Dominica
 

to 1874   1874 - 1 Jan 1940 Leeward Islands   1 Jan 1940 - 1955 Windward Islands   1955 - 9 Nov 1965   9 Nov 1965 - 3 Nov 1978   3 Nov 1978 - 3 Nov 1981   3 Nov 1981 - 1988 Adopted 1988 Map of Dominica Hear National Anthem "Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendour" Text of National Anthem Adopted 3 Nov 1978 (unofficial 1967-1978) Constitution  (3 Nov 1978) Capital: Roseau (1765-1768 Portsmouth) Currency: East Caribbean  Dollar (XCD)  National Holiday: 3 Nov (1978) Independence Day Population: 74,027 (2018) GDP: $783 million (2017) Exports: $28 million (2017) Imports: $206.6 million (2017) Ethnic groups: black 86.8%, mixed 8.9%, Carib Amerindian  (indigenous) 2.9%, white 0.8%, other 0.7% (2001) Total Police Force: 506 (2013) Merchant marine: 76 ships (2017) Religions: Roman Catholic 44.5%, Protestant 26.8%   Pentecostal 7.3%, Anglican 0.5%, other Christian 4.1%, Muslim 0.2%, other 0.6%, unspecified 5.6%,  not religious 10.6% (2015) 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. 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.  7 Oct 1763 -  3 Oct 1771  Part of the government of Grenada.  8 Sep 1778 - 10 Jan 1784  French rule. 10 Jan 1784                British colony.  1 Apr 1833 -  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  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                         (d. 1707)
French Commandants
 1 Dec 1727 - 1742         Claude Le Grand                      (d. 1748)
1742 - 1754                Descasseaux Bontemps                 (d. 1754)
1754                       Descasseaux (acting)
                             (brother of 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 Stewart (1st time)(acting)
                             (lieutenant-governor)
15 Nov 1774 - 1778         Sir Thomas Shirley                   (b. 1727 - d. 1800)
25 Jul 1778 -  7 Sep 1778  William Stewart (2nd time)(acting)
                             (lieutenant-governor)
 8 Sep 1778 - 1780         Marie Charles, marquis du Chilleau   (b. 1734 - d. 1794)
1780 - 1781                James Fagan (baron de Fagan)(acting) (d. 1801)
Jul 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 de Beaupuy (de Beaupré)(d. 1793)
                             (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 - 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 - 1802         Andrew James Cochrane Johnstone      (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
27 Sep 1802 - 24 Jun 1805  Sir George Prevost                   (b. 1767 - d. 1816)
 5 Jul 1805 - 27 May 1808  George Metcalfe (acting)             (b. c.1758 - d. 1821)
31 Jul 1808 - 1808         Edward Barnes (1st time) (acting)    (b. 1776 - d. 1838)
12 Dec 1808 - 1809         James Montgomerie                    (b. 1756 - d. 1829)
 3 Jul 1809 - 1812         Edward Barnes (2nd time)             (s.a.)
15 Apr 1812 - 18 Apr 1813  John Corlet (acting)                 (d. 1813)
19 Apr 1813 - 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. Manning (Mannin)(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 - 19 Dec 1983  Aurelius John Baptiste Lamothe Marie (b. 1903 - d. 1995)
23 May 1983 - 24 Oct 1993  Clarence Henry Augustus Seignoret    (b. 1919 - d. 2002)  DLP
                             (from 25 Oct 1985, Sir Clarence Henry Augustus Seignoret)
                             (acting for Marie to 19 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         Franklyn Arthur Merrifield Baron     (b. 1923 - d. 2016)  DUPP
Chief ministers
 1 Jan 1960 - 21 Jan 1961  Franklyn Arthur Merrifield Baron     (s.a.)               DUPP
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 - 23 Jul 1980  Oliver James "O.J." Seraphine        (b. 1943)            DmLP
                             (interim)
23 Jul 1980 - 14 Jun 1995  Mary Eugenia Charles (f)             (b. 1919 - d. 2005)  DFP
                             (from 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 (dispute dormant since 2006/2008) joins other Caribbean island nations in challenging whether Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive Economic Zone (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 (Kalinago),
                             area is called The Carib Quarter.
 4 Jul 1903                Carib Reserve established.
Sep 1930 - 1952            Office of Chief suspended by colonial government due to the
                             1930 "Carib War."
1952                       Carib Council established.
31 Mar 1978                Carib Reserve Act formalizes internal self-government (Caribs
                             prefer to call the area "Carib Territory").
19 Mar 2015                Renamed Kalinago Territory. 

Carib Chiefs
18.. - 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 
1926 - 1930                Thomas "Jolly" John                  (d. 1941)
1930  (6 months)           Simon John 
1930 - 1953                office suspended
1953 - 1959                Whitney Frederick
1959 - 1972                Jermandois Francis
1972 - 1975                Masclem Frederick
1975 - 1979                Faustulus Frederick
Jul 1979 - Jul 1984        Hilary Frederick (1st time)          (b. 1959? - d. 2004) 
Jul 1984 - Jul 1994        Irvince Auguiste
Jul 1994 - Jul 1999        Hilary Frederick (2nd time)          (s.a.)
Jul 1999 - Jul 2004        Garnet Joseph (1st time)
Jul 2004 -  9 Jul 2009     Charles Williams (1st time)
 9 Jul 2009 - 22 Aug 2014  Garnet 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)