evidence: history of Dominica, survey of the notable events and people in the history of Dominica. A small island country of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea, Dominica is known for its natural beauty, particularly its rainforests and mountainous terrain. The country gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1978 but remains a member of the Commonwealth. Dominica’s capital, Roseau, is on the country’s southwestern coast and is its main port. [...] At first administered as part of the Leeward Islands, in 1771 Dominica was made a separate colony. It was rejoined administratively to the Leewards in 1883 and remained thus until 1940, when it was transferred to the Windward Islands as a separate colony. In 1958 Dominica joined the West Indies Federation. After that organization was dissolved in 1962, discussions for alternative forms of federation took place. Those issues were settled when the British government passed the West Indies Act of 1967, which gave Dominica the status of association with the United Kingdom. Under the 1967 constitution the island became fully self-governing in internal affairs.