tary expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.5% (FY97)

Djibouti Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

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@Dominica

Dominica Introduction

Background: Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be
colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the
native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763,
which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after
independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and
tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia
CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who
remained in office for 15 years.

Dominica Geography

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to
Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 15 25 N, 61 20 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 754 sq km

land: 754 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than four times the size of
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 148 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

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

Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, arable land

Land use: arable land: 9%

permanent crops: 13%

permanent pastures: 3%

forests and woodland: 67%

other: 8% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat; destructive
hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Dominica People

Population: 70,786 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.72% (male 10,300; female 10,027)

15-64 years: 63.45% (male 23,056; female 21,855)

65 years and over: 7.83% (male 2,267; female 3,281) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.