Simple directory > Regional > Dominica

Country : Dominica Official name: The Commonwealth of Dominica Head of State: President Nicholas Liverpool (from 1 Oct 2003) Head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit (DLP) (sworn in 8 Jan 2004; re-elected 5 May 2005) Ruling party: Dominica Labour Party (DLP) (since Feb 2000; re-elected 5 May 2005) Area: 750 square km Population: 70,400 (2004) Dominica has had negative population growth for over five years. Capital: Roseau Official language: English Currency: East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents Exchange rate: EC$2.70 per US$ (fixed) GDP per capita: US$5,400 (2003) GDP real growth: -1.00% (2003) Labour force: 25,000 (2003) Unemployment: 23.00% (2003) Inflation: 0.50% (2003) Balance of trade: -US$85.00 million (2003) Foreign debt: US$161.50 million (2003)

Historical profile

The British, French and native Carib population fought for control of the island during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries before the British prevailed. Dominica formed part of the Leeward Islands Federation.

1940 Dominica was transferred to the Windward Islands.

1959 The island was separated from the Windward Islands and was governed by its own administrator.

1967 Dominica gained full control over its internal affairs.

1978 Dominica gained independence.

1995 The United Workers' Party (UWP), led by Edison James, won the general election defeating the ruling Dominica Freedom Party (DFP).

2000 The UWP lost the election to a coalition composed of the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) and the DFP. Prime Minister Roosevelt Douglas died suddenly and Pierre Charles was appointed as his successor.

2002 Dominica ended the sale of passports under its economic citizenship programme.

2003 On 1 October, Dr Nicholas Liverpool became president, having been elected by parliament despite an opposition boycott of the sitting. Outgoing president, Vernon Shaw, did not seek re-election.

2004 On 6 January, Prime Minister Pierre Charles died; Roosevelt Skerrit was sworn in as prime minister on 8 January. The stabilisation levy was removed as part of Dominica's EC$302.00 million (US$111.85 million) June budget.

2005 Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit's Dominica Labour Party (DLP) won the 5 May parliamentary elections; the DFP, the junior partner in the former coalition government, lost both of its seats – the first time in 35 years that the DFP had not won a seat.

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