Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when Christopher 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.

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

12 07 N, 61 40 W

Central America and the Caribbean

total: 344 sq km
country comparison to the world: 207
land: 344 sq km
water: 0 sq km

twice the size of Washington, DC

0 km

121 km

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

volcanic in origin with central mountains

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

arable land: 8.82%
permanent crops: 20.59%
other: 70.59% (2011)

2.19 sq km (2003)

NA

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

NA

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

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

noun: Grenadian(s)
adjective: Grenadian

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

English (official), French patois

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

109,590 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190

0-14 years: 24.7% (male 13,962/female 13,101)
15-24 years: 17.1% (male 9,310/female 9,474)
25-54 years: 40.2% (male 22,624/female 21,421)
55-64 years: 8.7% (male 4,935/female 4,642)
65 years and over: 9.2% (male 4,601/female 5,520) (2013 est.)

total dependency ratio: 51.3 %
youth dependency ratio: 40.5 %
elderly dependency ratio: 10.8 %
potential support ratio: 9.3 (2013)

total: 29.3 years
male: 29.3 years
female: 29.3 years (2013 est.)

0.52% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150

16.57 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121

8.01 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98

-3.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182

urban population: 39% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

SAINT GEORGE'S (capital) 40,000 (2009)

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

24 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 135

total: 10.81 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 139
male: 10.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

total population: 73.55 years
country comparison to the world: 121
male: 71 years
female: 76.35 years (2013 est.)

2.12 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109

54.3%
note: percent of women aged 15-44 (1990)

6.2% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 101

0.66 physicians/1,000 population (2006)

3.5 beds/1,000 population (2011)

NA

NA

NA

22.5% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 78

3.9% of GDP (2003)
country comparison to the world: 113

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: NA
female: NA (2003 est.)

total: 16 years
male: 15 years
female: 16 years (2009)

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Grenada

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

name: Saint George's
geographic coordinates: 12 03 N, 61 45 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

7 February 1974 (from the UK)

Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

previous 1967; latest presented 19 December 1973, came into operation 7 February 1974, some provisions suspended 1979; amended 1991 (Constitutional Judicature Act, 1991 - restored provisions suspended in 1979), 1992 (2008)

common law based on English model

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Cecile LA GRENADE (since 7 May 2013)
head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 20 February 2013)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

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

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)
elections: last held on 19 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NNP 59%, NDC 41%; seats by party - NNP 15

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Grenada (consists of the High Court with 3 justices and a 2-tier Court of Appeal with NA justices)
judge selection and term of office: justice selection and tenure NA
subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; Court of Magisterial Appeals

Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Wilfred HAYES]

Committee for Human Rights in Grenada or CHRG

ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, 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

chief of mission: Ambassador Ethelstan A. FRIDAY (since 3 September 2013)
chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561
FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468
consulate(s) general: New York

chief of mission: the US does not have an embassy in Grenada; 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 1177
FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

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

name: "Hail Grenada"
lyrics/music: Irva Merle BAPTISTE/Louis Arnold MASANTO
note: adopted 1974

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 remained stagnant in 2010-12 after a sizeable contraction in 2009, because of the global economic slowdown's effects on tourism and remittances.

$1.427 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
note: data are in 2012 US dollars

$779.3 million (2012 est.)

-0.8% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192

$13,500 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
note: data are in 2012 US dollars

household consumption: 91.9%
government consumption: 15.9%
investment in fixed capital: 17.6%
investment in inventories: 0%
exports of goods and services: 24.5%
imports of goods and services: -49.9%

agriculture: 5.6%
industry: 16.4%
services: 78.1% (2012 est.)

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

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

-2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157

47,580 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 194

agriculture: 11%
industry: 20%
services: 69% (2008 est.)

25% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 172

38% (2008)

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

revenues: $175.3 million
expenditures: $215.9 million (2009 est.)

22.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149

-5.2% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171

110% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13

calendar year

2.4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58

6.5% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 50

9.75% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80

$123.3 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182

$715.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172

$729.5 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159

$NA

$-214.4 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85

$40.5 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200

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

Nigeria 40.2%, St. Lucia 10.7%, Antigua and Barbuda 7.3%, US 6.6%, St. Kitts and Nevis 6.5%, Dominica 6.5%, Switzerland 4.3% (2012)

$297 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201

food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Trinidad and Tobago 44.3%, US 16.4%, China 4.6% (2012)

$538 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

201.4 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181

178.4 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188

0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202

0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193

49,700 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188

98.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171

1.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192

0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 136

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181

2,803 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179

2,004 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179

0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136

0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148

0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108

0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198

0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 143

269,000 Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191

28,500 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 178

128,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 189

general assessment: automatic, island-wide telephone system
domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
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 (2009)

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; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is available; a dozen private radio stations also broadcast (2007)

.gd

80 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 212

25,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 186

3 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 195

total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2013)

total: 1,127 km
country comparison to the world: 183
paved: 687 km
unpaved: 440 km (2001)

major seaport(s): Saint George's

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

males age 16-49: 27,468 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49: 22,596
females age 16-49: 22,588 (2010 est.)

male: 995
female: 1,002 (2010 est.)

none