creole - French-based patois. Other than English, the majority of people speak Creole which came from the French plantation owners from the neighbouring French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Cocoy is primarily a mix of cockney English imported by English settlers, with an infusion of African lingual. It is mainly spoken in the north-eastern villages of Marigot and Wesley.
Media and communication
Currently, there is no daily newspaper. There is a national television station and a few radio stations, such as: Q95 FM, Dominica Broadcasting Services, Kairi FM, etc.
Before 2004, there was only one telecommunication company called Cable and Wireless (Caribbean). Shortly after that, AT&T and a UK-based company called Orange started to offer service to the island.
Film and TV
In 2004, Dominica was selected for the film of Pirates of the Caribbean. In spring of 2007, CBS filmed its first pirates related TV show called Pirate Master in 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.
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.
Agriculture
Bananas have traditionally formed the backbone of the island's economy. Between 1988–1999, banana production declined 63% and a 62% decline in export value. It is mainly due to the performance of the banana industry.
Tourism
Unlike many other Caribbean islands, Dominica's tourism is underdeveloped. It does not have any world-famous chains of hotels.
Dominica has a few famous tourist spots, such as the Indian River in Portsmouth, Emerald Pool, Trafalgar Falls, Scotts Head (where the Atlantic Ocean meets with the Caribbean Sea), and the world's second largest Boiling Lake which is inside of Morne Trois Pitons National Park - Dominica's World Heritage site. This island country also has many excellent diving spots due to its steep drop-offs, healthy marine environment and reefs.
In 2004, because of its unchanged natural beauty, Dominica was chosen to be one of the major filming locations for and its follow-up, . Hampstead Beach, Indian River, Londonderry River, Soufriere and Vieille Case, which is situated on the island’s northern tip, were among the places which were selected for filming. The production ended on May 26th of 2005. The cast, crew and their island hosts had a "Dominica Survivor Party".
Transportation
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).
Education
The island has its own state college, formerly named Clifton Dupigny Community College. Some Dominicans get scholarships from the Cuban government to attend medical school in Cuba. Others go to the University of the West Indies or to schools in the United Kingdom, the United States or other countries for higher education. Ross University, a medical school, is located at Portsmouth. In 2006, another medical school called All Saints University of Medicine opened in temporary facilities in Loubiere, with a permanent campus being constructed in Grand Bay.
Nature
Dominica is blessed with the most pristine wilderness in the Caribbean. Originally, it was protected by sheer mountains which led the European powers to build ports and agricultural settlements on other islands. More recently, the enlighted citizens of this island have sought to preserve its spectacular natural beauty and discouraged the type of high impact tourism which has damaged nature in most of the Caribbean.
Visitors can find large tropical forests, including one which is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites, hundreds of streams, spectacular coastlines and coral reefs.
The Sisserou parrot is Dominica's national bird and is indigenous to its mountain forests.
See also
Gallery
Image:Roseau (Dominica).jpg|Roseau (Dominica)
Image:Rainforest near Belle - Dominica.jpg|Rainforest near Belles (Dominica)
Image:Dominica_boiling_lake.jpg|Boiling Lake (Dominica)
Image:Indian River (Dominica).jpg|Indian River (Dominica)
Image:Portsmouth (Dominica).jpg|Portsmouth (Dominica)
Image:Anse Du Me (Dominica).jpg|Anse Du Me (Dominica)
Image:Woodford Hill Bay (Dominica).jpg|Woodford Hill Bay (Dominica)
Image:Volcanic rock (Dominica).jpg|Volcanic rock (Dominica)
Image:Carib Territory (Dominica).jpg|Carib Territory (Dominica)
Image:Dominicaband.jpg|Musicians (Dominica)
Image:Middleham Falls, Dominica.JPG|Middleham Falls, Dominica
External links
Government
News and media
Tourism
Organizations and directories
