Dominica

Commonwealth of Dominica

Note: In early elections to the House of Assembly on December 18, 2009, the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) won 18 seats and the United Workers’ Party won 3 seats. Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of the DLP subsequently formed a new DLP cabinet.

Political Status: Former British dependency; joined West Indies Associated States in 1967; independent member of the Commonwealth since November 3, 1978.

Area: 290.5 sq. mi. (752.4 sq. km.).

Population: 71,727 (2001C); 70,700 (2008E).

Major Urban Center (2005E): ROSEAU (14,000).

Official Language: English (a French patois is widely spoken).

Monetary Unit: East Caribbean Dollar (official rate December 1, 2009: 2.70 EC dollars = $1US).

President: Nicholas LIVERPOOL; elected by the House of Assembly on October 2, 2003, and inaugurated for a five-year term on October 6, succeeding Vernon SHAW; ...