Dominica, island country of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It lies between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante to the north and Martinique to the south. The country has been a member of the Commonwealth since independence in 1978.

Dominica is a fully independent country and is not "owned" by any other nation. Officially known as the Commonwealth of Dominica, it gained its independence from the United Kingdom on November 3, 1978. It is a parliamentary republic, meaning it has its own President as head of state and a Prime Minister as head of government. While it remains a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, it is one of the few Caribbean islands that opted for a republican form of government immediately upon independence rather than remaining a Commonwealth realm under the British monarch. It is important not to confuse it with the Dominican Republic, which is a larger, Spanish-speaking nation on the island of Hispaniola. Dominica is famous for its rugged, volcanic natural beauty and is often referred to as the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean" due to its lush rainforests and extensive park systems.