Dominica
 

to 1874   1874 - 1 Jan 1940 Leeward Islands   1 Jan 1940 - 1955 Windward Islands   1955 - 9 Nov 1965   9 Nov 1965 - 2 Nov 1978   3 Nov 1978 - 3 Nov 1981   3 Nov 1981 - 3 Nov 1988 3 Nov 1988 - 3 Nov 1990 Adopted 3 Nov 1990 Map of Dominica Hear National Anthem "Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendour" Text of National Anthem Adopted 3 Nov 1978 (from 1967) Constitution  (3 Nov 1978) Capital: Roseau (Portsmouth 1765-1768) Currency: East Caribbean  Dollar (XCD)  National Holiday: 3 Nov (1978) Independence Day Population: 74,661 (2024) GDP: $1.16 billion (2023) Exports: $185 million (2023) Imports: $414 million (2023) Ethnic groups: African descent 84.5%, mixed 9%, Indigenous (Carib) 3.8%, other 2.1%, unspecified 0.6% (2011) Total Police Force: 444 (2023) Merchant marine: 77 ships (2023) Religions: Roman Catholic 52.7%, Protestant 29.7% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 6.7%, Pentecostal 6.1%, Baptist 5.2%, Christian Union Church 3.9%, Methodist 2.6%, Gospel Mission 2.1%, other Protestant 3.1%), Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 4.3%, none 9.4%, unspecified 1.4% (2011) International Organizations/Treaties: ACP, ACS, ALBA, AOSIS, APM, BTWC, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, CTBT, CWC, ECCB, ECCU, ENMOD, ESCR, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU (observer), IRENA, ISA, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NPT, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNFCC-KP, UNFCC-PA, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Dominica Index Chronology  3 Nov 1493                Discovered and claimed for Spain by Christopher                              Columbus, named Isla Dominga.  2 Jul 1627                Dominica (them spelled Dominico) granted to James,                              Earl of Carlisle by King Charles I of England                             (as part of the Islands of Carlisle Province, also                              called Carliola); no settlement. 1635                       Claimed by France, no settlement until 1690's, no                              central rule until 1727 (Île de la Dominique). 31 Mar 1660                Agreed between the Caribs, French and English that                              Dominica will be left for the Caribs. 1664 - 1666                Baron Willoughby appoints half-Carib Thomas Warner                              who had fled to Dominica as governor, he remains                              until being made a prisoner by the French in 1666.  7 Feb 1686                French and English re-designate Dominica a Carib                              territory, but French settlers continue to arrive. 1700                       British attempted settlement. 18 Oct 1748 -  6 Jun 1761  Neutral territory (as agreed by France and U.K.),                              but France sends settlers from Martinique in 1727.  6 Jun 1761                Occupied by U.K. 10 Feb 1763                British colony (Dominica).  7 Oct 1763 -  3 Oct 1771  Part of the government of Grenada.  8 Sep 1778 - 10 Jan 1784  French rule (Île de la Dominique). 10 Jan 1784                British colony (Dominica).  5 Jun 1795                Failed French attack coinciding with internal rising                              of French planters of Colihaut quarter. 22 Feb 1805                 Failed French attack commanded by Admiral Édouard                              Thomas Burgues de Missiessy burns much of Roseau                              to the ground. 23 Nov 1832 -  1 Jan 1940  Part of the Leeward Islands                              (see Antigua and Barbuda).  1 Jan 1940 -  1 Jan 1960  Part of the Windward Islands colony                               (see under Grenada).  3 Jan 1958 - 31 May 1962  Part of the Federation of the West Indies                              (see under Trinidad and Tobago).  1 Mar 1967                Associated state (Dominica).  3 Nov 1978                Independence (Commonwealth of Dominica). Kalinago (Carib Reserve)

English Governor
1664 - 1666                Thomas "Indian" Warner               (b. c.1630 - d. 1674)
                             (appointed by Baron Willoughby)
English Commander
1700                       Tobias Frere                         (b. 16.. - d. 1707)
French Commandants
 1 Dec 1727 - 1742         Claude Le Grand                      (d. 1748)
1742 - 1754                Descasseaux Bontemps                 (d. 1754)
1754                       Descasseaux (acting)
                             (brother of the above)
1754 - Jun 1761            Louis Robert de la Touche de Longpré (b. 1680 - d. 1779)
Governors
 6 Jun 1761 - 1763         Andrew Rollo, Lord Rollo             (b. 1703 - d. 1765)
 8 Oct 1763 - 1765         Robert Melville                      (b. 1723 - d. 1809) 
1765 -  6? Nov 1767        George Scott (acting)                (b. 1722 - d. 1767)
 8 Mar 1768 - 1773         William Young                        (b. 1725 - d. 1788)
18 Jul 1773 - 1774         William Stuart (Stewart) (1st time)
                             (lieutenant-governor)(acting)
15 Nov 1774 - Jul 1778     Sir Thomas Shirley                   (b. 1727 - d. 1800)
25 Jul 1778 -  7 Sep 1778  William Stuart (Stewart) (2nd time)
                             (lieutenant-governor)(acting)
 8 Sep 1778 - 1781         Marie Charles, marquis du Chilleau   (b. 1734 - d. 1794)
1781                       James Fagan (de Fagan)(acting)       (b. 17.. - d. 1801)
 1 Mar 1781 - Aug 1781     Jacques Martin de Bourgon            (b. 1742 - d. 1820)
Aug 1781 - 22 Jan 1782     François Claude Amour, marquis de    (b. 1739 - d. 1800)
                             Bouillé (acting)
22 Jan 1782 - 10 Jan 1784  Louis-Gabriel Bacharetie de Beaupuy  (b. 1753 - d. 1793)
                             (Beaupré)(acting)
10 Jan 1784 - 17 Jul 1789  John Orde (1st time)                 (b. 1751 - d. 1824)
19 Jul 1789 - 23 Dec 1790  Thomas Bruce (1st time)(acting)      (b. 1738 - d. 1797)
24 Dec 1790 - 17 Oct 1792  John Orde (2nd time)                 (s.a.)
18 Oct 1792 - 30 Nov 1794  Thomas Bruce (2nd time)(acting)      (s.a.)
30 Nov 1794 -  2 Sep 1796  Henry Hamilton                       (b. 1734 - d. 1796)
 2 Sep 1796 -  8 Sep 1797  John Matson (1st time)(acting)       (b. 1746 - d. 1805)
 8 Sep 1797 - 18 May 1799  Andrew James Cochrane Johnstone      (b. 1767 - d. 1833)
                             (1st time)
18 May 1799 - 23 Jun 1800  John Matson (2nd time)(acting)       (s.a.)
23 Jun 1800 - 25 Dec 1802  Andrew James Cochrane Johnstone      (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
25 Dec 1802 - 24 Jun 1805  Sir George Prévost                   (b. 1767 - d. 1816)
 5 Jul 1805 - 27 May 1808  George Metcalfe (acting)             (b. c.1758 - d. 1821)
31 Jul 1808 - 12 Dec 1808  Edward Barnes (1st time) (acting)    (b. 1776 - d. 1838)
12 Dec 1808 -  3 Jul 1809  James Montgomerie                    (b. 1756 - d. 1829)
 3 Jul 1809 - 15 Apr 1812  Edward Barnes (2nd time)             (s.a.)
16 Apr 1812 - 18 Apr 1813  John Corlet (acting)                 (b. 1770? - d. 1813)
19 Apr 1813 - 22 Nov 1814  George Robert Ainslie                (b. 1776 - d. 1839)
22 Nov 1814 - 18 Apr 1816  Benjamin Lucas (acting)              (b. c.1750 - d. 1822)
18 Apr 1816 - 20 May 1816  Robert Reid (1st time) (acting)      (b. 1774 - d. 1828)
20 May 1816 - 1819         Charles William Maxwell              (b. 1776 - d. 1848)
25 Sep 1819 - 1820         Robert Reid (2nd time) (acting)      (s.a.)
29 Mar 1820 - 1821         Samuel Ford Whittingham              (b. 1772 - d. 1841)
 7 Nov 1821 -  5 Jun 1822  Robert Reid (3rd time) (acting)      (s.a.)
 5 Jun 1822 - 1824         Hans Francis Hastings,               (b. 1779 - d. 1828)
                             Earl of Huntingdon
30 Jun 1824 - 31 Jul 1834  William Bremner (acting)             (b. 1773 - d. 1828)
31 Jul 1824 -  4 Jul 1827  William Nicolay (1st time)           (b. 1771 - d. 1842)
 4 Jul 1827 - 24 Mar 1828  John Laidlaw (acting)                (d. 1831)
24 Mar 1828 - 04 Oct 1830  William Nicolay (2nd time)           (s.a.)
24 Oct 1830 -  7 Jan 1832  James Potter Lockhart (acting)       (b. 1775 - d. 1837)
 7 Jan 1832 - 1833         Evan John Murray MacGregor           (b. 1785 - d. 1841)
Lieutenant governors
23 Apr 1833 -  2 Jan 1835  Charles Marsh Schomberg              (b. 1779 - d. 1835)
 2 Jan 1835 - 1837         James Potter Lockhart (acting)       (s.a.)
1837 - 1838                Henry Light                          (b. 1783 - d. 1870)
12 Jul 1838 - Aug 1838     John Longley                         (b. 1786 - d. 1838)
Aug 1838 - 1839            Symonds Bridgwater (acting)          (d. 1848)
1839 -  7 Apr 1839         T. Mannin (Manning)(acting)
 7 Apr 1839 - 1840         John Macphail (1st time)
30 Jul 1840 - Feb 1842     Richard Hort                         (b. c.1804 - d. 1857)
Feb 1842 - 1843            John Macphail (2nd time)
 6 Jun 1843 - 1845         Dugald Stewart Laidlaw (acting)      (d. 1846)
14 Jan 1845 - 1851         George MacDonald                     (b. 1784 - d. 1883)
 1 Apr 1851 - 1854         Samuel Wensley Blackall (1st time)   (b. 1809 - d. 1871)
1854 - 1856                James Laing Bremner (acting)         (b. 1805 - d. 1864)
1856 - 1857                Samuel Wensley Blackall (2nd time)   (s.a.)
 2 Sep 1857 - 1860         Harry St. George Ord                 (b. 1819 - d. 1885)
                             (acting from 1860)
Apr 1860 - 30 Dec 1861     George Berkeley (acting)             (b. 1819 - d. 1905)
30 Dec 1861 - 25 Oct 1864  Thomas Price                         (b. 1817 - d. 1864)
 5 Jan 1865 - 18 Oct 1865  William Cleaver Francis Robinson     (b. 1834 - d. 1897)
                             (acting)
 5 Sep 1865 - Mar 1867     James Robert Longden                 (b. 1827 - d. 1891)
Mar 1867 - Jan 1869        Henry Gascoyne Ernest Bulwer (acting)(b. 1836 - d. 1914)
31 Dec 1868 - 1871         Sanford Freeling                     (b. 1828 - d. 1894)
1871                       Edwin Donald Baynes (acting)         (b. 1828 - d. 1884)
 3 Oct 1871 - 31 Mar 1872  Neale Porter (acting)                (b. 1826? - d. 1905)
Presidents
 1 Apr 1872 - 13 Jun 1872  Neale Porter (1st time)(acting)      (s.a.)
1872 - 1873                Alexander Wilson Moir                (b. 1825 - d. 1897)
1873 - Jun 1882            Charles Monroe Eldridge              (b. 1825 - d. 1888)
Jun 1882 - Nov 1882        Neale Porter (2nd time)(acting)      (s.a.)
Dec 1882 - 1887            James Meade                          (b. 1822 - d. 1890)
1882 - 1887                John Kemys Spencer-Churchill         (b. 1835 - d. 1913)
                             (acting)
Feb 1887 - 1894            George Ruthven Le Hunte              (b. 1852 - d. 1925)
                             (also called commissioner)
1894 - 1895                Edward Baynes (acting commissioner)
Administrators
Jul 1895 - Apr 1899        Philip Arthur Templer                (b. 1846 - d. 1899)
Apr 1899 - Sep 1899        William Henry Whyham (acting)        (b. 1848 - d. 1917)
Sep 1899 -  9 Sep 1904     Henry Hesketh Joudou Bell (1st time) (b. 1864 - d. 1952)
 9 Sep 1904 - 28 Sep 1904  William Henry Porter (acting)        (b. 1856 - d. 19..)
28 Sep 1904 - 1905         Henry Hesketh Joudou Bell (2nd time) (s.a.)
1905 - 1913                William Douglas Young                (b. 1859 - d. 1943)
1913 - Mar 1914            John Alder Burdon (acting)           (b. 1866 - d. 1933)
Mar 1914 - Jan 1915        Edward Rawle Drayton                 (b. 1859 - d. 1927)
Jan 1915 - 27 Oct 1919     Arthur William Mahaffy               (b. 1869 - d. 1919)
1919 - 1923                Robert Walter                        (b. 1873 - d. 1959)
Nov 1923 - 1924            Wilfred Bennett Davidson-Houston     (b. 1870 - d. 1960) 
                             (acting) 
Jul 1924 - 1931            Edward Carlyon Eliot                 (b. 1879 - d. 1940)
11 Nov 1927 - 10 Apr 1928  Herbert Walter Peebles               (b. 1877 - d. 1955)
                             (acting for Eliot)
1931                       Thomas Edwin Percival Baynes         (b. 1885 - d. 1952)
                             (1st time)(acting)
 3 Jul 1931 - 1933         Walter Andrew Bowring                (b. 1875 - d. 1950)
21 Nov 1933 - 1937         Henry Bradshaw Popham                (b. 1881 - d. 1947)
1937 - 1938                Thomas Edwin Percival Baynes         (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)(acting)
1938 - 1946                James Scott Neill                    (b. 1889 - d. 1958)
                             (acting from 1945)
26 Jan 1946 - 1952         Edwin Porter Arrowsmith              (b. 1909 - d. 1992)
1952 - 14 Jul 1952         Victor Clement Josse (acting)        (b. 1913 - d. 19..)
14 Jul 1952 - 25 Jul 1959  Henry Laurence Lindo                 (b. 1911 - d. 1980)
25 Jul 1959 - 1959         A.D.W. Johnson (acting)
1959 - 17 Feb 1960         Neville Algernon Berridge (acting)   (b. 1915 - d. 2000)
17 Feb 1960 - Dec 1964     Alec Lovelace                        (b. 1907 - d. 1981)
 5 Jan 1965 -  1 Mar 1967  Geoffrey Colin Guy                   (b. 1921 - d. 2006)
Governors
 1 Mar 1967 - 24 Oct 1967  Geoffrey Colin Guy                   (s.a.)
24 Oct 1967 -  3 Nov 1978  Louis Cools-Lartigue                 (b. 1905 - d. 1993)
                             (from 1 Jan 1968, Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue)
Presidents
 3 Nov 1978 - 18 Jan 1979  Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue (interim)   (s.a.)
19 Jan 1979 - 29 Jan 1980  Frederick "Fred" Eutrope Degazon     (b. 1913 - d. 2008)
                             (left Dominica on 11 Jun 1979)
15 Jun 1979 - 16 Jun 1979  Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue             (s.a.)
                             (acting for Degazon)
21 Jun 1979 - 15 Feb 1980  Jenner Bourne Maude Armour           (b. 1932 - d. 2001)
                             (acting [for Degazon to 29 Jan 1980])
16 Feb 1980 - 25 Feb 1980  Vacant
26 Feb 1980 - 20 Dec 1983  Aurelius John Baptiste Lamothe Marie (b. 1903 - d. 1995)
21 Dec 1983 - 24 Oct 1993  Clarence Henry Augustus Seignoret    (b. 1919 - d. 2002)  DLP
                             (from 25 Oct 1985, Sir Clarence Henry Augustus Seignoret)
                             (acting for Lamothe Marie 23 May - 20 Dec 1983)
25 Oct 1993 -  5 Oct 1998  Crispin Anselm Sorhaindo             (b. 1931 - d. 2010)  DFP 
 6 Oct 1998 -  1 Oct 2003  Vernon Lorden Shaw                   (b. 1930 - d. 2013)  DUWP
 2 Oct 2003 - 17 Sep 2012  Nicholas Joseph Orville Liverpool    (b. 1934 - d. 2015)  Non-party
17 Sep 2012 -  2 Oct 2013  Eliud Thaddeus Williams              (b. 1948)            Non-party
 2 Oct 2013 -  2 Oct 2023  Charles Angelo Savarin               (b. 1943)            LPD
 2 Oct 2023 -              Sylvanie Burton (f)                  (b. 1965?)           LPD

Leader of the government
1957 -  1 Jan 1960         Franklin "Frank" Arthur Merrifield   (b. 1923 - d. 2016)  DUPP
                             Baron
Chief ministers
 1 Jan 1960 - 21 Jan 1961  Franklin "Frank" Arthur Merrifield   (s.a.)               DUPP
                             Baron
21 Jan 1961 -  1 Mar 1967  Edward Oliver LeBlanc                (b. 1923 - d. 2004)  DLP
Premiers
 1 Mar 1967 - 27 Jul 1974  Edward Oliver LeBlanc                (s.a.)               DLP
27 Jul 1974 -  3 Nov 1978  Patrick Rowland John                 (b. 1938 - d. 2021)  DLP 
Prime ministers
 3 Nov 1978 - 21 Jun 1979  Patrick Rowland John                 (s.a.)               DLP
21 Jun 1979 - 24 Jul 1980  Oliver James "O.J." Seraphine        (b. 1943)            DmLP
                             (interim)
21 Jul 1980 - 14 Jun 1995  Mary Eugenia Charles (f)             (b. 1919 - d. 2005)  DFP
                             (from 18 Oct 1991, Dame Mary Eugenia Charles) 
14 Jun 1995 -  3 Feb 2000  Edison Chenfil James                 (b. 1943)            DUWP
 3 Feb 2000 -  1 Oct 2000  Roosevelt "Rosie" Bernard Douglas    (b. 1941 - d. 2000)  LPD
 1 Oct 2000 -  6 Jan 2004  Pierre Charles                       (b. 1954 - d. 2004)  LPD
                             (acting to 3 Oct 2000)
 6 Jan 2004 -  8 Jan 2004  Francis Osborne Riviere (acting)     (b. 1932 - d. 2017)  LPD
 8 Jan 2004 -              Roosevelt Skerrit                    (b. 1972)            LPD

Territorial Disputes: Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),  which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ and continental shelf claims over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea.

Party abbreviations: DFP = Dominica Freedom Party (conservative, est.1968); DUWP = Dominica United Workers' Party (social-democratic, est.1985); LPD = Labour Party of Dominica (social-democratic, former DLP, est.1985);
- Former Parties: DLP = Dominica Labour Party (social-democratic, 1955-1985, renamed LPD); DmLP = Democratic Labour Party (split from DLP, 1979-1985); DUPP = Dominica United People's Party (middle class independent, 1957-1968)

1776                       Land reserved by British Crown for Caribs (Calínago/Kalinago),
                             area is called The Carib Quarter.
 4 Jul 1903                Carib Reserve established.
Sep 1930 - Jun 1952        Office of Chief suspended by colonial government following to the
                             1930 "Carib War."
Jun 1952                   Carib Council established.
31 Mar 1978                Carib Reserve Act formalizes internal self-government (Caribs
                             preferred to call the area "Carib Territory").
19 Mar 2015                Renamed Kalinago Territory. 

Carib Chiefs (Cacique)
.... - 18..                Petit François 
18.. - c.1850              (Popot) Wakanik 
c.1850 - c.1875            Joseph 
c.1875 - c.1900            Brunie
c.1903                     Auguiste François
1916 - 1926                Jules Benjamin Corriette             (b. 1853 - d. 1933)
Apr 1926 - Sep 1930        Thomas "Jolly" John                  (d. 1941)
Sep 1930 - Jun 1952        office suspended
Jun 1952 - 1953 (6 months) Simon John 
1953 - 1959                Whitney Frederick
1959 - 1972                Jermandois Francis
1972 - 1975                Masclem Frederick
1975 - 1979                Faustulus Frederick                  (b. 1950?)
Jul 1979 - Jul 1984        Hilary Frederick (1st time)          (b. 1959? - d. 2004) 
Jul 1984 - Jul 1994        Irvince Auguiste                     (b. c.1970)
Jul 1994 - Jul 1999        Hilary Frederick (2nd time)          (s.a.)
Jul 1999 - Jul 2004        Garnett Joseph (1st time)
Jul 2004 -  9 Jul 2009     Charles Williams (1st time)
 9 Jul 2009 - 22 Aug 2014  Garnett Joseph (2nd time)
22 Aug 2014 - 19 Mar 2015  Charles Williams (2nd time)
Kalinago Chiefs
19 Mar 2015 - Aug 2019     Charles Williams
Aug 2019 - Jul 2024        Lorenzo Sanford                      (b. 1997)
Jul 2024 -                 Anette Thomas-Sanford (f)            (b. 1983)