Grenada

constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliamentIndependence 7 February 1974 (from UK)

Grenada as the 2003 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 112 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSaint George's
Position12 07 N, 61 40 W
Area344 sq km
LocationCaribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Populationas each edition published it
89,258 people July 2003 est. · 84,135 in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.08% 2003 est. · 0.24% in 1993
Median ageyears
20.5 years 2002 · 35.9 yrs in 2025
Life expectancyyears at birth
64.52 years 2003 est. · 70.15 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.45 children per woman 2003 est. · 4.9 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
14.63 deaths per 1,000 live births 2003 est. · 30 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$5,000 2002 est. · $3,000 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
2.5% 2002 est. · -0.4% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

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.

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 344 sq km

arable land 5.88%permanent crops 26.47%other 67.65% (1998 est.)
Area
344sq km
water: 0 sq kmland: 344 sq kmtwice the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
121km
land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 NMterritorial sea: 12 NM
Highest point
840m
Mount Saint Catherinelowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

12 07 N, 61 40 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Climate

tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain

volcanic in origin with central mountains

Natural resources

timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Natural hazards

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

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

People

19 fields
Population
89,258
(July 2003 est.)growth rate: 0.08% (2003 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2003 est.)

Birth
22.87Death
7.46Net migration
-14.56

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2003 est.)64.52
62.74 · 66.31Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)14.63
14.18 · 15.07
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1970 est.)98%
98% · 98%Median age years (2002)20.5
21 · 20
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

Roman Catholic 53%Anglican 13.8%other Protestant 33.2%

Age structure

0-14 years:
35.1% (male 15,840; female 15,492)
15-64 years:
61.3% (male 28,941; female 25,735)
65 years and over:
3.6% (male 1,502; female 1,748) (2003 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.12 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.86 male(s)/female
total population:
1.08 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.45 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Grenadian(s)
adjective:
Grenadian

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

English (official), French patois

Government

Constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996); Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June 1995)

18 fields

House of Representatives, 15 seats, elected 27 November 2003one dot, one seat

NNP 8NDC 7

Country name

conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Grenada

Government type

constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Capital

Saint George's

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

7 February 1974 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution

19 December 1973

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)
head of government:
Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June 1995)
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
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

Legislative branch

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

elections:
last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by NA November 2008)
election results:
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7

Judicial branch

West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate judge resides in Grenada)

Political parties and leaders

  • Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Herbert PREUDHOMME];
  • National Democratic Congress or NDC [leader vacant];
  • New National Party or NNP [George McGUIRE];
  • People Labor Movement or PLM [leader NA]

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE
consulate(s) general:
New York
FAX:
[1] (202) 265-2468
telephone:
[1] (202) 265-2561
chancery:
1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
the ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada
embassy:
Point Salines, Saint George's
mailing address:
P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies
telephone:
[1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176
FAX:
[1] (473) 444-4820

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 relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange, especially since the construction of an international airport in 1985.

36 fields
Real growth rate
2.5%
(2002 est.)industrial production growth: 0.7% (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2000)

agriculture 7.7%industry 23.9%services 68.4% (2000)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

13.6%
US
30.7%
Trinidad and Tobago
27.3%
14%
Germany
9.7%
Bangladesh
8.6%
Netherlands
6.4%
Saint Lucia
UK
4.4%
4.3%
Antigua and Barbuda
4.1%
France
Exports $78 million (2000 est.)Imports $270 million (2000 est.)(2002)

Budget

Revenues
$85.8 millionExpenditures
$102.1 million (1997)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $28 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · other 0% · nuclear 0%
Electricity production
138 million (2001)Electricity consumption
128.3 million (2001)

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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $440 million (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2002 est.)

Labor force

42,300 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

services 62%, agriculture 24%, industry 14% (1999 est.)

Industries

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

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

$78 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$270 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Debt - external

$196 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

$8.3 million (1995)

Currency

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Fixed lines
27,000
(1997) · country code .gd

Telephone system

general assessment:
automatic, islandwide telephone system
domestic:
interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
international:
new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Internet users

5,200 (2002)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

2,438 to 3,047 m
11,524 to 2,437 m
1under 914 m
1

Networkskm

Highways
1,040Railways
0
Highways: paved: 638 km · unpaved: 402 km (1999 est.)

Highways

total:
1,040 km
paved:
638 km
unpaved:
402 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Grenville, Saint George's

Merchant marine

none (2002 est.)

Airports

3 (2002)

Military

Royal Grenada Police Force, Coast Guard

3 fields

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Illicit drugs

small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Grenada.” The World Factbook 2003. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/grenada/2003.