2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Age structure

0-14 years: 33.4% (male 15,097/female 14,820) 15-64 years: 63.4% (male 30,106/female 26,764) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,394/female 1,522) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Airports

3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m

1 (2006)

Area

land

344 sq km

total

344 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

twice the size of Washington, DC

Background

Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when COLUMBUS discovered the island in 1498, but it remained uncolonized for more than a century. The French settled Grenada in the 17th century, established sugar estates, and imported large numbers of African slaves. Britain took the island in 1762 and vigorously expanded sugar production. In the 19th century, cacao eventually surpassed sugar as the main export crop; in the 20th century, nutmeg became the leading export. In 1967, Britain gave Grenada autonomy over its internal affairs. Full independence was attained in 1974 making Grenada one of the smallest independent countries in the Western Hemisphere. Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19 October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections were reinstituted the following year and have continued since that time. Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada in September of 2004 causing severe damage. Geography Grenada

Birth rate

22.08 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$102.1 million; including capital expenditures of $28 million (1997)

revenues

$85.8 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

12 03 N, 61 45 W

name

Saint George's

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Coastline

121 km

Constitution

19 December 1973

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Grenada

Currency (code)

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code

XCD

Death rate

6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$347 million (2004)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada

embassy

Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's

mailing address

P. O. Box 54, Saint George's

telephone

[1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE

telephone

[1] (202) 265-2561

Disputes - international

none

Economic aid - recipient

$15.4 million (2004)

Economy - overview

Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange, especially since the construction of an international airport in 1985. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing, together with the development of an offshore financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national output.

Electricity - consumption

159.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

171.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East Indian 5%, and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

head of government

Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June 1995)

Exports

$40 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Exports - partners

Saint Lucia 12.2%, US 11.4%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.3%, Germany 8%, Netherlands 7.9%, Saint Kitts & Nevis 7.4%, Dominica 7.4%, UK 6.8%, France 4.2% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 265-2468

[1] (473) 444-4820

consulate(s) general

New York

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Grenada

Flag description

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 Economy Grenada

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

5.4%

industry

18%

services

76.6% (2003)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0.9% (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$454 million (2005)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$440 million (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

12 07 N, 61 40 W

Geography - note

the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada People Grenada

Government type

parliamentary democracy

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Illicit drugs

small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$276 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Imports - partners

Trinidad and Tobago 27.6%, US 26.8%, UK 5.9% (2005)

Independence

7 February 1974 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

0.7% (1997 est.)

Industries

food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction

Infant mortality rate

female

14.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

13.87 deaths/1,000 live births

total

14.27 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (2005 est.)

International organization participation

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Internet country code

.gd

Internet hosts

17 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

14 (2000)

Internet users

19,000 (2005) Transportation Grenada

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of a court of Appeal and a High Court of Justice (a High Court judge is assigned to and resides in Grenada)

Labor force

42,300 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

24%

industry

14%

services

62% (1999 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

5.88%

other

64.71% (2005)

permanent crops

29.41%

Languages

English (official), French patois

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10 appointed by the government and 3 by the leader of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

election results

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NNP 46.65%, NDC 44.12%; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7

elections

last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by November 2008)

Life expectancy at birth

female

66.68 years (2006 est.)

male

63.06 years

total population

64.87 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

NA% (2003 est.) Government Grenada

male

NA%

total population

96%

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49

24,031 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49

17,483 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49

1,274 (2005 est.)

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

21.2 years (2006 est.)

male

22.1 years

total

21.7 years

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA Transnational Issues Grenada

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Nationality

adjective

Grenadian

noun

Grenadian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November

Natural resources

timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Net migration rate

-12.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Gloria Payne BANFIELD]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

89,703 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

32% (2000)

Population growth rate

0.26% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Saint George's Military Grenada

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

57,000 (1997)

Religions

Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Roadways

paved

687 km

total

1,127 km

unpaved

440 km (1999)

Sex ratio

at birth

1 male(s)/female

total population

1.08 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links

general assessment

automatic, islandwide telephone system

international

country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Telephones - main lines in use

32,700 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular

43,300 (2004)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1997)

Televisions

33,000 (1997)

Terrain

volcanic in origin with central mountains

Total fertility rate

2.34 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

12.5% (2000)