Kabuli Republic

Kabuli is a constituent republic of Kalina Commonwealth.

Kabuli Republic
Island of Dominica
Constituent Republic of Vekllei
Part of the Kalina Commonwealth
Accession	2025, as part of the West Indies Confederation
Area	750 km²
Capital	Roseau
Languages	English, Kabuli Creole, Kalina Carib
Population	167,592

The Kabuli Republic is a constituent republic in the eastern Caribbean Sea, situated between Madiana to the north and Lucia to the south. It is among the most mountainous and densely forested islands in the Commonwealth Kalina, earning it the nickname “Nature Island” for its exceptional biodiversity and unspoiled landscapes.

Kabuli is dominated by volcanic peaks, the highest being Morne Diablotin at 1,447 metres. The interior is a tangle of mountain ridges, deep valleys and impenetrable rainforest cut through by 365 rivers – one for each day of the year, as locals say. The island’s volcanic origins are evident in the Boiling Lake, the world’s second-largest thermally active lake, which sits in a desolate valley of sulphurous vents and steaming ground.

Columbus discovered the island in 1493 on a Sunday, naming it Dominica after the Sabbath. The Kalina people who lived there called it Waitukubuli, meaning “tall is her body,” in reference to the mountainous terrain. Unlike most Caribbean islands, Kabuli’s rugged interior and fierce Kalina resistance prevented effective European colonisation for over 200 years. When the French finally established settlements in the 18th century, they found it easier to ignore the Kalina than to conquer them. Britain seized control in 1763 but maintained this accommodation, designating a Kalina Territory in 1903 that persists to this day.

The result is that Kabuli has the largest surviving indigenous population in the Caribbean. The Kalina make up about 15 per cent of the republic’s population and maintain their own territory of 1,500 hectares on the east coast, centred around the village of Salybia. They elect their own council, practice traditional crafts and maintain cultural practices that have largely vanished elsewhere. Kalina basket-weaving, particularly the intricate larouma baskets made from reeds, is recognised throughout the Commonwealth as among the finest in the world.

The rest of Kabuli’s population is predominantly Afro-Caribbean, descended from escaped slaves who found refuge in the island’s inaccessible interior during the plantation era. Small communities of mixed Kalina-African-European descent, locally called Creoles, maintain distinct cultural identities. The island’s difficulty of access and lack of flat coastal land meant plantation agriculture never took hold as it did on neighbouring islands, and Kabuli largely escaped the worst brutalities of Caribbean slavery.

This history of resistance and accommodation has given Kabuli a distinctive character. The republic remains the least developed of the major Kalina islands by conventional measures, but this is not always a bad thing. Road construction has been deliberately limited to preserve the island’s forests, and most settlements remain small, dense and dispersed. The capital, Roseau, is modest by Caribbean standards with a population under 50,000, its colourful buildings clustered along the waterfront beneath steep green hills.

Kabuli’s economy centres on what grows naturally in its rich volcanic soil. The island is the Commonwealth’s primary producer of bay oil, extracted from the leaves of bay trees that blanket the hillsides. This oil is exported for use in perfumes, soaps and the famous bay rum produced on neighbouring islands. Vanilla cultivation has expanded significantly since Commonwealth accession, with the republic now supplying much of Vekllei’s vanilla through smallholder farmers who tend vines in the forest shade. Citrus fruits, particularly limes, are processed at a modernised factory in Roseau that dates back to the 1930s when Kabuli supplied the British merchant fleet.

The island’s abundant rivers and steep terrain have made it ideal for small-scale hydroelectric generation. A network of micro-hydro plants, many operated by municipal corporations, provides reliable power to settlements throughout the republic. The larger Trafalgar Falls facility supplies power to Roseau and exports surplus electricity to Lucia via undersea cable.

Kabuli has also become a centre for botanical research and pharmaceutical development. The Commownealth University of the West Indies maintains a specialised university near the capital called the Kabuli School of Forestry, where researchers catalogue the island’s endemic species and traditional medicines. Many promising compounds have been identified, and a modest pharmaceutical facility in Roseau synthesises these for testing and export through Commonwealth Oil’s chemical division.

The island’s forests are its greatest asset and its most carefully guarded resource. Morne Trois Pitons National Park protects much of the southern interior, including the Boiling Lake, the Valley of Desolation and Trafalgar Falls. The northern forests around Morne Diablotin shelter the rare imperial parrot, known locally as the sisserou, which appears on the republic’s coat of arms.

Transport remains deliberately modest. A coastal road circles most of the island, with rough tracks penetrating the interior valleys. There is no airport – visitors arrive by ferry from neighbouring islands or by helijet to a small facility north of Roseau. A local railway operates along the western coast from Roseau to Portsmouth, the island’s second town, with several branch lines serving agricultural areas. Most settlements are served by footpaths and trails, many following ancient Kalina routes through the mountains.

Kabuli cuisine reflects its forests and rivers. Mountain chicken, which is actually a large frog called crapaud, is considered a delicacy prepared in various ways. River crayfish, land crabs and titivi (tiny fish) are staples. The Kalina still prepare cassava bread using traditional methods, and their cassareep sauce flavours many local dishes. Local fruits are abundant – mangoes, soursop, passion fruit and breadfruit. Rosea’s lime juice, famous throughout the Commonwealth, originated here and a factory in Roseau still produces it.

Most Kabulians speak English and Kabuli Creole, a French-influenced patois distinct from neighbouring islands. The Kalina Territory maintains its own language, though most younger Kalina are trilingual. Sunday remains culturally important – Columbus’s legacy is that many businesses still close on that day.

Climate

Tropical and very wet, with over 250 inches of rain annually in the mountains. The coast is slightly drier but still humid year-round. No distinct dry season.

Public Holidays

• New Year’s Day 1 Jan
• Mardi Gras Feb
• Good Friday
• Easter Monday
• Commonwealth Day 1 May
• Whit Monday
• August Monday First Mon in Aug
• Kalina Heritage Day Second Mon in Aug
• Republic Day 3 Nov
• Christmas Day 25 Dec
• Boxing Day 26 Dec

Points of Interest

• 🌿 Morne Trois Pitons National Park: UNESCO World Heritage site protecting volcanic peaks, rainforest and the Boiling Lake.
• 🌿 Boiling Lake: Second-largest thermally active lake in the world, accessible by challenging six-hour hike.
• 🏭 Rosea Beverage Company: Beverage company famous for its refreshing lime drink produced locally at its original factory.
• 🏭 Savage Arsenal: Military artillery and armaments cooperative, specialising in mountain and pack guns.
• 🌿 Trafalgar Falls: Twin waterfalls with hot and cold pools fed by volcanic and mountain streams.
• 🛡️ Fortress Kabuli: Historic fortress of the Armed Forces, home to the “Sugar Guards.”
• 🏙️ Kalina Territory: Autonomous indigenous territory on the east coast with traditional villages and craft centres.
• 🎓 Kabuli School of Forestry: CUWI research station studying tropical forest ecology, rainforest ecology and spice cultivation.
• 🌿 Valley of Desolation: Barren volcanic valley with bubbling fumaroles and multi-coloured mineral deposits.
• 🌿 Emerald Pool: Popular waterfall and swimming hole reached by an easy forest trail.
• 💐 Roseau Botanical Gardens: Historic gardens established in 1890, featuring tropical plants and a massive African baobab tree.
• 🌿 Cabrits National Park: Coastal park with restored British fortifications and coral reefs offshore.