2024 Edition Primary

Background

The indigenous Carib people inhabited Grenada when Christopher COLUMBUS landed on 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. In 1979, a leftist New Jewel Movement seized power under Maurice BISHOP, ushering in the Grenada Revolution. On 19 October 1983, factions within the revolutionary government overthrew and killed BISHOP and members of his party. Six days later, US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations intervened, quickly capturing the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Rule of law was restored, and democratic elections were reinstituted the following year and have continued since.

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

highest point

Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

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

20 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

32.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 8.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 20.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 2.9% (2018 est.)

forest

50% (2018 est.)

other

17.7% (2018 est.)

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 Novembervolcanism: Mount Saint Catherine (840 m) lies on the island of Grenada; Kick 'em Jenny, an active submarine volcano (seamount) on the Caribbean Sea floor, lies about 8 km north of the island of Grenada; these two volcanoes are at the southern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends up to the Netherlands dependency of Saba in the north

Natural resources

timber, tropical fruit

Population distribution

approximately one-third of the population is found in the capital of St. George's; the island's population is concentrated along the coast

Terrain

volcanic in origin with central mountains

Age structure

0-14 years

21.9% (male 13,095/female 12,003)

15-64 years

65.3% (male 38,129/female 36,726)

65 years and over

12.8% (2024 est.) (male 6,944/female 7,724)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

4.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

8.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

13.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

5.8% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

41.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

14.9

potential support ratio

6.7 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

51.3

youth dependency ratio

36.4

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 96.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

3.6% of GDP (2018 est.)

Ethnic groups

African descent 82.4%, mixed 13.3%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.91 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

3.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

9.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

8.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.1 years

male

73.7 years

total population

76.3 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98.6% (2014 est.)

male

98.6%

total population

98.6%

Major urban areas - population

39,000 SAINT GEORGE'S (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

21 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

35.7 years

male

35.2 years

total

35.4 years (2024 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Grenadian

noun

Grenadian(s)

Net migration rate

-2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.3% (2016)

Physician density

1.44 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

female

56,453 (2024 est.)

male

58,168

total

114,621

Population distribution

approximately one-third of the population is found in the capital of St. George's; the island's population is concentrated along the coast

Population growth rate

0.27% (2024 est.)

Religions

Protestant 49.2% (includes Pentecostal 17.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 13.2%, Anglican 8.5%, Baptist 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Evangelical 1.9%, Methodist 1.6%, other 1.2%), Roman Catholic 36%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, Rastafarian 1.2%, other 5.5%, none 5.7%, unspecified 1.3% (2011 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 93.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 6.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

19 years (2018)

male

18 years

total

19 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.9 male(s)/female

at birth

1.1 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.86% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

37.1% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

the 1763 Treaty of Paris transferred possession of Grenada from France to Great Britain; the new administration renamed Ville de Fort Royal (Fort Royal Town) to Saint George's Town, after the patron saint of England; eventually the name became simply Saint George's

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)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

7 years for persons from a non-Caribbean state and 4 years for a person from a Caribbean state

Constitution

amendments

proposed by either house of Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership in both houses and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to constitutional sections, such as personal rights and freedoms, the structure, authorities, and procedures of the branches of government, the delimitation of electoral constituencies, or the procedure for amending the constitution, also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum; amended 1991, 1992

history

previous 1967; latest presented 19 December 1973, effective 7 February 1974, suspended 1979 following a revolution but restored in 1983

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Grenada

etymology

derivation of the name remains obscure; some sources attribute the designation to Spanish influence (most likely named for the Spanish city of Granada), with subsequent French and English interpretations resulting in the present-day Grenada; in Spanish "granada" means "pomegranate"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

the US does not have an official embassy in Grenada; the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Richard F. NYHUS, is accredited to Grenada

email address and website

StgeorgesACS@state.govhttps://bb.usembassy.gov/embassy/grenada/

embassy

Lance-aux-Epines, Saint George's

FAX

[1] (473) 444-4820

mailing address

3180 Grenada Place, Washington DC  20521-3180

telephone

[1] (473) 444-1173

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Tarlie FRANCIS (since 15 September 2023)

consulate(s) general

Miami, New York

email address and website

embassy@grenadaembassyusa.orghttps://grenadaembassyusa.org/

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

chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Cecile LA GRENADE (since 7 May 2013)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

head of government

Prime Minister Dickon MITCHELL (since 24 June 2022)

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 a leading nutmeg producer); the seven stars stand for the seven administrative divisions, with the central star denoting the capital, St. George's; 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 under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Independence

7 February 1974 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, ACS, AOSIS, CARIFORUM, CARIBCAN, Caricom, CBI, CDB, CELAC, CSME, ECCU, EPA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), 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

highest court(s)

regionally, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 2 in Grenada; appeals beyond the ECSC in civil and criminal matters are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

judge selection and term of office

chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, and independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62

subordinate courts

magistrates' courts; Court of Magisterial Appeals

Legal system

common law based on English model

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (13 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 10 on the advice of the prime minister and 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms)House of Representatives (15 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - NDC 7, NNP 3, independent 3; composition - men 11, women 5, percentage women 31.3%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NDC 51.8%; NNP 47.8%; other 0.4%; seats by party - NDC 9; NNP 6; composition - men 9, women 4, percentage women 30.8%; note - total Parliament percentage women 31%

elections

Senate - last appointments on 3 August 2022 (next to be held no later than 2027)House of Representatives - last held on 23 June 2022 (next to be held no later than 2027)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Irva Merle BAPTISTE/Louis Arnold MASANTO

name

"Hail Grenada"

note

note: adopted 1974; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the King" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

National symbol(s)

Grenada dove, bougainvillea flower; national colors: red, yellow, green

Political parties

National Democratic Congress or NDCNew National Party or NNP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

coconuts, sugarcane, eggs, bananas, vegetables, fruits, plantains, root vegetables, grapefruits, avocados (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$222.475 million (2017 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$288.404 million (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

SD (2013)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$162.344 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$135.727 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$184.237 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$458.369 million (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

small OECS service-based economy; large tourism, construction, transportation, and education sectors; major spice exporter; shrinking but still high public debt; vulnerable to hurricanes; emerging blue economy incentives

Exchange rates

Currency

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

2.7 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

2.7 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2.7 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2.7 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

2.7 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$537.898 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$712.263 million (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$899.153 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

nutmeg/cardamom, frozen fruits and nuts, fish, other fruits, toilet paper (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

US 33%, Antigua and Barbuda 10%, India 4%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4%, France 3% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

60% (2017 est.)

government consumption

12% (2017 est.)

household consumption

63% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-55% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.1% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

3.3% (2023 est.)

industry

14.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

64.3% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.32 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

43.8 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

33.7% (2018 est.)

lowest 10%

2.1% (2018 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$621.896 million (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$791.232 million (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$1.021 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, poultry, plastic products, wheat, cars (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

US 37%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Cayman Islands 11%, China 5%, UK 3% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-4.07% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction, education, call-center operations

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.22% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

2.58% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

55,270 (2017 est.)

Population below poverty line

25% (2018 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2017

70.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$1.785 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.916 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$2.008 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.69% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

7.32% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.81% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$14,300 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$15,300 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$15,900 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

5.53% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

5.74% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

3.74% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$348.259 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$371.767 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$404.13 million (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

25.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2016

28.2% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate 2017

24% (2017 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

364,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

364,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

exports

(2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton

imports

0.7 metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

224.749 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

56,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

15.877 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

94.2% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

97.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

2.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

40.666 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

2,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

28 (2020 est.)

total

32,000 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

multiple publicly and privately owned television and radio stations; Grenada Information Service (GIS) is government-owned and provides television and radio services; the Grenada Broadcasting Network, jointly owned by the government and the Caribbean Communications Network of Trinidad and Tobago, operates a TV station and 2 radio stations; Meaningful Television (MTV) broadcasts island-wide and is part of a locally-owned media house, Moving Target Company, that also includes an FM radio station and a weekly newspaper; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is provided by Columbus Communications Grenada (FLOW GRENADA) and is available island wide; approximately 25 private radio stations also broadcast throughout the country (2019)

Internet country code

.gd

Internet users

percent of population

78% (2021 est.)

total

93,600 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

21 per 100 for fixed-line and 81 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2021)

general assessment

the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage (2021)

international

country code - 1-473; landing points for the ECFS, Southern Caribbean Fiber and CARCIP submarine cables with links to 13 Caribbean islands extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad & Tobago including Puerto Rico and Barbados; SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

21 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

26,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

81 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

101,000 (2021 est.)

Airports

2 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

J3

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 3, other 3

total

6 (2023)

Ports

key ports

St. George's

ports with oil terminals

1

small

1

total ports

1 (2024)

Roadways

paved

902 km

total

1,127 km

unpaved

225 km (2017)

Military - note

Grenada joined the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) in 1985; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2024)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; the Royal Grenada Police Force (under the Ministry of National Security) includes a Coast Guard and a paramilitary Special Services Unit (2024)

Illicit drugs

a transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbean; some local demand for cocaine and some use of synthetic drugs

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.27 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

2.04 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

10.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Environment - current issues

deforestation causing habitat destruction and species loss; coastal erosion and contamination; pollution and sedimentation; inadequate solid waste management

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

32.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 8.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 20.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 2.9% (2018 est.)

forest

50% (2018 est.)

other

17.7% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

200 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

2.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.86% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

37.1% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

29,536 tons (2012 est.)