Dominica

Seaside view in Dominica
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:View_from_Veranda.jpg
Author: Rita Nerwall


Dominica, not to be confused with the Dominican Republic, is a small island nation in the Caribbean Sea. It covers 750 sq km (290 sq mi) and has a population of about 73,000 (2011 estimate). The capital and largest city is Roseau. The island is covered with lush mountainous rainforest, rising to a height of 1,447 m (4,747 ft) at Morne Diablotins. Dominica is geologically the youngest island in the Lesser Antilles with ongoing geothermal volcanic activity and the second largest boiling lake in the world.

Soufriere Bay, Dominica
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Soufriere_bay_1.JPG
Author: Riba


Being a former British colony, Dominica uses English as the official language. It is in the Eastern Caribbean Time zone, which is four hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. Traffic is driven on the left, as in Britain. Phone IDD code is +1-767.

The official currency of Dominica is the East Caribbean dollar (XCD). In 2009, it has a nominal GDP of $362 million, equivalent to a per capita nominal GDP of $4,948. Its per capita GDP at purchasing power parity is $10,177.

House in Roseau, Dominica
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roseau_in_the_morning.jpg
Author: Nelro


The name Dominica means Sunday in Latin. The name was given by Christopher Columbus as he spotted the island on that day, on 3 November, 1493. The island was inhabited by the Carib people. In the hundred years following Columbus's discovery of the island, it was not settled by Europeans, though Caribs from neighboring islands sought refuge there, as they were driven away by the arrival of Europeans.

In 1635, Dominica was claimed by France, and soon French settlements and missionaries were arriving there. The island was ceded by France to Britain in the 1763 Treaty of Paris, but during the American Revolutionary War, the French successfully invaded and got it back. Nonetheless it was returned to Britain once more in the 1783 Treaty of Paris. The French attempted to take it by force twice more, in 1795 and 1805, but failed in both attempts.

Boeri Lake, Dominica
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boeri_Lake.jpg
Author: Charlottea


With the continuous increase in its population of ethnic African background, Dominica became the first British Caribbean colony where the government was controlled by the African majority. (Today over 86% of the population are blacks). It was a British crown colony from 1896 until 1958, when it became a province of the short-lived West Indies Federation. Dominica gained independence in 1978.

Planning your trip to Dominica

Visitors from the United States, Canada, Singapore and the European Union are granted automatic visas for up to 21 days. The two main airports in Dominica are the Melville Hall Airport (DOM) and the Canefield Airport (DCF).

Preparing Money for your trip to Dominica

The currency used in Dominica is the East Caribbean dollar (XCD).

Major Cities in Dominica

Places of Interest in Dominica

World Heritage Sites in Dominica

Dominica ratified the World Heritage Convention on 4 April 1995. As of August 2010, it has only one World Heritage Sites, in the natural category. Dominica does not presently have any sites on the World Heritage Tentative List.

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Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

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