Dominica Island Nation Caribbean

An island nation in the Caribbean Sea - the Commonwealth of Dominica is popularly known as Dominica, which in Latin means Sunday, the day when the island was discovered by Columbus. France colonized Dominica for a period. Hence, the island is also referred as French Dominica.

A borderless country in the Caribbean Sea, Dominica is the northernmost among the Windward Islands. Its capital is Roseau. The island is mainly covered by rainforests, with the topography comprising mostly of mountains, with hardly a flat spot. The economy of Dominica depends mainly on tourism and agriculture.

Dubbed the Nature Isle of the Caribbean, Dominica boasts of overwhelming natural splendour. The major highlights of the island are its lush mountainous rainforests, which house numerous endangered plants, animal, and bird species. The tourism industry here is a bit underdeveloped, but Dominica offers several sightseeing attractions like the Indian River in Portsmouth, Trafalgar Falls, Emerald Pool, Scotts Head, and the world's second-largest boiling lake lying within the Morne Trois Pitons National Park which is also a World Heritage site Besides, the steep drop-offs, healthy marine environment, and reefs at Dominica offer diving options.

According to the history of Dominica, the aboriginal Arawak people of Dominica were driven out by the Caribs in the 14th century. It was later on Sunday, November 3, 1493 that Christopher Columbus arrived at this island only to be defeated and expelled by the Caribs. In 1635 the French occupied Dominica, but they couldnt succeed in freeing the island from Caribs. It was much later; in 1763 that France formally surrendered Dominica to the United Kingdom, who subsequently colonized the island in 1805. After years of being ruled, Dominica finally became an independent nation in 1978. Today, the island functions as a parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth of Nations.

Dominica sports a mildly tropical climate, with average winter temperatures being 25 °C, while summer temperatures being 28 °C. Spring is the driest season here, while the late summers receive the heaviest rainfall. As Dominica falls in the hurricane region, the island is quite vulnerable to destructive hurricanes coming from the Atlantic Ocean.

Majority of the populace in Dominica presently comprise descendants of African slaves, who were brought in by colonial planters in the 18th century. The island records a very low population growth rate, mainly because most natives are immigrating to other Caribbean islands. Agriculture being one of the main contributors to Dominicas economy, 20% of the islands workers belongs to the agricultural sector.

The major agricultural exports in Dominica are tobacco, bananas, vegetables, citrus, copra, coconut oil, and essential oils such as bay oil. Some other important industries besides tourism include soap, furniture, cement blocks, and shoes. Another major highlight of Dominica is Ross University - the offshore Devry-owned medical school located in the town of Portsmouth. Dominica