male: 81.01 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.89 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups: black, Carib Amerindian

Religions: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%,
Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%),
none 2%, other 6%

Languages: English (official), French patois

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

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
conventional short form: Dominica

Data code: DO

Government type: 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

Independence: 3 November 1978 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Constitution: 3 November 1978

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vernon Lorden SHAW (since 7 October 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Edison C. JAMES (since 12 June
1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 7 October 1998 (next to be held
NA October 2003); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Vernon Lorden SHAW elected president; percent of
legislative vote--NA

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9
appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote representatives;
members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 June 1995 (next to be held by October 2000);
byelections held 13 August 1996
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--UWP
12, DLP 5, DFP 4

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (located in
Saint Lucia), one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and
preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders: Dominica Freedom Party or DFP

Political pressure groups and leaders: Dominica Liberation
Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom,
CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU