J75K – Dominican Republic

The J75K team will be conducting activities at IOTA NA-101 in the Dominican Republic from December 26, 2024 to January 4, 2025.
Team – FM5WD, IV3JVJ, IK3ZAQ.
Nearest DX Point J75K
J75K Log Searchsearch They will operate on 160 – 6m, CW, SSB, FT8.
QSL via IV3JVJ direct, LOTW.

Dominica: What is life like in the modern island nation?

The Commonwealth of Dominica is an island nation in the Eastern Caribbean Sea, one of the main tourist destinations in the region due to its rich natural resources. At the same time, Dominica is the most mountainous and least accessible island of the Antilles. Due to its remote location, Dominica was colonized much later than the neighboring atolls. Unlike the other Antilles, Dominica was lucky enough to escape the ruthless economic exploitation of its land. There were never large-scale plantations here, and the island itself was favored by the Maroons, runaway slaves. Only here did the hand of European justice not reach them.

Dominican. Author – faun070.

How has the country developed over the centuries?

The Europeans did not fully occupy the atoll until 1750, thanks to the stable settlement of the Carib Indians and their staunch resistance to any attempts by white outsiders (French planters and British missionaries) to take over the island. It was not until 1783 that the British succeeded in driving the Caribs to the coast and confining them to a reservation. The British settled in the town of Roseau, which was built by the French on the site of the former Carib village of Sairi. After gaining full control of the island, the enterprising British actively engaged in economic activities. First, they brought people to the atoll and established small cotton and tobacco plantations. As a result of the active trade, new residential areas gradually began to be built adjacent to the town of Roseau. The city itself grew in size and eventually became the capital and main administrative center of Dominica.

The Maroons were escaped slaves from the neighboring islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique who often terrorized the British. This phenomenon lasted until the abolition of slavery in 1834 and did not completely disappear until the Dominicans had the opportunity to have representation in the legislature. In the twentieth century, the people played a huge role in the politics and culture of the island. In 1978, due to a serious political and socio-economic crisis, the Dominican people successfully seceded from the Commonwealth without bloodshed.

Dominican Republic. Author – Anton Best.

The Secret of the Racial Composition of the Dominican Population and Architecture

The modern population of the island is predominantly African in ethnic composition. Caribs still live on the atolls, but they mostly live in rural areas or nature reserves, working in traditional trades such as basket weaving and building small wooden boats. People who identify themselves as Lebanese, Syrian, and Chinese own some of the largest businesses in the capital.

Roseau is the administrative and commercial center of the Dominican Republic. Most of the buildings here date from the colonial period. They tend to be low-slung Victorian wooden houses or stone townhouses with large carved balconies. New buildings built after independence are sturdy concrete structures. The Dominican government learned from the painful experience of rebuilding the capital after the devastating hurricanes David (1979) and Dean (2007), and has shifted the architecture towards practicality and good earthquake resistance.

The city’s buildings appear rather small against the backdrop of multi-storey cruise ships docked in the port, which was rebuilt after the 2007 hurricane. The capital’s main decoration is considered to be the temple on the Morne Bruce Hill, which is topped by a huge black and white cross. Equally striking attractions in Dominica are the old British forts – “Young” (in the town of Roseau) and “Shirley” (in the town of Portsmouth).

Dominican. Author – Dave Lanz.

What are the natural advantages and tourism prospects?

The island of Dominica is a great attraction for tourists, with its stunning volcanic landscape, tropical climate, national parks with rare birds, and the world’s second largest “boiling” lake. But the lack of a modern airport, poor infrastructure, and lagging industrial development have hindered the development of a prosperous economy. The government is making plans to build a new airport capable of handling passenger planes, but is concerned that the increase in the number of tourists and the influx of eco-tourists will upset the balanced environment. The Dominican Republic is also prone to natural disasters such as storms, typhoons, floods, and landslides.

It is worth mentioning that in August 2015, the Caribbean islands were hit by the tropical storm Erika, which was extremely destructive. Dominica was unfortunately at the epicenter of this raging natural disaster, which caused almost all settlements on the atoll to disappear from the face of the earth. According to the Prime Minister of the Republic, the economic development of the island was set back by 20 years, and the country’s agriculture and industry had to be rebuilt almost from scratch.

J75K. Where is Dominica located. Map.