1994 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1994 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Administrative divisions
6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick
Agriculture
accounts for 15% of GDP and 80% of exports; bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, and mace account for two-thirds of total crop production; world's second-largest producer and fourth-largest exporter of nutmeg and mace; small-size farms predominate, growing a variety of citrus fruits, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, and vegetables
Airports
total: 3 usable: 3 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1
Area
total area: 340 sq km land area: 340 sq km comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Birth rate
30.28 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Branches
Royal Grenada Police Force, Coast Guard
Budget
revenues: $78 million expenditures: $51 million, including capital expenditures of $22 million (1991 est.)
Capital
Saint George's
Climate
tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds
Coastline
121 km
Constitution
19 December 1973
Currency
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Death rate
6.19 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP
Digraph
GJ
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Denneth MODESTE chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 265-2561
Economic aid
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY84-89), $60 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $70 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $32 million
Electricity
capacity: 12,500 kW production: 26 million kWh consumption per capita: 310 kWh (1992)
Environment
current issues: NA natural hazards: lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November international agreements: party to - Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change
Ethnic divisions
black African
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Reginald Oswald PALMER (since 6 August 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Nicholas BRATHWAITE (since 13 March 1990) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister
Exports
$19.9 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace partners: Netherlands, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, United States
External debt
$109 million (1992)
FAX
(809) 444-4820
Fiscal year
calendar year
Flag
a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side) with a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow five-pointed stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative divisions
Highways
total: 1,000 km paved: 600 km unpaved: otherwise improved 300 km; unimproved earth 100 km
House of Representatives
elections last held on 13 March 1990 (next to be held by NA March 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (15 total) NDC 7, GULP 4, TNP 2, NNP 2
Imports
$103.2 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: food 25%, manufactured goods 22%, machinery 20%, chemicals 10%, fuel 6% (1989) partners: US 29%, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (1989)
Independence
7 February 1974 (from UK)
Industrial production
growth rate 1.8% (1992 est.); accounts for 9% of GDP
Industries
food and beverage, textile, light assembly operations, tourism, construction
Infant mortality rate
12.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.6% (1992 est.)
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Labor force
36,000 by occupation: services 31%, agriculture 24%, construction 8%, manufacturing 5%, other 32% (1985)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 15% permanent crops: 26% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 9% other: 47%
Languages
English (official), French patois
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 70.4 years male: 68 years female: 72.85 years (1994 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970) total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98%
Location
Caribbean, in the eastern Caribbean Sea, about 150 im north of Trinidad and Tobago
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Member of
ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WTO
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Grenada
National holiday
Independence Day, 7 February (1974)
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $250 million (1992 est.)
National product per capita
$3,000 (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate
-0.4% (1992 est.)
Nationality
noun: Grenadian(s) adjective: Grenadian
Natural resources
timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors
Net migration rate
-20.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Note
islands of the Grenadines group are divided politically with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Overview
The economy is essentially agricultural and centers on the traditional production of spices and tropical plants. Agriculture accounts for about 15% of GDP and 80% of exports and employs 24% of the labor force. Tourism is the leading foreign exchange earner, followed by agricultural exports. Manufacturing remains relatively undeveloped, but is expected to grow, given a more favorable private investment climate since 1983. The economy achieved an impressive average annual growth rate of 5.5% in 1986-91 but stalled in 1992. Unemployment remains high at about 25%.
Political parties and leaders
National Democratic Congress (NDC), Nicholas BRATHWAITE; Grenada United Labor Party (GULP), Sir Eric GAIRY; The National Party (TNP), Ben JONES; New National Party (NNP), Keith MITCHELL; Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement (MBPM), Terrence MARRYSHOW
Population
94,109 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate
0.35% (1994 est.)
Ports
Saint George's
Religions
Roman Catholic, Anglican, other Protestant sects
Senate
consists of a 13-member body, 10 appointed by the government and 3 by the Leader of the Opposition
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Telecommunications
automatic, islandwide telephone system with 5,650 telephones; new SHF radio links to the islands of Trinidad, Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to the islands of Trinidad and Carriacou; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, 1 TV
Terrain
volcanic in origin with central mountains
Total fertility rate
3.93 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Type
parliamentary democracy
Unemployment rate
25% (1992 est.)
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Ollie P. ANDERSON embassy: Point Salines, Saint George's mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, W.I. telephone: (809) 444-1173 through 1178