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, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS,
OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (resident in
Dominica)
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Dominica; the Ambassador to Dominica resides in
Bridgetown (Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica
Flag description: green, with a centered cross of three equal
bands--the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and
the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed
in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot
encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10
stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy depends on agriculture and is
highly vulnerable to climatic conditions, notably tropical storms.
Agriculture, primarily bananas, accounts for 20% of GDP and employs
40% of the labor force. Development of the tourist industry remains
difficult because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the
lack of an international airport. Hurricane Luis devastated the
country's banana crop in September 1995; tropical storms had wiped
out one-quarter of the crop in 1994 as well. The economy began to
recover in mid-1998, fueled by increases in construction, soap
production, and tourist arrivals. The government is attempting to
develop an offshore financial industry in order to diversify the
island's production base.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$216 million (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 1.8% (1997)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,300 (1997 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 16%
services: 64% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (1997)
Labor force: 25,000
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and commerce
32%, services 28%
Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $72 million
expenditures: $79.9 million, including capital expenditures of $11.5
million (FY97/98)
Industries: soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement
blocks, shoes
Industrial production growth rate: -10% (1997 est.)
Electricity--production: 40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 50%
hydro: 50%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops,
coconuts; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Exports: $50.4 million (1997)
Exports--commodities: bananas 50%, soap, bay oil, vegetables,
grapefruit, oranges
Exports--partners: Caricom countries 47%, UK 36%, US 7% (1996 est.)
Imports: $104.2 million (1997)
Imports--commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and equipment,
food, chemicals
Imports--partners: US 41%, Caricom 25%, UK 13%, Netherlands, Canada
Debt--external: $105 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $24.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.7000
(fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June
Communications
Telephones: 14,613 (1993 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: fully automatic network
international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to
Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint
Lucia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 45,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (there is one cable television
company) (1997)
Televisions: 5,200 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 780 km
paved: 393 km
unpaved: 387 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Portsmouth, Roseau
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force
(includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US
and Europe; minor cannabis producer; banking industry is vulnerable
to money laundering
======================================================================
@Dominican Republic
------------------
Geography
Location: Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of
Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
east of Haiti
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 70 40 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 48,730 sq km
land: 48,380 sq km
water: 350 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly more than twice the size of New
Hampshire
Land boundaries:
total: 275 km
border countries: Haiti 275 km
Coastline: 1,288 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 6 nm
Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature
variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys
interspersed
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land use:
arable land: 21%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 43%
forests and woodland: 12%
other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and
subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding;
periodic droughts
Environment--current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into
the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography--note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern
two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)
People
Population: 8,129,734 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 1,447,435; female 1,393,122)
15-64 years: 61% (male 2,501,206; female 2,426,564)
65 years and over: 4% (male 171,049; female 190,358) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.62% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 25.97 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.66 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 42.52 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.07 years
male: 67.86 years
female: 72.4 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.03 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups: white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.1%
male: 82%
female: 82.2% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Dominican Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republica Dominicana
local short form: none
Data code: DR
Government type: republic
Capital: Santo Domingo
Administrative divisions: 29 provinces (provincias,
singular--provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco,
Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo,
Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La
Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte
Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez
Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago,
Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde
Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution: 28 November 1966
Legal system: based on French civil codes
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married
persons regardless of age
note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August
1996); Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16 August
1996); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16
August 1996); Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16
August 1996); note--the president is both the chief of state and head
of government
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year term; election last held 16 May 1996;
runoff election held 30 June 1996 (next to be held 16 May 2000)
election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna elected president; percent
of vote--Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (PLD) 51.25%, Jose Francisco PENA
Gomez (PRD) 48.75%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso
Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of
Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA May
2002); Chamber of Deputies--last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA
May 2002)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--PRD 24, PLD 4, PRSC 2; Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by
party--NA; seats by party--PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are
elected by a Council made up of legislative and executive members
with the president presiding)
Political parties and leaders:
Rene BEAUCHAMPS Javier]; Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or
note: in 1983 several leftist parties, including the PCD, joined to
form the Dominican Leftist Front or FID; however, they still retain
individual party structures
Political pressure groups and leaders: Collective of Popular
Organizations or COP
International organization participation: ACP, Caricom
(observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (guest),
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo VEGA Boyrie
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto
Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco,
and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston,
Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo
Navarro, Santo Domingo
mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500
Flag description: a centered white cross that extends to the
edges divides the flag into four rectangles--the top ones are blue
(hoist side) and red, the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue;
a small coat of arms is at the center of the cross
Economy
Economy--overview: In December 1996, incoming President FERNANDEZ
presented a bold reform package for this Caribbean economy--including
the devaluation of the peso, income tax cuts, a 50% increase in
sales taxes, reduced import tariffs, and increased gasoline
prices--in an attempt to create a market-oriented economy that can
compete internationally. Even though most reforms are stalled in the
legislature, the economy grew vigorously in 1997-98, with tourism
and telecommunications leading the advance. The government is
working to increase electric generating capacity, a key to continued
economic growth, but the privatization of the state electricity
company has met numerous delays. In late September 1998, Hurricane
Georges caused approximately $1.3 billion in damages, largely to
agriculture and infrastructure.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$39.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 7% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$5,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 19%
industry: 25%
services: 56% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: 20.6% (1992 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 39.6% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 2.3 million to 2.6 million
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 50%, services and
government 32%, industry 18% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate: 16% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.3 billion
expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $867
million (1999 est.)
Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold
mining, textiles, cement, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1995 est.)
Electricity--production: 6.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 70.15%
hydro: 29.85%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 6.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco,
rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products,
beef, eggs
Exports: $997 million (1997 est.)
Exports--commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, coffee, cocoa
Exports--partners: US 45%, EU 19.9%, Canada 3.6%, South Korea 3.3%
(1996)
Imports: $3.6 billion (1998)
Imports--commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics,
chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Imports--partners: US 44%, EU 16%, Venezuela 11%, Netherlands
Antilles, Mexico, Japan (1995)
Debt--external: $3.6 billion (1997)
Economic aid--recipient: $239.6 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1--15.949 (January
1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997), 13.775 (1996), 13.597 (1995),
13.160 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 190,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave
radio relay network
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station--1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 120, FM 0, shortwave 6
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 25 (1997)
Televisions: 728,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 757 km
standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad)
narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominica Government Railway);
240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m,
0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (1995)
Highways:
total: 12,600 km
paved: 6,224 km
unpaved: 6,376 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km
Ports and harbors: Barahona, La Romana, Puerto Plata, San Pedro
de Macoris, Santo Domingo
Merchant marine:
total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT
(1998 est.)
Airports: 36 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 22
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 15 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,156,827 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,355,342 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 82,902 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $180 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.1% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs
destined for the US
======================================================================
@Ecuador
-------
Geography
Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at
the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 77 30 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 283,560 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km
water: 6,720 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Nevada
Land boundaries:
total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,237 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and
Galapagos Islands
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical along coast becoming cooler inland
Terrain: coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands
(sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 56%
other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 5,560 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic
activity; periodic droughts
Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion;
desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production
wastes
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in
world
People
Population: 12,562,496 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 2,250,690; female 2,172,302)
15-64 years: 60% (male 3,745,390; female 3,833,841)
65 years and over: 5% (male 261,090; female 299,183) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.78% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 22.26 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.06 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 30.69 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.16 years
male: 69.54 years
female: 74.9 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.63 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and Spanish) 55%,
Amerindian 25%, Spanish 10%, black 10%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially
Quechua)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.1%
male: 92%
female: 88.2% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador
local long form: Republica del Ecuador
local short form: Ecuador
Data code: EC
Government type: republic
Capital: Quito
Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (provincias,
singular--provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo,
Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los
Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios,
Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe
note: a new province, Orellana, was reported to have been formed in
1998
Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 August (1809)
(independence of Quito)
Constitution: 10 August 1998
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate
persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jamil MAHUAD (since 10 August 1998); Vice
President Gustavo NOBOA (since 10 August 1998); note--the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jamil MAHUAD (since 10 August 1998);
Vice President Gustavo NOBOA (since 10 August 1998); note--the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 31 May 1998;
runoff election held 12 July 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: Jamil MAHUAD elected president; percent of vote--51%