2010 Edition

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.

Area

land

344 sq km

total

344 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Coastline

121 km

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

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

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

5.88%

other

64.71% (2005)

permanent crops

29.41%

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Terrain

volcanic in origin with central mountains

Total renewable water resources

NA

Age structure

0-14 years: 32% (male 14,608/female 14,410) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 31,278/female 27,873) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 1,268/female 1,302) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

17.2 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

7.9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

5.2% of GDP (2003)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

12.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

10.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.76 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.55 years (2010 est.)

male

70.27 years

total population

72.79 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

NA (2003 est.)

male

NA

total population

96%

Median age

female

28.2 years (2010 est.)

male

28.2 years

total

28.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Grenadian

noun

Grenadian(s)

Net migration rate

-3.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

107,818 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

0.563% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2005)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.097 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.21 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

31% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

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

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)

Constitution

19 December 1973

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Grenada

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

FAX

[1] (473) 444-4820

mailing address

P. O. Box 54, Saint George's

telephone

[1] (473) 444-1173 through 1177

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Gillian M.S. BRISTOL

consulate(s) general

New York

FAX

[1] (202) 265-2468

telephone

[1] (202) 265-2561

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Carlyle Arnold GLEAN (since 27 November 2008)

elections

the monarchy 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 Tillman THOMAS (since 9 July 2008)

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 stand for the seven administrative divisions, with the central star denoting the capital, St. George; yellow represents the sun and the warmth of the people, green stands for vegetation and agriculture, and red symbolizes harmony, unity, and courage

Government type

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Independence

7 February 1974 (from the UK)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of a court of Appeal and a High Court of Justice (two High Court judges are assigned to and reside in Grenada); Itinerant Court of Appeal three judges; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Legal system

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

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

election results

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDC 11, NNP 4

elections

last held on 8 July 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Irva Merle BAPTISTE/Louis Arnold MASANTO note: adopted 1974

name

"Hail Grenada"

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

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

Committee for Human Rights in Grenada or CHRG; New Jewel Movement Support Group; The British Grenada Friendship Society; The New Jewel 19 Committee

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2009) 6.5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

11.06% (31 December 2009 est.) 9.53% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$138 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$347 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. Hurricanes Ivan (2004) and Emily (2005) severely damaged the agricultural sector - particularly nutmeg and cocoa cultivation - which had been a key driver of economic growth. Grenada has rebounded from the devastating effects of the hurricanes but is now saddled with the debt burden from the rebuilding process. Public debt-to-GDP is nearly 110%, leaving the THOMAS administration limited room to engage in public investments and social spending. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing, together with the development of tourism and an offshore financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national output; however, economic growth was stagnant in 2010 after a sizeable contraction in 2009, because of the global economic slowdown's effects on tourism and remittances.

Electricity - consumption

155.7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

178.7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Exports

$38 million (2006)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Saint Lucia 19.73%, Antigua and Barbuda 13.41%, US 12.21%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 12.03%, Dominica 12% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

5.4%

industry

18%

services

76.6% (2003)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$10,500 (2010 est.) $10,400 (2009 est.) $11,400 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

0.8% (2010 est.) -7.7% (2009 est.) 2.2% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$645 million (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.127 billion (2010 est.) $1.118 billion (2009 est.) $1.211 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$343 million (2006)

Imports - commodities

food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Imports - partners

Trinidad and Tobago 39.76%, US 18.11% (2009)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.7% (2007 est.)

Labor force

42,300 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

24%

industry

14%

services

62% (1999 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

3,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

1,923 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

32% (2000)

Stock of broad money

$743.5 million (31 December 2009) $719.5 million (31 December 2008)

Stock of domestic credit

$658 million (31 December 2008 est.) $575.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$123.1 million (31 December 2009) $131.7 million (31 December 2008)

Unemployment rate

12.5% (2000)

Broadcast media

the Grenada Broadcasting Network, jointly owned by the government and the Caribbean Communications Network of Trinidad and Tobago, operates a television station and 2 radio stations; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is available; a dozen private radio stations also broadcast (2007)

Internet country code

.gd

Internet hosts

52 (2010)

Internet users

25,000 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links

general assessment

automatic, island-wide telephone system

international

country code - 1-473; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Telephones - main lines in use

28,600 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

64,000 (2009)

Airports

3 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Saint George's

Roadways

paved

687 km

total

1,127 km

unpaved

440 km (2000)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 27,453 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 22,487 females age 16-49: 22,535 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

1,026 (2010 est.)

male

987

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2010)

Military expenditures

NA

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US page last updated on January 11, 2011 ======================================================================