It is not to be confused with the Dominican Republic, another Caribbean nation. The name is pronounced "Dom-in-EEK-a," with the accent on the third syllable.
The island was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia Charles, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years.
The President is head of state, while executive power rests with the Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister. The unicameralparliament consists of the 30-member House of Assembly, which consists of twenty-one directly elected members and nine Senators, who may either be appointed by the President or elected by the other members of the House.
Calibishie Coast Introducing Dominica's north coast. http://www.calibishiecoast.com/
Trip to Dominica A guide to planning a trip to the island. Provides photos, descriptions, activities and links to learning systems, including speaking Creole. http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/dominica.htm
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