Touted as the "Nature Island of the Caribbean," Dominica (pronounced Dah-muh-NEE-kuh) remains an unspoiled retreat, relatively undeveloped compared with its resort-laden Caribbean counterparts. Sometime it's called the Commonwealth of Dominica to distinguish this Eastern Caribbean island from the Dominican Republic, which sits 500 miles away. Dominica, parked between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, is part of the British Windward Islands. The capital is Roseau.

Dominica's volcanic origins left mostly black-sand beaches. Consequently, its natural allures lie more in its dive sites and mountainous interior. It boasts the highest mountains in the Eastern Caribbean, with Morne Diablotin reaching to 4,747 feet above sea level. The mountains are coated with dense tropical rain forest, and within the forests are myriad waterfalls, 365 rivers, gorges, hot springs, and one of the largest boiling lakes in the world. Anthurium lilies and heliconia bloom along the forest floor, while iguanas, geckoes, butterflies, and some 165 species of birds inhabit the interior.

When the Caribs settled the island in the 14th century, they named it Waitikubuli, which means "Tall is her body." Christopher Columbus renamed the island; calling it Dominica after the day of the week he found it--Sunday (November 3, 1493).

In the early 1600s, the harbor town of Portsmouth became vital to the British traders. They intended to make it the capital but an outbreak of malaria and yellow fever hindered that effort. The French began encroaching on the island in the mid-17th century, but in 1660 the British and French agreed that the Carib population would own the island. That didn't last long when in 1720 the French took control of the island, and the rest of the century was marked by British and French dispute over ownership of the island. The British were granted control in 1763 with the Treaty of Paris, though the French were caught up in a few disputes over it after that.

U until 1939, the British governed the island as part of the Leeward Islands Federation. They then switched it to the Windward Islands Federation. Dominica gained governing control over the island in 1967 as a West Indies Associated State, and it became an independent republic within the Commonwealth in 1978.

The celebration of its independence was tainted the next year: The prime minister was forced to resign on corruption charges, and Hurricane David killed 42 people and left three-quarters of the island's population without homes or with badly damaged living quarters.

Under the rule of its first female prime minister--Mary Eugenia Charles--Dominica sent token support to the U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983. The United States, showing its appreciation, channeled funds into the island that help add paved roads and other improvements that have bolstered the tourism trade.

Despite all the European interference, Carib culture thrives, spicing the island--especially at its restaurants. The national l dish, called the mountain chicken, is actually made from the legs of the crapaud giant frog, which is found in the higher elevations. Crapaud is mainly available during the fall through February, which is the only season that people are allowed to kill the critters. The Caribbean vibe can also be heard throughout the island, where calypso, zouk, and reggae music are prevalent.