Grenada

Grenada

Introduction

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

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

Area

total: 344 sq km
country comparison to the world: 206 land:344 sq km
water:0 sq km

Area – comparative

twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

121 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm

Climate

tropical

tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain

volcanic in origin with central mountains

Elevation extremes

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

Natural resources

timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Land use

arable land: 5.88%
permanent crops:29.41%
other:64.71% (2005)

Irrigated land

15 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

NA

Natural hazards

lies on edge of hurricane belt

hurricane season lasts from June to November

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

Geography – note

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

People and Society

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

Religions

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

Population

108,419 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189

Age structure

0-14 years: 25.4% (male 14,152/female 13,390)
15-64 years:65.7% (male 36,245/female 34,960)
65 years and over:8.9% (male 4,372/female 5,300) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 28.6 years
male:28.6 years
female:28.6 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

0.551% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148

Birth rate

17.01 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119

Death rate

7.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107

Net migration rate

-3.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184

Urbanization

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

Major cities – population

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.098 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 (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 11.43 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 141 male:10.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female:12.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.04 years
country comparison to the world: 121 male:70.51 years
female:75.82 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.18 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107

Health expenditures

7.1% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 74

Physicians density

0.9756 physicians/1,000 population (1998)
country comparison to the world: 103

Hospital bed density

2.4 beds/1,000 population (2009)
country comparison to the world: 90

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 97% of population
rural: 93% of population
total: 94% of population
unimproved:
urban: 3% of population
rural: 7% of population
total: 6% of population (2000)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 96% of population
rural: 97% of population
total: 97% of population
unimproved:
urban: 4% of population
rural: 3% of population
total: 3% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

HIV/AIDS – deaths

NA

Education expenditures

4.9% of GDP (2003)
country comparison to the world: 60

Literacy

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

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

Government

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form:Grenada

Government type

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital

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)

Administrative divisions

6 parishes and 1 dependency*

Carriacou and Petite Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Independence

7 February 1974 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution

19 December 1973

Legal system

common law based on English model

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

represented by Governor General Carlyle Arnold GLEAN (since 27 November 2008)
head of government:Prime Minister Tillman THOMAS (since 9 July 2008)
cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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

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)
elections:last held on 8 July 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
election results:House of Representatives – percent of vote by party – NA

seats by party – NDC 11, NNP 4

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)

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

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

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 1177
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 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

National anthem

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

Economy

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.098 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198 $1.114 billion (2009 est.)
$1.204 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$674 million (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

-1.4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202 -7.6% (2009 est.)
2.2% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$10,200 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107 $10,400 (2009 est.)
$11,300 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 10.2%
industry:28.8%
services:61% (2010 est.)

Labor force

42,300 (1996)
country comparison to the world: 191

Labor force – by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

12.5% (2000)
country comparison to the world: 131

Population below poverty line

32% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Investment (gross fixed)

15.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Budget

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

Taxes and other revenues

26% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-6% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149 -0.3% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 57 6.5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.6% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99 10.983% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$112.7 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183 $105.9 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$821.1 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170 $785.6 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$598.5 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162 $625.9 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Agriculture – products

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

Industries

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

Electricity – production

195.4 million kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180

Electricity – consumption

177.4 million kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176

Oil – consumption

3,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177

Oil – exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175

Oil – imports

1,913 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180

Oil – proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137

Natural gas – production

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189

Natural gas – consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127

Natural gas – proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142

Current account balance

-$174.8 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84 -$174.8 million (2007 est.)

Exports

$38 million (2006)
country comparison to the world: 199 $38.69 million (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

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

Exports – partners

St. Lucia 16.6%, Egypt 15.9%, Antigua and Barbuda 11.3%, US 11%, St. Kitts and Nevis 10.1%, Dominica 10.1% (2010)

Imports

$252.8 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198 $252.8 million (2006)

Imports – commodities

food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Imports – partners

Trinidad and Tobago 43.7%, US 18.8% (2010)

Debt – external

$347 million (2004)
country comparison to the world: 171

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
2.7 (2010)
2.7 (2009)
2.7 (2005)
2.7 (2004)
2.7 (2003)

Transportation

Airports

3 (2010)
country comparison to the world:195

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)

Roadways

total: 1,127 km
country comparison to the world: 182 paved:687 km
unpaved:440 km (2001)

Ports and terminals

Saint George’s

Military

Military branches

no regular military forces

Royal Grenada Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2010)

Manpower available for military service

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

Manpower fit for military service

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

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

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

Military expenditures

NA

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

none

Illicit drugs

small-scale cannabis cultivation

lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US