Karl WP Beyer The Republic of Dominica – not to be confused with the Dominican Republic on Hispaniola – is an independent Caribbean island state that belongs to the Commonwealth of Nations. The country lies between the French Caribbean islands Guadeloupe in the north and Martiniquee in the south. Dominica has mountains, thermal springs and tropical rainforests. Dominica's motto is: "After God, the land". However, as we will hear, Dominica's inhabitants do not live like God in France.
Welcome to Dominica
Dominica's history in brief
It was the time of the Spanish discoveries in the "New World". Who else but Christopher Columbus could have discovered the island on November 3, 1493 - a Sunday? Naming it was not difficult in this case. For the sake of simplicity, Dominica was named after its discovery on the Lord's Day.
The colonial power Spain was not able to hold onto the island in the long term. England and France then fought over Dominica with varying degrees of success. After various disputes, France was forced to finally hand Dominica over to the English in 1783. The connection to the mother country then lasted until 1978, when Dominica declared its independence from Great Britain. Since then, Dominica has existed under difficult economic conditions.
Colorful buildings in Roseau
Dominica – Facts and figures
Life in this country, which is so lavishly endowed with nature, is rather modest. Statistics describe the small state as one of the poorest countries in the region.
The statistics portal City Population estimates the island's area at 739 square kilometers. Including some offshore islands, the total area is 754 square kilometers. The island is divided into ten administrative districts, and the population was just over 2011 at the (last) census in 71.000. This size has been relatively stable for 30 years.
Experts argue whether Dominica belongs to the Leeward Islands or the Windward Islands. This is a rather academic argument. What is undisputed is that the island is rightly nicknamed "The Nature Island". Dominica stands for almost untamed nature. A 900-meter-high mountain range divides the island from north to south. The highest mountain in the north of the island is the 1.447-meter-high Morne Diablotin. More than 300 rivers, countless streams, 12 waterfalls and several lakes characterize the country's landscape.
Dominica - mountain river
Dominica - Waterfall in Morne Trois Pitons National Park
A special feature of Dominica is the second largest "boiling lake" in the world, located in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, heated to almost boiling point by volcanic activity. It is consequently called "Boiling Lake". In addition, sulphur springs, mud holes and hot thermal streams complement the island's volcanic inferno.
Dominica - steaming sulphur spring
The official language is English, and the established colloquial language is French and Antillean Creole or “Patwa”. The East Caribbean dollar is the widely accepted currency, as well as the US dollar.
Dominica – Flora and Fauna
The island's climate is tropical. Dense rainforest covers half of the island. An ideal habitat for a diverse range of flora and fauna. 172 species of birds and more than 1.200 types of plants have been counted on Dominica. 74 species of orchids and more than 200 different types of ferns have been identified. Boa constrictors, iguanas and imperial amazons have their home deep in the forest. It is no surprise that part of the country, the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 because of this diversity.
And if that is not enough for you, the underwater world has plenty of attractions to offer. Numerous species of whales have their home in the Caribbean Sea; among others, it is believed that 300 sperm whales live permanently in the waters around Dominica. Boat tours for whale watching are offered to visitors.
Dominica – Economy
Dominica's economy has always been heavily influenced by agriculture, and especially banana cultivation. One problem with agriculture is that hurricanes and tropical storms destroy part or all of the harvest in some years. Other industries include the construction industry, soap production and tourism. Due to the lack of attractive sandy beaches and an efficient international airport, the development of tourism is rather hesitant. A new airport is being built. The year of completion is said to be 2026.
As a result of the depressing economic situation, the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in 2022 was $8.351, according to the World Bank. Economic growth is poor and the unemployment rate is over 20 percent.
But necessity is the mother of invention: According to the Organized Crime & Corruption Reporting Project, a network of journalist organizations, the country of Dominica generates considerable income from the passport trade. Dominica's citizens are allowed to enter 110 countries around the world, including the EU, without a visa. Between 2009 and 2021, the state reportedly earned more than three quarters of a billion US dollars from passport sales.
Dominica – destination of cruise ships
The island's capital and also the destination port for ferries and cruise ships is the small town of Roseau, which has a population of around 15.000 and is located in the south of Dominica. Ferries to Guadeloupe and Martinique depart from there.
Dominica - Roseau ahead
Cruise ships currently bring the majority of tourists to the country. 2025 ships are registered for 175. The most important months of the cruise season are January to March and November and December.
Package tourism, as it has developed in other places in the Caribbean, has not (yet) developed in Dominica. Dominica does not offer cruise ship passengers a lazy day at the beach. Dominica wants to be conquered. The country has a lot to offer. We describe what this means under Dominica Attractions.
Updated Aug 2024