Country Profile Grenada

 

  • Capital: Saint George's
  • Population: 90,739 (July 2009 est.)
  • Currency: East Caribbean dollars (XCD)
  • Language: English (official), French patois
  • Time zone: UTC-4
  • Government: Parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
  • Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

          Represented by Governor General Carlyle Arnold GLEAN (since 27 November 2008)

  • GDP real growth rate : 
    • 3.7% (2008 est.)
    • 4.3% (2007 est.) 
    • 1.1% (2006 est.)
  • Main Export Partners(2007):
    • Jamaica 92.8%
    • Saint Lucia 1.3%
    • US 1.2%
  • Imports(2006): $343 million f.o.b.
  • Main Import partners(2007): Trinidad and Tobago 36.5%, US 23.3%, Italy 4.1%
  • Dialing Country code: +1-473
  • Voltage: 220V

Detailed country profile

ECONOMY

GDP real growth rate:

  • 3.7% (2008 est.) 
  • 4.3% (2007 est.) 
  • -1.1% (2006 est.)

GDP-Composition by sector(2003)

  • Agriculture: 5.4%
  • Industry: 18%
  • Services: 76.6%

Labor force by occupation(1999):

  • Agriculture: 24%
  • Industry: 14%
  • Services: 62%

Agriculture products:

  • Bananas
  • Cocoa
  • Nutmeg
  • Mace
  • Citrus
  • Avocados
  • Root crops
  • Sugarcane
  • Corn
  • Vegetables

Industries:

  • Food and beverages
  • Textiles
  • Light assembly operations
  • Tourism
  • Construction

Exports: $38 million (2006)

Export Commodities

  • Bananas
  • Cocoa
  • Nutmeg
  • Fruit and vegetables
  • Clothing
  • Mace

Main Export Partners(2007):

  • Jamaica 92.8%
  • Saint Lucia 1.3%
  • US 1.2%

Imports:$343 million f.o.b. (2006)

Import commodities:

  • Food
  • Manufactured goods
  • Machinery
  • Chemicals
  • Fuel

Import partners(2007):

  • Trinidad and Tobago 36.5%
  • US 23.3%
  • Italy 4.1%

Ports and Terminal:Saint George's

Unemployment rate:12.5% (2000)

GOVERNMENT

Government Type:Parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

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
Elections: 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

Legal system:Based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

GEOGRAPHY

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

Environment and international agreement:

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

Environment and current issues:Not available

PEOPLE

Ethnic groups:

  • Black 82%
  • Mixed black and European 13%
  • European and East Indian 5%
  • Trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Languages:

  • English (official)
  • French patois

Religion(2000):

  • Roman Catholic 53%
  • Anglican 13.8%
  • Other Protestant 33.2%

HISTORY

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.

Source: The world factbook www.cia.gov

See also:

Grenada Trade Agreements

Embassies and Consulates in Grenada