Dominica

Dominica has been nicknamed the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean" for its seemingly unspoiled natural beauty. The island features lush mountainous rain forests, home of many rare plant, animal, and bird species. Dominica has many waterfalls, springs, and rivers. The Commonwealth of Dominica has an estimated population of 72,500 and the capital is Roseau (where we're berthed).

A few interesting facts about Dominica:

-Christopher Columbus named the island after the day of the week on which he spotted it, a Sunday (dominica in Latin), November 3, 1493.

-The island is home to the world's second largest boiling lake.

-Bananas form the backbone of Dominica's economy, and when the price of banana falls, the country suffers greatly. In 1998, banana export value dropped 63% which crippled the economy. Recently, the government has been trying to develop other goods and services, the foremost being tourism.

-Surprisingly, there are 22 centenarians in Dominica, so about 1 out of every 3,000 Dominicans are over 100.