Commonwealth of Dominica

Motto
"Après Bondie, C'est La Ter" (Antillean Creole)
"After God is the Earth"


Dominica 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 the administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia Charles, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years.

Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean


The country of Dominica is mountainous in nature with several peaks rising even above 4,000 ft and all these mountains are covered with rich forests. The country's high annual rainfall contributes to the rich and fertile forests. Being volcanic in nature, the country has many volcanoes. Small, un-navigable rivers and lakes also dot the island. One of the most famous lakes is the Boiling Lake, located in the south, from which sulfurous gases frequently arise.

View of the bay in Calibishie in the north of the island