Dominica

THIS CARIBBEAN ISLAND of Dominica, formerly a British colony, has a land area of 290 sq. mi. (751 sq. km.), with a population of 71,727 (2006 est.), and a population density of 272 people per sq. mi. (105 people per sq. km.). Some 9 percent of the land area is arable, with another 3 percent available for use as meadows or pasture. Unlike many other Caribbean islands, Dominica does not rely heavily on tourism, although some 70,000 people do visit the country each year. One major environmental problem for Dominica is that hurricanes hit the island at regular intervals. Although much of the land area of Dominica is higher than many of its low-lying neighbors, the rising sea temperature is threatening the marine life around ...