Lots of collectible stamps to choose from: Great Britian, European, US, and the World! Discover best deals on many one of a kind rare stamps to collect atbargain prices. Perfect gifts for the family and loved ones!

Dominica

Dominica is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. It should not be confused with the Dominican Republic, another Caribbean nation. The name is pronounced IPA: /ˌdɒ.mɪnˈiː.kə/ dom-i-NEE'-ka (key). more...

Home

Africa

Asia

Commonwealth/ British...

Aden

Bahamas

Bahrain

Barbados

Basutoland/ Lesotho

Bechuanaland/ Botswana

Bermuda

British Antarctic Territory

British Guiana/ Guyana

British Honduras/ Belize

British Indian Ocean...

British Levant

British Virgin Islands

Brunei

Burma

Canada

Cayman Islands

Ceylon

Collections/ Mixture

Cook Is/ Aitutaki/ Penrhyn

Cyprus

Dominica

Falkland Is & Dependencies

Fiji

Gambia

Gibraltar

Gilbert & Ellice Is/...

Gold Coast/ Ghana

Grenada

Heligoland

Hong Kong

India

Jamaica

Kenya/ Uganda/ Tanganyika

Kuwait

Leeward Islands

Malaya/ Malaysia/ S. Setts.

Malta

Nauru

New Hebrides/ Vanuatu

New Zealand

Nigeria

Niue

Norfolk Island

North Borneo

Northern Rhodesia/ Zambia

Nyasaland/ BCA/ Malawi

Omnibus Issues

Other Commonwealth Stamps

Samoa

Sarawak

Somaliland Protectorate

South Africa

South West Africa/ Namibia

St Helena

St Kitts & Nevis

St Lucia

St Vincent/ Grenadines

Sudan

Tonga

Tuvalu

Ireland

Philately/ Postal History

Rest of the World

Thematics

United States

In Latin the name means "Sunday", which was the day of its discovery by Columbus.

The official name is Commonwealth of Dominica. Dominica's pre-Columbian name was Wai'tu kubuli, which means "her body is tall." The indigenous Kalinago people of the island, somewhat erroneously called 'Caribs', have a territory which resembles the Indian reserves of Canada. Because the island went through a period of French occupation, and lies between two overseas départements (Département d'outre-mer) of France : Guadeloupe to the north and Martinique to the south; the island is sometimes called "French Dominica". It also has the nickname "The Nature Isle of the Caribbean" due to its seemingly unspoiled natural beauty.

The isle of Dominica is one of the youngest islands in the Lesser Antilles, and it is still being formed by geothermal-volcanic activity. It is a lush island of mountainous rainforests, home of many rare plant, animal and bird species. There are xeric areas in some of the western coastal regions but heavy rainfall can be expected inland. The Sisserou parrot is featured on the Dominica flag. Dominica's economy is heavily dependent on both tourism and agriculture.

History

Dominica was first sighted by Europeans, including Christopher Columbus, in 1493. They encountered the indigenous peoples known as the Caribs, but soon left the island after being defeated by the Caribs. It is said that when his superiors asked Columbus to describe this island in the "New World," he crumbled a piece of parchment roughly and threw it on the table. This, Columbus explained, is what Dominica looks like- completely covered with mountains with nary a flat spot.In 1627 England also tried and failed to capture Dominica. In 1635 the French claimed the island and sent missionaries, but were unable to wrench Dominica from the Caribs. They abandoned the island, along with the island of Saint Vincent, in the 1660s.

For the next hundred years Dominica remained isolated, and even more Caribs settled there after being driven from surrounding islands as European powers entered the region. France formally ceded possession of Dominica to the United Kingdom in 1763. The United Kingdom then set up a government and made the island a colony in 1805. The emancipation of African slaves occurred throughout the British Empire in 1834, and, by 1838, Dominica became the first British Caribbean colony to have a Black-controlled legislature. In 1896, the United Kingdom re-took governmental control of Dominica and turned it into a crown colony. Half a century later, from 1958 to 1962, Dominica became a province of the short-lived West Indies Federation. In 1978 Dominica finally became an independent nation. Patrick Roland John, (b. 7 January 1938) the first Prime Minister of Dominica, having served from 27 July 1974 to 21 June 1979. During his tenure, Dominica gained independence from the United Kingdom. He was a successful trade union leader and a mayor of Roseau before taking on prime ministerial duties. Dame Eugenia Charles, DBE (May 15 1919 – September 6, 2005) was the Prime Minister of Dominica from July 21 1980 until June 14 1995. She was the first female prime minister in the Caribbean. She helped to found the Dominica Freedom Party, which she served as leader from the early 1970s until 1995. She was elected to Parliament in 1970 and became Opposition Leader in 1975. In 1995 Charles resigned and was replaced by Edison James. In 2000, Roosevelt Douglas (15 October 1941 – 1 October 2000) became Dominica's prime minister for eight months, from 3 February 2000 until his death later that year. At the parliamentary elections on January 31,2000 he led the Dominica Labour Party to victory against the ruling United Workers Party of Prime Minister Edison James. He formed a coalition government with the Dominica Freedom Party and began office on 3 February 2000. After only eight months in the office Douglas was found on 1 October 2000 dead in his house in Portsmouth. He had returned only one day before from state visits to Australia, Taiwan, Canada and Jamaica. Douglas was succeeded by, Pierre Charles (June 30, 1954 – January 6, 2004),Prime Minister of Dominica from 2000 to 2004. He was born in Grand Bay in Saint Patrick parish. A member of the Dominica Labour Party, he served in several cabinet posts including communication and works. While serving as foreign minister in the government of Rosie Douglas, he was officially named prime minister on October 3, 2000, two days after Douglas's death. Roosevelt Skerrit succeeded him as prime minister and became the new leader of the Dominica Labour Party. Election were held on May 5 2005 with the ruling coalition maintaining power.