DOMINICA

Commonwealth of Dominica Dominica CAPITAL: Roseau FLAG: On a green background appears a cross composed of yellow, black, and white stripes; in the center is a red disk with 10 yellow-bordered green stars surrounding a parrot. ANTHEM: Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendor. MONETARY UNIT: The East Caribbean dollar (EC$) of 100 cents is the national currency. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 25, and 1 dollar, and notes of 5, 10, 20, and 100 East Caribbean dollars. EC$1 = US0.3704 (or US$1 = EC$2.70) as of January 2003. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is being introduced, but imperial measures remain in common use. HOLIDAYS: New Year’s Day, 1 January; Labor Day, 1 May; Caricom Day, 2 July; Bank Holiday, 1st Monday in August; National Days, 3–4 November; Christmas, 25 December; Boxing Day, 26 December. Movable religious holidays include Carnival, Good Friday, Easter Monday, and Whitmonday. TIME: 8 AM = noon GMT.

CUBA

Republic of Cuba República de Cuba CAPITAL: Havana (La Habana) FLAG: The flag consists of five alternating blue and white horizontal stripes penetrated from the hoist side by a red triangle containing a white five-pointed star. ANTHEM: Himno de Bayamo (Hymn of Bayamo), beginning “Al combate corred bayameses” (“March to the battle, people of Bayamo”). MONETARY UNIT: The Cuban peso (C$) of 100 centavos is a paper currency with one exchange rate. There are coins of 1, 2, 3, 5, 20, 40, and 100 centavos and notes of 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 pesos. C$1 = US$1 (or US$1 = C$1). WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the legal standard, but older Spanish units and the imperial system are still employed. The standard unit of land measure is the caballería (13.4 hectares/ 133.1 acres). HOLIDAYS: Day of the Revolution, Liberation Day, 1 January; Labor Day, 1 May; Anniversary of the Revolution, 25–27 July; Proclamation of Yara, 10 October. Celebration of religious holidays falling during the work week was prohibited by a 1972 law. TIME: 7 AM = noon GMT.

COSTA RICA

Republic of Costa Rica República de Costa Rica CAPITAL: San José FLAG: The national flag consists of five horizontal stripes of blue, white, red, white, and blue, the center stripe being wider than the others. ANTHEM: Himno Nacional, beginning “Noble patria, tu hermosa bandera” (“Noble native land, your beautiful flag”). MONETARY UNIT: The colón (C) is a paper currency of 100 céntimos. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 céntimos and of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 colones, and notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 colones. C1 = $0.00256 (or $1 = C390.04) as of May 2003. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the legal standard, but local measures also are used. HOLIDAYS: New Year’s Day and Solemnity of Mary, 1 January; Day of St. Joseph (Costa Rica’s patron saint), 19 March; Anniversary of the Battle of Rivas, 11 April; Labor Day, 1 May; Day of St. Peter and St. Paul, 29 June; Anniversary of the Annexation of Guanacaste, 25 July; Feast of Our Lady of the Angels, 2 August; Assumption (Mother’s Day), 15 August; Independence Day, 15 September; Columbus Day, 12 October; Immaculate Conception, 8 December; Abolition of Armed Forces Day, 1 December; Christmas, 25 December. Movable religious holidays include Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Corpus Christi. TIME: 6 AM = noon GMT.

COLOMBIA

Republic of Colombia República de Colombia CAPITAL: Bogotá FLAG: The national flag consists of three horizontal stripes; the yellow upper stripe is twice as wide as each of the other two, which are blue and red. ANTHEM: Himno Nacional, beginning “O gloria inmarcesible, júbilo inmortal” (“O unwithering glory, immortal joy”). MONETARY UNIT: The Colombian peso (C$) of 100 centavos is a paper currency. There are coins of 10, 20, and 50 centavos and of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 pesos, and notes of 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 pesos. Commemorative gold coins of various denominations also have been minted. C$1 = US$0.0003418 (or US$1 = C$2925) as of May 2003. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the official standard, but Spanish units such as the botella, vara, fonegada, arroba, and quintal also are used. HOLIDAYS: New Year’s Day, 1 January; Epiphany, 6 January; St. Joseph’s Day, 19 March; Labor Day, 1 May; Day of St. Peter and St. Paul, 29 June; Independence Day, 20 July; Battle of Boyacá, 7 August; Assumption, 15 August; Columbus Day, 12 October; All Saints’ Day, 1 November; Independence of Cartagena, 11 November; Immaculate Conception, 8 December; Christmas, 25 December. Movable religious holidays include Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Ascension, Sacred Heart, and Corpus Christi. In addition there are six official commemorative days. TIME: 7 AM = noon GMT.

CHILE

Republic of Chile República de Chile CAPITAL: Santiago FLAG: The flag, adopted in 1817, consists of a lower half of red and an upper section of white, with a blue square in the upper left corner containing a five-pointed white star. ANTHEM: Canción Nacional (National Song) beginning “Dulce Patria, recibe los votos.” MONETARY UNIT: The peso (P) of 100 centavos replaced the escudo as the nation’s monetary unit in October 1975. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 pesos, and notes of 500, 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 pesos. P1 = US$0.00141 (or US$1 = P708) as of May 2003. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the legal standard, but local measures also are used. HOLIDAYS: New Year’s Day, 1 January; Labor Day, 1 May; Navy Day (Battle of Iquique), 21 May; Assumption, 15 August; Independence Day, 18 September; Army Day, 19 September; Columbus Day, 12 October; All Saints’ Day, 1 November; Immaculate Conception, 8 December; Christmas, 25 December. Movable religious holidays include Good Friday and Holy Saturday. TIME: 8 AM = noon GMT.

CANADA

CAPITAL: Ottawa FLAG: The national flag, adopted in 1964, consists of a red maple leaf on a white field, flanked by a red vertical field on each end. ANTHEM: Since 1 July 1980, O Canada has been the official anthem. MONETARY UNIT: The Canadian dollar (C$) is a paper currency of 100 cents. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents, 1 dollar and 2 dollars, and notes of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 1,000 Canadian dollars. Silver coins of 5 and 10 dollars, commemorating the Olympics, were issued during 1973–76. C$1 = US$0.6899 (or US$1 = C$1.45) as of May 2003. US currency is usually accepted, especially in major cities and along the border. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the legal standard. HOLIDAYS: New Year’s Day, 1 January; Good Friday; Easter Monday; Victoria Day, the Monday preceding 25 May; Canada Day, 1 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Thanksgiving Day, 2d Monday in October; Remembrance Day, 11 November; Christmas Day, 25 December; Boxing Day, 26 December. Other holidays are observed in some provinces. TIME: Newfoundland, 8:30 AM = noon GMT; New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec, 8 AM = noon GMT; Ontario east of 90 and western Quebec, 7 AM = noon GMT; western Ontario and Manitoba, 6 AM = noon GMT; Alberta and Saskatchewan, 5 AM = noon GMT; British Columbia and Yukon Territory, 4 AM = noon GMT.