Dominica is inhabited by approximately 69,278 people. 28% of the population is up to the age of 15, 64% are between the ages of 16 and 65 years. The remaining 8% are over the age of 65. Dominica has a relatively large number of centenarians. Twenty two (22) out of the 69000 inhabitants are centenarians.
Dominica is ethnically dominated by people of African descent (91%), and approximately 6% are mulatto. Most Dominicans are villagers who can trace their roots back to African slaves or British and French settlers. There is a minority of Europeans and Syrians.
Dominica also has a population of about three thousand (3000) Carib Indians, the last remnants of pre-Columbian population of the Caribbean islands. They live on a reserve in the central eastern coast.
About 80% of the population is Roman Catholic, though in recent years a number of Protestant churches have been established. There is also a small but growing Muslim community in Dominica.