About Dominica

Location

Latitude 15˚ 20’ N, Longitude 61˚ 22’ W, between the French Overseas Departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Official Name

Commonwealth of Dominica.

Languages

Dominica is a former a British colony and as such, English is the main and official language. Creole, a French dialect consisting of African words and expressions is also widely spoken, and is considered the second language of Dominica. Spanish is spoken to a much lower extent due to the small Hispanic population living on the island.

Capital City

Roseau

Surface Area

751 km2 (289.5 sq mi)

Time Zone

GMT-4

Population

72,293 according to 2011 census.

Climate

Two main seasons- wet and dry season. Humid tropical marine, minimal seasonal variation between wet and dry season; high precipitation during wet season.

Highest Peak

Morne Diablotin – 1730 m (4,747 ft)

Head of State

The head of state is the President.

Head of Government

The head of government is the Prime Minister.

Independence

Dominica became independent on November 3rd, 1978.