located 550 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea

_*_People
_#_Population: 86,285 (July 1991), growth rate 1.7% (1991)

_#_Birth rate: 26 births/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Infant mortality rate: 13 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

_#_Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 79 years female (1991)

_#_Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born/woman (1991)

_#_Nationality: noun--Dominican(s); adjective--Dominican

_#_Ethnic divisions: mostly black; some Carib indians

_#_Religion: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%,
Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%),
none 2%, unknown 1%, other 5%

_#_Language: English (official); French patois widely spoken

_#_Literacy: 94% (male 94%, female 94%) age 15 and over having ever
attended school (1970)

_#_Labor force: 25,000; agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%,
services 28% (1984)

_#_Organized labor: 25% of labor force

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Commonwealth of Dominica

_#_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)

_#_Constitution: 3 November 1978

_#_Legal system: based on English common law

_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

_#_Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet

_#_Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly

_#_Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State--President Sir Clarence Augustus SEIGNORET (since
19 December 1983);

Head of Government--Prime Minister (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES (since 21
July 1980, elected for a third term 28 May 1990)

_#_Political parties and leaders:
Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), (Mary) Eugenia CHARLES;
Dominica Labor Party (DLP), Michael DOUGLAS;
United Workers Party (UWP), Edison JAMES

_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18

_#_Elections:

President--last held 20 December 1988 (next to be held December
1993); the president is elected by the House of Assembly;

House of Assembly--last held 28 May 1990 (next to be held May
1995); results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(30 total; 9 appo