Christmas Island (2003) | Dominica (2006) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 26.1% (male 9,084/female 8,885)
15-64 years: 66% (male 23,419/female 22,079) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,186/female 3,257) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | NA | bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 2 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006) |
Area | total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 754 sq km
land: 754 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. | 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. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 15.27 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: $73.9 million
expenditures: $84.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2001) |
Capital | The Settlement | name: Roseau
geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall |
Coastline | 80 km | 148 km |
Constitution | NA | 3 November 1978 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
conventional short form: Dominica |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | - |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $213 million (2004) |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | chief of mission: Ambassador Judith Anne ROLLE, Third Secretary
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791 consulate(s) general: New York |
Disputes - international | none | Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $29.2 million (2004 est.) |
Economy - overview | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, slated to begin operation in 2003. | The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and international economic developments. Production of bananas dropped precipitously in 2003, a major reason for the 1% decline in GDP. Tourism increased in 2003 as the government sought to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination. Development of the tourism industry remains difficult, however, because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international airport. The government began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy in 2003 - including elimination of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to address Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMF targets. In order to diversify the island's production base, the government is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and is planning to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the island. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 65.09 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 69.98 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998) | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA% |
Exports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | phosphate | bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges |
Exports - partners | Australia, NZ | UK 26.2%, Jamaica 9.8%, South Korea 8.7%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.6%, Guyana 7.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.7% (2005) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory | green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $NA | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 17.7%
industry: 32.8% services: 49.5% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $NA | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 3.1% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 15 25 N, 61 20 W |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | 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 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 |
Highways | total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering |
Imports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods | manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals |
Imports - partners | principally Australia | US 25.3%, China 20.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.3%, South Korea 7.1%, Japan 4.6%, UK 4.4% (2005) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | 3 November 1978 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | -10% (1997 est.) |
Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
total: 13.71 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | -0.1% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | none | ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction) |
Labor force | NA | 25,000 (1999 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) | agriculture: 40%
industry: 32% services: 28% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.) |
arable land: 6.67%
permanent crops: 21.33% other: 72% (2005) |
Languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay | English (official), French patois |
Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | based on English common law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)
elections: last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010); note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace period election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.07%, UWP 43.6%, DFP 3.15%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.) |
total population: 74.87 years
male: 71.95 years female: 77.93 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 12 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total: 48 ships (1000 GRT or over) 634,668 GRT/1,100,558 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 24, chemical tanker 4, container 2, petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 45 (Estonia 11, Germany 1, Greece 5, Latvia 1, Norway 1, NZ 4, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 9, Syria 1, Turkey 3, UAE 2, Ukraine 2) (2006) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | - |
Military branches | - | no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes coast guard) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA |
National holiday | NA | Independence Day, 3 November (1978) |
Nationality | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months |
Natural resources | phosphate, beaches | timber, hydropower, arable land |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | -9.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; Dominica United Workers Party or UWP [Earl WILLIAMS] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party) |
Population | 433 (July 2003 est.) | 68,910 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 30% (2002 est.) |
Population growth rate | -9% (2003 est.) | -0.08% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Flying Fish Cove | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Railways | 24 km to serve phosphate mines | - |
Religions | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) | Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), other 6%, none 2% |
Sex ratio | NA (2003 est.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: fully automatic network international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 21,000 (2004) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 41,800 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (2004) |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | rugged mountains of volcanic origin |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.94 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 23% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |