About Dominica

The Commonwealth of Dominica, known to many as the Nature Island of the World, is an english speaking island sitauted in a chain of islands which lies between North and South America. The nature isle sits between two of the french speaking Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe to the North and Martinique to the south with a total area of 754 square kilometres (291 square miles). Its location is 15 degrees North latitude and 61 degrees West longitude. The population based on the last census held in 2001 and statistics retreived from the statistical Divisionis 72,500 . Census is held every ten years and May 14th, 2011 will be the next scheduled census.

Christopher Columbus, famous sailor claimed to have discovered Dominica on November 4th, 1493 however and named the island Dominica because he discovered it on a Sunday (domingo). Dr. Lennox Honeychurch Dominican historian in his book entitled “The Dominica Story” refutes this claim as there is evidence to prove that the Carib-Indians were already present on the island when Christopher Columbus and his sailors arrived. Today, some of the descendants of the Carib-Indians are still on island and are referred to as the Indigenous people of Dominica. The government has given them an entire area of land belonging soley to them and dubbed as the Carib Territory. However, this name has recently been changed to the ‘Kalinago Territory’ by the Carib chief and his team of councillors approved by the government of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Our national symbol is the flag and it was adopted on 3rd November, 1978 and consists of a circular emblem of red bearing a Sisserou Parrot standing on a twig encircled by ten lime green stars. This is superimposed on three vertical and three horizontal stripes of yellow, black and white forming a triple coloured cross against a background of forest green.

Flag of the Commonwealth of Dominica

The central emblem presents the National Bird of Dominica, the Sisserou parrot, also a symbol of flight toward greater heights and fulfillment of aspiration. The Parrot also comes from the Dominica Coat of Arms, thus symbolising the official seal of the country. The ten lime green stars – the traditional symbol of hope – represent the ten parishes of the country, each with equal status, thus the equality of our people. The red central emblem symbolises Dominica’s commitment to social justice.

The yellow, black and white stripes form a triple coloured cross representing the Trinity of God. The cross itself demonstrates belief in God since the Commonwealth of Dominica is founded upon the principles that acknowledge the supremacy of God. The yellow stripe represents the sunshine of our land, our main agricultural produce: citrus and bananas; and is also a symbol of the Carib and Arawak people, the first inhabitants of the Island.

The white stripe represents the clarity of our rivers and waterfalls and the purity of aspiration of our people. The black stripe represents the rich black soil of our island on which our agriculture is based, as well as our African heritage. The general background of the dark green symbolises our rich verdant forest and the general lushness of the island.

The Coat of Arms of Dominica ” bears the inscription ‘ Apres Bondie C’est La Ter’, (after God the Earth), which emphasizes the importance of the soil in the island with its economy based on agriculture.” The flower honoured as our National Flower is a wild xerophitic plant known botanically as Sabinea carinalis, commonly known as Carib Wood or ‘Bwa Kwaib’. It was legislated as the National Flower, along with the Coat of Arms and National Flag in 1978. (The National Emblems of Dominica Act, 1978) (Act No. 18 of 1978), retreived from the official website of the Comonwealth of Dominica www.dominica.gov.dm

The National Pledge was written by Mr. Peter Israel and is recited in the follwoing form;