--- title: Dominica — English Wikipedia · full text with trees · page 2 description: Wikipedia's «Dominica», whole, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics, CC BY-SA 4.0. It begins: Dominica officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Dominica/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [wikipedia](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/) / [en](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/) / Dominica # Dominica · page 2 From Wikipedia, [«Dominica»](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominica), revision of the 2026-09-01 dump, [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). The trees and pragmatics of these pages, Mova's parse of that text, are CC BY-SA 4.0 too. [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Dominica/) **2** [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Dominica/page/3/) [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Dominica/page/4/) ### Post-independence In mid-1979, political discontent with founding prime minister Patrick John's administration climaxed in a civilian coup and ended in the passage of a [motion of no confidence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_of_no_confidence) against John in the House of Assembly, Dominica's legislature, collapsing his administration.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") An Interim Government was formed under Dominica's second Prime Minister [Oliver Seraphin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Seraphin);[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20") Seraphin's main task was to prepare the country for fresh general elections constitutionally due in 1980, hence the unofficial title "Interim Prime Minister".[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") Seraphin organised and led a splinter of the Dominica Labour Party—the Democratic Labour Party—into the 1980 general election and lost mainly because his nearly 13 month-long premiership was dominated by the effects of Category Five [Hurricane David](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_David), which caused 56 deaths and untold damage across the island.[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[\[33\]](../../page/4/#ref-33 "note 33")[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") [Hurricane Allen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Allen) the following year caused further damage.[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") After the [1980 election](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Dominican_general_election), Seraphin's government was replaced by one led by the [Dominica Freedom Party](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominica_Freedom_Party) (DFP) under Prime Minister [Eugenia Charles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenia_Charles); she was the Caribbean's first female prime minister.[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[\[34\]](../../page/4/#ref-34 "note 34")[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") In 1981, Charles's government was threatened with two attempted coups.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") The first was led by [Frederick Newton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Newton), commander of the [Military of Dominica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Dominica), who organised an attack on the police headquarters in Roseau which resulted in the death of a police officer.[\[35\]](../../page/4/#ref-35 "note 35")[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") Newton and five other soldiers were found guilty in the attack and sentenced to death in 1983; the sentences of the five accomplices were later commuted to life in prison, but Newton was executed in 1986.[\[35\]](../../page/4/#ref-35 "note 35")[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") A second occurred later in the year when the country was threatened with a takeover by [mercenaries](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercenaries),[\[36\]](../../page/4/#ref-36 "note 36") led by [Mike Perdue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Perdue) and [Wolfgang Droege](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Droege) in [Operation Red Dog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Red_Dog).[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") They tried to overthrow Charles as prime minister and reinstate ex-prime minister John in exchange for control over the country's development.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") The [FBI](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Bureau_of_Investigation) was tipped off, and the ship hired to transport the mercenaries never left dock.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") The mercenaries lacked formal military experience or training, and most of the crew had been misled into joining by the ringleader Mike Perdue.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") [White supremacist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_supremacy) [Don Black](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Black_%28white_nationalist%29) was jailed for his part in the attempted coup, which violated US [neutrality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrality_Act_of_1794) laws.[\[37\]](../../page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") The Charles government supported the 1983 American [invasion of Grenada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Grenada), earning Dominica praise from the US government of [Ronald Reagan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan), and an increase in financial aid.[\[38\]](../../page/4/#ref-38 "note 38")[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") By the middle of the 1980s, the economy had begun to recover,[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20") before weakening again due to a decrease in [banana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana) prices.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") Eugenia Charles won the [1985](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_Dominican_general_election) general election, becoming the first incumbent Dominica Prime Minister to be popularly re-elected.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") The continuing downturn in the economy and the tight grip by Eugenia Charles on Dominica politics gave rise to a self-titled "Third Force" political formation in 1988, which disrupted the traditional two-party arrangement of governing DFP and opposition DLP.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") The formation soon formalised as the [United Workers' Party](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UWP_%28Dominica%29) (UWP) and selected as its leader [Edison James](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edison_James), the former general manager of the Dominica Banana Marketing Company.[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") This was a strategic selection: he had prestige among banana farmers, and support from his origins in the East Coast, which had begun to feel alienated by the West Coast elites in Roseau, Dominica's capital.[\[26\]](../../page/4/#ref-26 "note 26")[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") Eugenia Charles again won the [1990](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990_Dominican_general_election) general election, the first incumbent Dominica prime minister to win three consecutive general elections, but the UWP's emergence had reduced her party's majority in Parliament to one.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") It was, therefore, no great surprise when Eugenia Charles gave up political leadership of the Dominica Freedom Party in 1993 and did not contest the 1995 general election in any capacity.[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") No longer benefitting from her leadership, the Dominica Freedom Party lost the [1995 election](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_Dominican_general_election) to the UWP, and James became prime minister.[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") He attempted to diversify the Dominican economy away from over-reliance on bananas.[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") The crop was largely destroyed by [Hurricane Luis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Luis) in 1995,[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20") and James was unable to restore the banana industry to its former selling price and prestige.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") Moreover, his administration became embroiled in opposition charges of official corruption.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") In the [31 January 2000 general election](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Dominican_general_election), the UWP were defeated by a coalition of the DLP, led by left-leaning [Roosevelt B. "Rosie" Douglas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosie_Douglas), and the DFP led by former trade union leader [Charles Savarin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Savarin); Douglas became prime minister.[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") One UWP member of the House of Assembly [crossed the floor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing_the_floor), joining the DLP–DFP coalition government.[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") Douglas died on 1 October 2000 after only a few months in office,[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[\[39\]](../../page/4/#ref-39 "note 39") and was replaced by [Pierre Charles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Charles_%28Dominican_politician%29), who died in office on 6 January 2004.[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[\[40\]](../../page/4/#ref-40 "note 40")[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") [Roosevelt Skerrit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roosevelt_Skerrit), also of the DLP, replaced Pierre Charles as prime minister, becoming the world's youngest head of government at the age of 31.[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") Under Skerrit's leadership, the DLP won [elections in May 2005](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Dominican_general_election) that gave the party 12 seats in the 21-seat Parliament.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") The UWP won 8 seats and Ronald Toulon, who was an independent candidate at that time, won the remaining seat.[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") Later, Toulon joined the government.[\[26\]](../../page/4/#ref-26 "note 26")[\[41\]](../../page/4/#ref-41 "note 41")[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") With his 2005 election win, Skerrit became only the second incumbent prime minister to be popularly re-elected.[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") In the [2009 election](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Dominican_general_election), the DLP won 18 of 21 seats.[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") The UWP claimed campaign improprieties and embarked on a wide range of protest actions, including boycott of Parliament.[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") UWP's boycott caused at least three unauthorised absences from Parliament for two of their three elected representatives in violation of Parliamentary procedure, leading to their two seats being declared vacant and by-elections called to fill them in July 2010 The UWP held both seats.[\[42\]](../../page/4/#ref-42 "note 42")[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") The DLP under Skerrit went on to win the [2014 Dominican general election](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Dominican_general_election).[\[43\]](../../page/4/#ref-43 "note 43")[127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") On 17 September 2012 [Eliud Thaddeus Williams](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliud_Williams) was sworn in as president (a largely ceremonial role), replacing [Dr. Nicholas Liverpool](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Liverpool) who was reportedly removed from office due to ill health.[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") On 30 September 2013 former trade union leader and former DFP leader [Charles Savarin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Savarin) was elected president, having only days before resigned as a minister of government.[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") He is Dominica's eighth president.[\[44\]](../../page/4/#ref-44 "note 44")[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") [Tropical Storm Erika](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Erika) devastated the island in August 2015, killing 30 and causing severe environmental and economic damage.[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") Dominica was again struck on 18 September 2017, suffering a direct landfall from Category 5 [Hurricane Maria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Maria).[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[\[45\]](../../page/4/#ref-45 "note 45")[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") Early estimates of damage suggested 90% of the buildings on the island had been destroyed, with infrastructure left in ruins.[\[46\]](../../page/4/#ref-46 "note 46")[\[47\]](../../page/4/#ref-47 "note 47")[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") The UK, France and the Netherlands set up shipping and air lifts to take aid to the island, the scale of destruction having left most people homeless.[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") President Charles Angelo Savarin was re-elected in 2018 for a new five-year term.[\[48\]](../../page/4/#ref-48 "note 48")[135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") In December 2019, incumbent prime minister Roosevelt Skerrit won his fourth consecutive general [election](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Dominican_general_election) 18 seats to 3, becoming the first prime minister of Dominica to do so.[\[49\]](../../page/4/#ref-49 "note 49")[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") Dominica won its first two Commonwealth Games medals in silver (men's triple jump) and bronze (women's triple jump) in the [2018 Commonwealth Games](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Commonwealth_Games) on the [Gold Coast](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Coast,_Queensland).[\[50\]](../../page/4/#ref-50 "note 50")[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") Dominica received its first Olympic gold medal in the [2024 Summer Olympics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Summer_Olympics) in [Paris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris) [corpus](../../../Paris/ "in our corpus") when [Thea LaFond](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thea_LaFond) won the [women's triple jump](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_2024_Summer_Olympics_–_Women%27s_triple_jump) with a length of 15.02 metres.[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") ## Geography Main article: [Geography of Dominica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Dominica) Dominica is an [island nation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_nation) in the [Caribbean Sea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean_Sea), the northernmost of the [Windward Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windward_Islands) (though it is sometimes considered the southernmost of the [Leeward Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeward_Islands)).[\[51\]](../../page/4/#ref-51 "note 51")[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") The size of the country is about 289.5 sqmi and it is about 29 mi long and 16 mi wide.[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[\[3\]](../../page/4/#ref-3 "note 3")[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") Known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean"[\[52\]](../../page/4/#ref-52 "note 52") due to its lush scenery and varied flora and fauna, Dominica is largely covered by [rainforest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainforest) and is home to the world's second-largest [hot spring](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_spring), [Boiling Lake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_Lake).[\[3\]](../../page/4/#ref-3 "note 3")[\[53\]](../../page/4/#ref-53 "note 53")[\[54\]](../../page/4/#ref-54 "note 54")[141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") Within its borders lie two ecoregions: Windward Islands' moist forests and Windward Islands' [xeric](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deserts_and_xeric_shrublands) scrub.[\[55\]](../../page/4/#ref-55 "note 55")[142](../../142/ "tree and pragmatics") The most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters, the largest of these being (north-to-south) [Morne aux Diables](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morne_aux_Diables), [Morne Diablotins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morne_Diablotins) (the highest on the island at 1447 m),[\[3\]](../../page/4/#ref-3 "note 3") [Morne Trois Pitons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morne_Trois_Pitons) and [Morne Anglais](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morne_Anglais).[143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") [Morne Trois Pitons National Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morne_Trois_Pitons_National_Park) is a tropical forest blended with volcanic features;[\[56\]](../../page/4/#ref-56 "note 56") it was recognised as a [World Heritage Site](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Site) on 4 April 1995, a distinction it shares with four other Caribbean islands.[\[57\]](../../page/4/#ref-57 "note 57")[144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") The [Calibishie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calibishie) area in the country's northeast has sandy beaches.[\[58\]](../../page/4/#ref-58 "note 58")[145](../../145/ "tree and pragmatics") Some plants and animals thought to be extinct on surrounding islands can still be found in Dominica's forests.[\[59\]](../../page/4/#ref-59 "note 59")[146](../../146/ "tree and pragmatics") The island has several [protected areas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_area), including [Cabrits National Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabrits_National_Park), as well as 365 rivers.[147](../../147/ "tree and pragmatics") For a few years the government sought to encourage the island as an [ecotourism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecotourism) destination, although the hurricane of 2017 has since changed these plans.[\[3\]](../../page/4/#ref-3 "note 3")[148](../../148/ "tree and pragmatics") The country had a 2018 [Forest Landscape Integrity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Landscape_Integrity_Index) mean score of 1.06/10, ranking it 166th globally out of 172 countries.[\[60\]](../../page/4/#ref-60 "note 60")[149](../../149/ "tree and pragmatics") There are two primary population centres: the capital [Roseau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseau) [corpus](../../../Roseau/ "in our corpus") (with 14,725 inhabitants in 2011) and [Portsmouth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth,_Dominica) (with 4,167 inhabitants in 2011).[150](../../150/ "tree and pragmatics") The main centres tend to be located around the coast, with the mountainous interior sparsely populated.[\[3\]](../../page/4/#ref-3 "note 3")[151](../../151/ "tree and pragmatics") Dominica is especially vulnerable to [hurricanes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane) as the island is located in what is referred to as the hurricane region.[\[3\]](../../page/4/#ref-3 "note 3")[152](../../152/ "tree and pragmatics") In 1979, [Hurricane David](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_David) struck the island as a Category 4 hurricane, causing widespread and extreme damage.[153](../../153/ "tree and pragmatics") On 17 August 2007, [Hurricane Dean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Dean), a Category 1 hurricane at the time, hit the island.[154](../../154/ "tree and pragmatics") A mother and her seven-year-old son died when a [landslide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landslide) caused by the heavy rains crushed their house.[\[61\]](../../page/4/#ref-61 "note 61")[155](../../155/ "tree and pragmatics") In another incident two people were injured when a tree fell on their house.[\[62\]](../../page/4/#ref-62 "note 62")[156](../../156/ "tree and pragmatics") [Prime Minister](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Dominica) [Roosevelt Skerrit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roosevelt_Skerrit) estimated that 100 to 125 homes were damaged, and that the agricultural sector was extensively damaged, in particular the banana crop.[\[63\]](../../page/4/#ref-63 "note 63")[157](../../157/ "tree and pragmatics") In August 2015, [Tropical Storm Erika](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Erika) caused extensive flooding and landslides across the island.[158](../../158/ "tree and pragmatics") Multiple communities were evacuated and upwards of 30 people were killed.[\[64\]](../../page/4/#ref-64 "note 64")[159](../../159/ "tree and pragmatics") According to a Rapid Damage and Impact Assessment prepared for Dominica by the World Bank, the total damage and losses from the storm were US$484.82 million or 90% of Dominica's yearly GDP.[\[65\]](../../page/4/#ref-65 "note 65")[160](../../160/ "tree and pragmatics") Category 5 [Hurricane Maria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Maria) struck the island in 2017 and caused losses of approximately US$930 million or 226% of GDP.[\[47\]](../../page/4/#ref-47 "note 47")[161](../../161/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Fauna Dominica is home to 200 bird species, including two species [endemic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism) to the island\*.[\[66\]](../../page/4/#ref-66 "note 66")[162](../../162/ "tree and pragmatics") \* The [sisserou parrot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_amazon) (Amazona imperialis) is Dominica's national bird and is endemic to its mountain forests.[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[163](../../163/ "tree and pragmatics") A related species, the jaco or [red-necked parrot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-necked_parrot) (A. arausiaca), is also endemic to the island.[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[164](../../164/ "tree and pragmatics") Both birds are rare and protected, though some forests are still threatened by logging in addition to the long-standing threat of hurricanes.[165](../../165/ "tree and pragmatics") Dominica has recorded four species of snakes,[\[67\]](../../page/4/#ref-67 "note 67") including two endemic species: the [Dominican blind snake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_blind_snake)[\[68\]](../../page/4/#ref-68 "note 68") and the [Dominican boa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boa_nebulosa).[\[69\]](../../page/4/#ref-69 "note 69")[166](../../166/ "tree and pragmatics") The island is home to eleven species of lizards,[\[67\]](../../page/4/#ref-67 "note 67") including two endemic species: the [Dominican anole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anolis_oculatus) and the [Dominican ground lizard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_ground_lizard).[\[70\]](../../page/4/#ref-70 "note 70")[\[71\]](../../page/4/#ref-71 "note 71")[\[72\]](../../page/4/#ref-72 "note 72")[167](../../167/ "tree and pragmatics") Dominica is the last major stronghold of the [critically endangered](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critically_endangered) [Lesser Antillean iguana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_Antillean_iguana) (Iguana delicatissima).[\[73\]](../../page/4/#ref-73 "note 73")[\[74\]](../../page/4/#ref-74 "note 74")[168](../../168/ "tree and pragmatics") The [Caribbean Sea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean_Sea) around the island of Dominica is home to many [cetaceans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetacean).[\[75\]](../../page/4/#ref-75 "note 75")[169](../../169/ "tree and pragmatics") A group of [sperm whales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sperm_whale) live in the area year-round.[\[76\]](../../page/4/#ref-76 "note 76")[170](../../170/ "tree and pragmatics") Other cetaceans commonly seen in the area include [spinner dolphins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinner_dolphin), [pantropical spotted dolphins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantropical_spotted_dolphin) and [bottlenose dolphins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottlenose_dolphin).[\[77\]](../../page/4/#ref-77 "note 77")[\[78\]](../../page/4/#ref-78 "note 78")[171](../../171/ "tree and pragmatics") Less commonly seen animals include [killer whales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_whales), [false killer whales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_killer_whale), [pygmy sperm whales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_sperm_whale), [dwarf sperm whales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf_sperm_whale), [Risso's dolphins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risso%27s_dolphin), [common dolphins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_dolphin), [Atlantic spotted dolphins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_spotted_dolphin), [humpback whales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpback_whales) and [Bryde's whales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryde%27s_whale).[172](../../172/ "tree and pragmatics") This makes Dominica a destination for tourists interested in [whale-watching](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale-watching).[173](../../173/ "tree and pragmatics") ## Government and politics Main article: [Politics of Dominica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Dominica) See also: [Foreign relations of Dominica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Dominica) Dominica is a [parliamentary democracy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_democracy) within the [Commonwealth of Nations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations).[\[15\]](../../page/4/#ref-15 "note 15")[174](../../174/ "tree and pragmatics") The capital is [Roseau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseau) [corpus](../../../Roseau/ "in our corpus").[175](../../175/ "tree and pragmatics") Dominica is one of the Caribbean's few [republics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic).[176](../../176/ "tree and pragmatics") The [head of state](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_of_state) is an indirectly elected [president](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Dominica), while executive power rests with the [cabinet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_of_Dominica), headed by the [prime minister](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Dominica).[\[15\]](../../page/4/#ref-15 "note 15")[177](../../177/ "tree and pragmatics") The [unicameral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicameral) [parliament](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament) consists of the 30-member [House of Assembly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Assembly_of_Dominica), which consists of 21 directly elected members, and 9 senators who may either be appointed by the president or elected by the other members of the House of Assembly.[\[15\]](../../page/4/#ref-15 "note 15")[178](../../178/ "tree and pragmatics") Unlike other former British colonies in the region, Dominica has never been a [Commonwealth realm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_realm), having become a republic upon gaining its independence.[179](../../179/ "tree and pragmatics") Dominica is a full and participating member of the [Caribbean Community](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean_Community) (CARICOM) and the [Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_of_Eastern_Caribbean_States) (OECS).[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[180](../../180/ "tree and pragmatics") Dominica is also a member of the [International Criminal Court](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Criminal_Court), with a [Bilateral Immunity Agreement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilateral_Immunity_Agreement) of protection with the US military, as covered under [Article 98](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome_Statute_of_the_International_Criminal_Court).[181](../../181/ "tree and pragmatics") In January 2008, Dominica joined the [Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolivarian_Alternative_for_the_Americas).[\[20\]](../../page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[182](../../182/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Dominica/) **2** [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Dominica/page/3/) [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Dominica/page/4/) - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Dominica/) - next →: [page 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Dominica/page/3/) - ↑ back to [English Wikipedia](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/)