Dominica is the northern most of the Windward Islands and is characterized by rugged mountainous terrain and lush tropical rain forests. The island has a north-south central chain of volcanoes that forms a prominent ridge. The island is 46 km long and 24 km wide, with a total land ara of 750 square km. Tourists brochures boast that the island has 365 beautiful water falls, obviously due to its sharp relief and abundant precipitation.

Most Dominicans earn their living from agriculture. The government is making a strong bid for tourism - but not with the drawing card of white sandy beaches, which the island does not have. Rather, Dominica is known for river swimming and natural attractions. Hiking and mountain climbing are also popular, as the flora on the island is extremely rich, and often rare.

Because of the pristine coral reefs, dramatic dropoffs, and shipwrecks found in the crystal clear waters with visibility of 30 meters plus, scuba diving is becoming increasingly popular, particularly off the west coast.

Rainfall varies from 130 cm along the dry west coast to as much as 900 cm in the tropical rain forests of the mountainous interior, where downpours are not uncommon.