Dominica

Dominica is one of those seemingly endless islands in the Eastern Caribbean that few Americans know much about. This is tucked between Guadeloupe and Martininque, with a mere 290 square miles of territory. It hasn't attracted much tourist traffic over the years, although the leaders are trying to change that. There's not a great deal of available land, either. But it plugs on as best as possible. 

The French and British went back and forth on the matter of the island, trying to figure out if it should colonize it or just leave it to the natives. But eventually - surprise - they decided it was worth fighting over. Great British took it over during the Seven Years' War, and gained control in 1763. France tried a few times in the rest of the century to win it back, but it was rarely successful for very long.

By the 1800s, Dominica received more and more political power to run its own affairs. That situation was formalized in 1967, and 11 years later the Commonwealth of Dominica was formally placed on the map. The area took a couple of hits in the form of huge hurricanes in 2015 and 2017. Repairs continue, but they are trying.

Dominica provided one of the nicest days of our cruise to the region, with some of the best stops around. More people should give the economy a boost with a visit if you get the chance.