The Commonwealth of Dominica is a small upper-middle-income country in the Caribbean Sea, with a population of 73,543, predominantly dependent on tourism and agriculture. With annual gross domestic product (GDP) of US$581.48 million, Dominica’s economy depends predominantly on tourism and agriculture. Tourism, is largely dependent on protected areas, generating nearly 15 percent of GDP, providing not only direct revenues but also fueling growth in other industries. Poverty remains a pervasive development issue, with a poverty headcount of 28.8 percent at the time of the last Country Poverty Assessment (CPA) conducted in 2009.

The island geography and complex geology have created unique habitats and high species diversity, such as the conservation flagship species the Imperial amazon (Amazona imperialis - EN) of Dominica a parrot known to occur only there1. 

Dominica is part of the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot, which is defined as holding at least 1,500 plant species found nowhere else and having lost at least 70% of their original habitat extent (Mittermeier et al. 2004). The Caribbean islands have among the highest number of globally threatened species of any hotspot in the world, supporting populations of endemic plants and vertebrates amounting to at least 2% of world’s total species complement with high species endemism. 

Key biodiversity habitats are part of Dominica’s forest system, one of the richest and most extensive ones in the Lesser Antilles. The ‘Nature Island’ has the most extensive natural forests in the Eastern Caribbean of around 43, 000 ha and is home to the most diverse assemblage of wildlife among the smaller Caribbean islands. The vegetation types (flora) include littoral woodland, elfin woodland, semi-deciduous forest, mature rain forest, montane forest, scrub woodland and savannah.

Other natural vegetation types are influenced by soil conditions including wetlands and fumarole vegetation. Dominica’s fauna includes: 179 species of birds, 55 species of butterflies, 20 species of crabs, 11 species of crayfish and shrimp, 3 species of amphibians, 17 species of reptiles (4 snakes), 18 mammal species, 11 stick insect species, and around 45 species of inland fish.3 Dominica is also the home of the only surviving community of indigenous Carib peoples.

The Kalinago community amounts to around 3000 people living primarily in a specially designated Kalinago Territory and are recognized as being especially disadvantaged, considered among the poorest districts in Dominica with highest unemployment rate and income lower than the national average.