AREA
290 sq miles = 750.6 sq Km

CAPITAL
Roseau

POPULATION
71,242

LOCATION
The Commonwealth of Dominica is the most northerly and the largest of the Windward Islands and is situated 15°10'latitude and 61°30'longitude.

AIRPORTS
The Commonwealth of Dominica has two airports, Melville Hall which accommodates small regional jets and Canefield, which accommodate smaller aircraft.

GOVERNMENT
The Commonwealth of Dominica is a republic with an executive branch composed of a President and a Prime
Minister. In the unicameral legislature, the House of Assembly, there are 30 members of which 21 are elected members.

CURRENCY
The Eastern Caribbean Dollar is the legal tender and mostly maintains an exchange rate of EC$2.70 =US$l.00.

COMMERCIAL BANKS
Bank of Nova Scotia
FirstCaribbean International Bank (Barbados) Ltd
National Commercial Bank of Dominica
Royal Bank of Canada

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
New Year's Day
Carnival Monday
Carnival Tuesday
Good Friday
Easter Monday
Labour Day
Whit Monday
August Bank Holiday
Independence Day -November 3
Community Day of Service -November 4
Christmas Day
Boxing Day

IMPORTANT EVENTS
Carnival - commencing one week before Ash Wednesday
Labour Day Rally
La St Pierre
Annual Flower Show – May
Domfesta – July/August
World Creole Music Festival – end of October
Independence Celebrations – end of October
Journee Kweyol - last Friday before Independence
Market Day with a difference - last Saturday before Independence

NATIONAL FLOWER
The National Flower of the Commonwealth of Dominica is a wild xerophitic plant known botanically as the Sabinea Carinalis, commonly known as the Carib Wood or Bois Caraibe. When in bloom it displays scarlet flowers along the entire length of its branches, and is found growing along dry coastal areas.

NATIONAL BIRD
The Sisserou Parrot (Amazona Imperiallis), "The Pride of Dominica" is recognised as the national bird of Dominica. The Sisserou Parrot is protected and it is probably among the oldest species of Amazon parrots in the world. It is found only in the Commonwealth of Dominica.

MAIN ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
The Commonwealth of Dominica's main economic activity is agriculture with bananas as its main crop. The island's tourism industry is the second largest area of economic activity, followed by soap export.

HISTORICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL DATA
Christopher Columbus landed in the Commonwealth of Dominica in 1493. Under a French-British treaty signed in 1660, the Commonwealth of Dominica was made a possession of the Carib Indian inhabitants which explains its rich cultural heritage, as well as its strong Carib lineage. The Island changed hands several times between the French and the British, in the wars of the mid 1700s before the Commonwealth of Dominica became a British possession in 1805. These occurrences explain the fact that Dominicans converse comfortably in French Creole as well as English. The Commonwealth of Dominica is commonly known as the 'Land of Many Rivers' and is said to have 365 rivers to represent each day of the year. Among the many attractive sites are Old Mill Cultural Centre, Fort Shirley, Boiling Lake, Trafalgar Falls, Sulphur Springs, Indian River and the Rain Forest.