Part 207

Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Natural resources: timber

Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 13% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 41% other: 34%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

People ------

Population: 82,926 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (male 11,986; female 11,521) 15-64 years: 64% (male 27,206; female 25,841) 65 years and over: 8% (male 2,608; female 3,764) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.38% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 18.38 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.31 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -9.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female all ages: 1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.4 years male: 74.55 years female: 80.4 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.93 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic divisions: black, Carib Indians

Religions: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, unknown 1%, other 5%

Languages: English (official), French patois

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.) total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94%

Government ----------

Name of country: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica

Data code: DO

Type of government: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Roseau

Administrative divisions: 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter