Roseau - The Capital of Dominica

Population
14,725
Language
English
Continent
North America
Since
1750
Eco Ranking
69/195

Source: Environmental Performance Index 2024.

About Roseau

Roseau has served as the administrative centre of Dominica since the French established a settlement there in the early 18th century. The island changed hands between France and Britain multiple times before being ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Paris in 1763. Roseau developed as the colonial capital, and this status carried over when Dominica gained independence from Britain on 3 November 1978, becoming a republic within the Commonwealth. The House of Assembly and the office of the president are located in Roseau. Dominica is not the same country as the Dominican Republic, it is a separate island nation in the Lesser Antilles, located between Guadeloupe and Martinique, with no territorial or political connection to the Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic on Hispaniola. Hurricane Maria struck Dominica on 18 September 2017 as a Category 5 storm, destroying an estimated 90% of the island's infrastructure and causing damage equal to more than twice the country's GDP, the most severe natural disaster in the country's recorded history.

About Dominica

Dominica is a parliamentary republic and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. It is not the same nation as the Dominican Republic. The president is the head of state, elected by the House of Assembly, while the prime minister holds executive power.

View Roseau on the map

View Roseau - The Capital of Dominica on the map

Flight time from Roseau to other capitals

CityDistance (km)Flight Time
Washington, D.C.30003h 32m
Buenos Aires56006h 35m
London67007h 53m
Paris68008h 0m
Rome76008h 56m
Cape Town1000011h 46m
Abu Dhabi1180013h 53m
Tokyo1390016h 21m
Canberra1630019h 11m
Singapore1760020h 42m

Capitals with similar population to Roseau

CityPopulation
St. John's22,219
Castries22,000
Belmopan16,451
Roseau14,725
Basseterre14,000
Kingstown12,909
St. George's7,500

Capitals with similar eco ranking to Roseau

CityEco Rank
Belgrade66
Bogotá67
Santiago68
Roseau69
Gaborone70
Georgetown71
Kingston73

Source: Environmental Performance Index 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is Dominica the same as the Dominican Republic?

    No. Dominica and the Dominican Republic are entirely separate countries. Dominica is a small island nation in the Lesser Antilles with a population of around 70,000, which gained independence from Britain in 1978. The Dominican Republic is a much larger Spanish-speaking country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, sharing that island with Haiti.

  • When did Dominica gain independence?

    Dominica gained independence from the United Kingdom on 3 November 1978, becoming a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations. It was the last of the British Windward Islands to gain independence. Unlike some neighbouring islands, Dominica chose republican status rather than retaining the British monarch as head of state.

  • Why is Roseau the capital of Dominica?

    Roseau developed as the main settlement and administrative centre during the French and later British colonial periods. Its location on the southwestern coast of the island made it the natural hub for trade and governance. When Dominica became independent in 1978, Roseau retained its role as the seat of government.

  • What was the impact of Hurricane Maria on Dominica?

    Hurricane Maria struck Dominica on 18 September 2017 as a Category 5 hurricane, causing catastrophic destruction. Approximately 90% of the country's infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, and the economic cost exceeded twice the nation's annual GDP. The disaster prompted Dominica's government to commit to rebuilding the island as the world's first climate-resilient nation.

  • What type of government does Dominica have?

    Dominica is a parliamentary republic. The president is the head of state, elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term. The prime minister is the head of government and holds executive power. Dominica is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

Sights and landmarks

The small centre of Roseau is organised around the Old Market Plaza, where slave auctions took place until 1808 and which is now a craft market. The Dominica Museum in the former post office from 1810 displays Kalinago and colonial artefacts. The Roseau Cathedral of Our Lady of Fair Haven from 1841 in Romanesque Revival style dominates the skyline. Fort Young from 1770, built by the French, is now a hotel. Outside the city, the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, offers the Boiling Lake, the world's second-largest boiling lake, and Trafalgar Falls. The Kalinago Territory in the east is home to the last pre-Columbian indigenous population of the Caribbean.

Climate and best time to visit

Roseau has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with year-round temperatures between 22 and 30 degrees Celsius. Dominica is exceptionally wet, with 2,000 millimetres of annual rainfall on the coast rising to 9,000 millimetres in the mountainous interior, making it one of the wettest places on earth. The relatively dry season runs from February to May and is the best time to visit for hiking and diving. The hurricane season from June to November has proved devastating: Hurricane Maria in September 2017, a Category 5 storm, destroyed 90% of buildings and claimed 90 lives. The volcanic soil and high rainfall feed the island's nickname 'Caribbean Nature Island'.

Regional significance

Dominica distinguishes itself in the Caribbean as the most pristine tropical nature destination, with no mass tourism and largely untouched rainforests. The island has nine active volcanoes, the highest concentration in the world within an area of just 750 square kilometres. Roseau is, with around 14,000 inhabitants, the smallest capital of the English-speaking Caribbean. Dominica is also the only Caribbean island that still has a significant Kalinago population, around 3,000 persons in the legally recognised Kalinago Territory. The country is informally bilingual: officially English, but the majority speak Kwéyòl, a French-based Creole language, a legacy of French colonial presence.

Economy

Dominica's economy rests on bananas, other agricultural products and geothermal energy, with Roseau as the export port. The banana sector shrank after the WTO ruling of 2009 that ended preferential EU access. Citizenship-by-investment, established in 1993, is the oldest in the Caribbean and generates around 30% of government revenues through passport sales from 100,000 USD. Ecotourism and cruise tourism are growing steadily, supported by the Roseau cruise pier. An ambitious geothermal project at Laudat is intended to make Dominica a net exporter of green energy to Guadeloupe and Martinique. After Hurricane Maria in 2017, the country has positioned itself as the world's first 'climate-resilient nation'.
Roseau, capital of Dominica
Roseau, capital of Dominica

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