Time: 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard US Time and 5 hours ahead of Standard European Time. Accommodation: Activities: Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents. The East Caribbean dollar is converted at the fixed rate of $2.70 EC to $1.00 US. Costs of living: food costs are higher than on the other Caribbean islands; accommodation costs are relative high. Tipping and Taxes: There is a 3% Sales Tax on food, drink and consumer goods. There is a 5% Room Tax on accommodation. Most hotels include a 10% service charge on the bill; further tipping is by choice. Location: Dominica is located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Guadeloupe and north of Martinique. Geographic coordinates: 13 30 N, 61 20 W. Highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m. Entry Requirements: A valid passport and return ticket are required. US and Canadian citizens may use proof of citizenship. French nationals may visit for up to two weeks with a Carte Identite. Extension of stay: Airport: 15 min. north of Roseau. Departure Tax: $12 US per person. Children under 12 exempt. Flight Times: International Airlines: there are no direct flights to Dominica from the mainland US or Europe. Regional Airlines: Air Guadeloupe 448-2181, Liat 448-2421, American Eagle 445-7204. Ports and harbors: Toursit Office: P.O. Box 293, Old Street, Roseau, Domenica, Tel.: 448 20 45. Water: Water is safe to drink; bottled spring water is widely available. Public Transport: mini-busses are leaving from the Old Market. Driving: Driving is on the left side of the road. There is a 30 km/h (20mph) speed limit in towns and villages. Public holidays: February, Monday and Tuesday before Lenten (Carnival); May, 1 (Labour Day); Whit Monday; August, first Monday(August Monday); November, 3 (Independence Day). Sleep: in some areas noisy little frogs might keep you awake at night. Banking Hours: Monday to Thursday: 8am - 3pm, Friday: 8am - 5pm. Credit cards: major credit cards are widely accepted. Telephone: island wide fully automatic network; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia. Country code: 1 767. Emergency Dial 999 for police, fire and ambulance. Cable & Wireless is located in Roseau at Hanover St. Post: themain post office is located in Roseau, Bay Front. Post offices are open 8:30am - 1pm and 2:30pm - 5:00pm Monday; 8:30am - 1:00pm and 2:30am - 4:00pm Tuesday to Friday. Rates to the U.S. and Europe are $0.90 EC ($0.35 US) for letters and $0.55 EC ($0.21 US) for postcards. Electricity: 220/240 volts / 50 cycles. Government type: parliamentary democracy. Ethnic groups: black, Carib Amerindian. Religions: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15%, none 2%, unknown 1%, other 5%. Literacy: 94% of the total population (male: 94%, female: 94%). Legal system: based on English common law. Industries: soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes. Agriculture products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts. Natural resources: timber. Partners: US 25%, Caricom, UK, Japan, Canada. GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1996 est.). Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.). Radio frequencies
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