Dominica Country & Tourist Information

Location
Caribbean, Leeward Islands.

Area
754 sq km (290 sq miles).

Population
69,029 (2005).

Population Density
91.5 per sq km.

Capital
Roseau.
Population: 14,500 (UN estimate 2005).

Government
Republic. Gained independence from the UK in 1978.

Language
The official language is English, but Creole French, the national language, is spoken by most of the population.

Religion
Almost entirely Christian, with Roman Catholic majority.

Time
GMT - 4.

Electricity
220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Three-pin European-style plugs are usual.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit since 2004.

Head of State
President Nicholas Liverpool since 2003.

Recent History
Roosevelt Skerrit, who was 31 when he took office, was sworn in as Dominica’s youngest prime minister two days after the sudden death of his predecessor, Pierre Charles, in January 2004. Mr Skerrit pledged to boost Dominica’s sluggish economy, which relies heavily on tourism and the export of bananas. In 2004, Mr Skerrit’s government cut diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favor of ties with mainland China, which had agreed to give more than US$100 million in aid to Dominica.

Telephone
Country code: 1 767.

Mobile Telephone
TDMA network. Unregistered roaming is available – visitors with TDMA handsets can make calls without registering, provided they can give a credit card number. Handsets can be hired.

Internet
Access is available at the offices of Cable & Wireless in Roseau, at an Internet cafe and in some hotels.

Media
There are no daily newspapers in Dominica. There is no national television service, but a private cable TV network covers part of the island. There is a mix of public and private radio stations. All media are free from Government interference.


Post
There are no Poste Restante facilities. The main post office is located at Bayfront, Roseau. Mail takes one to three weeks to arrive in Europe and the USA.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1600; smaller branches: 1500-1700.

Press
• Newspapers are in English. These include The Chronicle, The Sun and The Tropical Star.

Radio
• DBS Radio is operated by state broadcaster Dominica Broadcasting Corporation.
• Q95 FM is a commercial station.
• Kairi FM is operated by Island Communication Corporation.
• Voice of Life Radio-ZGBC is a religious station.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1-2 Jan New Year. 
23-24 Feb Carnival. 
10 Apr Good Friday. 
13 Apr Easter Monday. 
4 May Bank Holiday. 
1 Jun Whit Monday. 
3 Aug August Monday.
3 Nov Independence Day.
4 Nov Community Service Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

2010
1-2 Jan New Year. 
15-16 Feb Carnival.
2 Apr Good Friday. 
5 Apr Easter Monday. 
3 May Bank Holiday. 
24 May Whit Monday. 
2 Aug August Monday.
3 Nov Independence Day.
4 Nov Community Service Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

* Date to be confirmed.

Contact Information:

Office for the High Commission for the Commonwealth of Dominica in the UK
1 Collingham Gardens, South Kensington, London SW5 0HW, UK
Tel: (020) 7370 5194/5.
E-mail: dominicahighcom@btconnect.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1730.

Dominica Tourist Office in the UK
Saltmarsh Partnership, Unit D, The Copperfields, 25 Copperfields Street, London SE1 OEN, UK
Tel: (020) 7928 1600.
Website: www.dominica.dm

Caribbean Tourism Organization in the UK
22 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1BP, UK
Tel: (020) 8948 0057.
Website: www.doitcaribbean.com  

Embassy of the Commonwealth of Dominica in the USA
3216 New Mexico Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
Tel: (202) 364 6791.

Dominica Tourist Office in the USA
110-64 Queens Boulevard, Forest Hills, NY 11375, USA
Tel: (718) 261 9615 or 1 888 645 5637.
Website: www.discoverdominica.com


Next Page »

Related Dominica Content