General presentation
Dominica or Republic of Dominica, not to be confused with the Dominican Republic, is a country located north of Martinique and south of Guadeloupe even if for both countries people are calling themselves Dominicans.
The island is 46 km long and 25 km wide, which is an area of 754 square kilometers. It is composed of a chain of high peaks from its northern end to its southern end, the highest of them is called Morne Diablotins with 1,447 meters.
The inhabitants, numbering 72 352, are concentrated mainly on the west coast in Roseau, the island's capital. This is the last place where you can meet Carib Amerindians who are estimated to number about 3,000. They live mainly on the east coast.
The heavy rains of the tropical climate feed the numerous waterfalls. There are about thirty waterfalls, hot springs, 365 rivers and six types of tropical forests including the rainforest. The Morne Trois Pitons National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This natural aspect of the island of Dominica are major characteristics and assets for the development of tourism where the island is nicknamed "the island of 365 rivers" or "Nature Island" in English.
Dominica is a unitary parliamentary republic where the President without real executive power is appointed by the Prime Minister and leader of the opposition and then elected by the Assembly for no more than two five-year terms.
The Prime Minister must be an elected member of the House of Assembly. The President chooses the member who is most likely to be able to command a majority in the House. The Prime Minister consults the President to appoint ministers and cabinet members.
Currently, Charles Savarin is the President of the Republic and Roosevelt Skerrit is the Prime Minister.
The currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar.
History
Formerly populated by the Arawak Indians and then the Caribbean, the island of Dominica was landed by Christopher Columbus on Sunday November 3, 1493 during his second voyage. He calls the island "Domingo" (Sunday in Spanish) from which come its current names, Dominique in French and Dominica in English.
The Caribbean Indians are not massacred thanks to the steep reliefs, its dense and wild forests of Dominica. Hidden in nature, they escaped extermination. In 1903, the British Crown granted them some land ownership.
The island was ceded to the French by the Spaniards during the Thirty Years War. But during the 17th century, the French and the English clash to govern the island. Twice, the city of Roseau will be destroyed by the latter during their cannonade.
The French already settled in Martinique and Guadeloupe introduced the culture of coffee there, imported African slaves to work there as slave labor.
In 1660, the island was abandoned by the French and English and declared a neutral zone. To put an end to the conflict, a peace treaty is signed between the French, the English and the Caribs. At the end of the Seven Years' War, by the Treaty of Paris in 1762, France ceded Dominica to England but they quickly broke the treaty and seized the island twice. In 1814, an attempted reconquest definitively sealed the fate of the island, which was ceded to the British in exchange for compensation.
Slavery was abolished in Dominica in 1833. Between 1833 and 1848, many slaves from Martinique and Guadeloupe tried to flee to Dominica where slavery was abolished while they were not yet in the French colonies .
In 1898, the island received the status of British Crown Colony. It obtained its independence in 1956 and in 1967 became an associated state of the Commonwealth. It begins the establishment of a democratic regime. Independence was declared on November 3, 1978, 485 years to the day after its "discovery" by Christopher Columbus.
Economy
Dominica which is located halfway between Martinique and Guadeloupe lives mainly thanks to its tourism which is the first economic activity of the island. Agriculture is also one of the island's resources with the banana which represents 18% of the GDP and employs 28% of the workforce.
Services of which tourism accounts for 58% of GDP and 40% of the workforce in 2002.
In recent years, reforms have been undertaken to develop off-shore financial services like the other former British colonies. It is also a flag of convenience.