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Dominica[dominE´ku] Pronunciation Key, officially Commonwealth of Dominica, republic (1995 est. pop. 82,000), consists of the island of Dominica (290 sq mi/750 sq km), located in the Windward Islands, West Indies. Roseau is the capital and chief port. The island, of volcanic origin, is mountainous and forested, with fertile soil. Dominica is subject to frequent destructive hurricanes. Administratively, the island is divided into ten parishes. The population is largely of African descent. More than three quarters of the inhabitants are Roman Catholics, the balance mainly Protestants. English is the official language, but a French patois is also widely spoken.
Bananas are the chief commercial crop and export. Coconuts, citrus fruits, and coconut oil are also exported, and mangoes and root crops are also raised. Industry is generally limited to food processing and the manufacture of soap and other coconut-based products. Tourism is a growing industry, but Dominica remains one of the poorest Caribbean nations.
The island was sighted by Columbus in 1493. English and French attempts at settlement were thwarted by the Caribs, who had taken it earlier from the Arawaks. An Anglo-French treaty of 1748 left Dominica in Carib hands, but both powers continued to covet it. The island definitively passed to the British in 1815. Hostilities between the British and the Caribs led to the virtual extinction of the Caribs, who number about 500 and occupy a reservation on the eastern side of the island. Dominica gained full independence in 1978. In 1981 there were two failed coup attempts. In 1995, Eugenia Charles retired as prime minister after 15 years. After elections, Edison James, founder of the opposition United Workers' party (DUWP), assumed the post. He remained prime minister until early 2000, when Rosie Douglas led the Labor party (LPD) to a narrow victory over James and the DUWP. Douglas died in 2000 and was succeeded by Pierre Charles.
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