25 Interesting Dominica Facts That Will Blow Your Mind

The official name by which Dominica is known is the Commonwealth of Dominica. 

Dominica or Commonwealth of Dominica is a small and fertile island country of the Lesser Antilles located in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The country is also the closest neighbor of the two French islands, Marie Galante and Guadeloupe.

This Carib Territory was formed due to natural volcanic activity, and till today it has several active volcanoes in its prominence. Recognized as the largest and most mountainous of the Windward Islands, Dominica boasts a broad area of 291 sq mi (754 sq km) of the southwest coast and comes under the Central America and Caribbean region of the Lesser Antilles. There are about 365 rivers in Dominica. You might be wondering why it got the formal name Commonwealth of Dominica. The reason behind this is that this name was given to this country so that it could be easily distinguished from the Dominican Republic. The Caribbean island is famous for its surreal natural beauty that consists of the stunning mountainous interior, highest mountain, boiling lake, lava craters, endangered species, beautiful lakes, national park, and many other natural resources that truly makes Dominica a natural paradise. Dominica is a country that boasts not just its natural beauty, but it also has an exciting culture, tradition, history, which might be very enticing to any history enthusiast. Read on to learn more about this Carib Territory, Dominica people, Dominica currency, and more.

Also, check out Turkey facts and North Carolina facts here at Kidadl! 

Dominica History 

According to the historical facts mentioned in the written records, the history of Dominica began in the year 1493. It was when Christopher Columbus spotted this island. Before the contact from Europeans, Dominica was inhabited by the Arawak. Till the year 1763, Dominica was recognized as the colony of the French. However, a few years later, it turned into a British colony of Great Britain, and then it finally became an independent island nation in 1978. 

Before Dominica became independent, it suffered from both French and British revolutionization. Following the First World War, Dominica took its first step towards forming its own official government that led to the formation of the Representative Government Association. When it finally gained independence in mid-1979, there was a new formation of an interim government for Dominica's population due to some political discontent. While government associations were forming in the nation, one thing that remained constant was the Dominican economy. It is a poor country but the Dominican economy was recovering and weakening at the same time due to different issues that arose, like hurricane David, lack in banana prices, coconut oil, bay oil, and more. Apart from that, the country's economy is also vastly dependent on its nature island tourism. Even though this Caribbean nation has a volcanic origin, it boasts stunning beaches, freshwater lakes, waterfalls like Trafalgar falls, hot springs, and many diving spots. All these varied flora and fauna activities make Dominica an ideal eco-tourism destination. 

Dominica Culture 

When we talk of Dominica's culture, it is highly influenced by the Carib Indians, west indies, the British, the French, and all those enslaved Africans who were brought here from different french islands to this place for slavery. This resulted in curating some amazing and interesting facts about the Caribbean nation's culture. However, the official language of Dominica island remains the common English. However, a French patois is also commonly spoken. The Dominican culture is formed by the Creole society visible in the Dominican language, Dominica's cuisine, art, and even in the music. The majority of the people you will find here are Roman Catholic. 

When we talk of the deeper concepts in Dominica's culture, you will find out that the traditional clothing of the people also says many things about this Caribbean island's history and culture. In addition to that, every village in the nation has its own type of event and festival. Some of the most prominent festivals celebrated in Dominica are Creole festivals, Ash Wednesday, and more. People even wear special Creole-style clothing to attend the unique Creole festivals. One interesting fact about this Caribbean island is that Carib Indians were the first inhabitants of this nation, and they managed to keep their culture alive and well preserved even with the rise of colonialization. Music is also very important in the Dominican culture, and thus the arable land offers a thriving music scene. 

Dominica Food 

Similar to many other Caribbean islands, Dominica island is known for its rich food culture. As there was the continuous intermingling of different European nations on the island nation, it entirely influenced the food scene. Therefore the culinary scene of Dominica gets its inheritance from the past.

The food of Dominica is dominated by root crops and vegetables like spinach, turnip, watercress, and all the locally available nonvegetarian food items. This can include chicken, goat, seafood like crayfish, octopus, and crabs. In fact, meat is a very crucial element of Dominica food dishes. 

In addition to that, the food of the island is popularly known for its Creole dishes. By the meaning of Creola standards in Dominica, the food that is served is very fresh and healthy with special and authentic spices, sauces, and fresh seasoning obtained from the Dominica fields. Another specialty of Creole dishes is the unique way of cooking the food that involves baking, stewing, roasting, and frying meats. This traditional way of cooking food in Dominica has been followed from generation to generation. Last but not least, in all the Caribbean sea islands, including this one, both food and drinks go altogether.

Dominica Traditions 

The magical Caribbean sea island of Dominica is one beautiful destination that offers a vacation filled with cultural experiences and adventures altogether.

The traditions of Dominica are vastly dependent on the people of African descent. Traditionally, the rural homes of ethnic groups are made of galvanized metal and wood that are perched on the stilts. In addition to that, during inheritance, the use of the family land is determined by the head of the family member as per the family tradition. One quirky and spooky tradition followed by the people of Dominica is the Carib custom of burying the dead in a fetal position. However, this tradition is not followed by many people who follow the Roman Catholic culture. 

The traditional activities of this nation are not limited to beliefs and culture but also towards medicine and health care. Most of the Dominica population knows conventional medical knowledge. It includes the usage of spices, herbs, tree bark, and other natural resources to cure different illnesses. When it comes to performance arts, the traditional dance and music forms like traditional song have a mix of African and European influences. Besides that, as the nation is rich in its traditions, it regularly celebrates special events like the Spring Festival. During this special festival, you will hear music from each house and cheerful smiles, dances are all around that do not fade away until morning. 

After reading all these things about the Dominica nation, we are sure you might have been excited to plan your Dominica travel itinerary as early as possible so that you can experience all these things on your own. Whether it's going whale watching between November and March or visiting the beautiful national park of Dominica or its boiling lake this marvelous island surely has something special when compared to other islands.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Dominica facts, then why not take a look at South Korea facts, or Iceland with kids.