Statistical information Grenada 1999

Grenada in the World
top of pageBackground: The smallest independent country 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.
top of pageLocation: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 61 40 W
Map reference:
Central America and the CaribbeanAreaTotal: 340 km²
Land: 340 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 121 km
Maritime claimsExclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds
Terrain: volcanic in origin with central mountains
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m
Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors
Land useArable land: 15%
Permanent crops: 18%
Permanent pastures: 3%
Forests and woodland: 9%
Other: 55% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November
GeographyNote: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
top of pagePopulation: 97,008 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 0.87% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
NationalityNoun: Grenadian(s)
Adjective: Grenadian
Ethnic groups: black
Languages: English (official), French patois
Religions: Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant sects 33.2%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 43% (male 21,055; female 20,365)
15-64 years: 53% (male 27,524; female 23,766)
65 years and over: 4% (male 2,034; female 2,264) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.87% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 27.62 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.15 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -13.74 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: NA
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 11.13 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 71.6 years
Male: 68.97 years
Female: 74.29 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.57 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98%
Male: 98%
Female: 98% (1970 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Grenada
Government type: parliamentary democracy
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
Dependent areasIndependence: 7 February 1974 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 February (1974)
Constitution: 19 December 1973
Legal system: based on English common law
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief 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; prime minister appointed by the governor general from among the members of the House of Assembly
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 18 January 1999 (next to be held by NA October 2004)
Election results: House of Representatives_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_NNP 15
Judicial branch: West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate judge resides in Grenada)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE
In the us chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-2,561
In the us consulates: New York
From the us chief of mission: the ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada
From the us embassy: Point Salines, Saint George's
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies
From the us telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176
From the us FAX: [1] (473) 444-4,820
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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: In this island economy progress in fiscal reforms and prudent macroeconomic management have boosted annual growth to nearly 5% in 1997-98. The increase in economic activity has been led by construction and trade. Tourist facilities are being expanded; tourism is the leading foreign exchange earner. Major short-term concerns are the rising fiscal deficit and the deterioration in the external account balance. Grenada shares a common central bank and a common currency with seven other members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $3,500 (1998 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 9.7%
Industry: 15%
Services: 75.3% (1996 est.)
Agriculture products: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables
Industries: food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 36,000
By occupation services: 31%
By occupation agriculture: 24%
By occupation construction: 8%
By occupation manufacturing: 5%
By occupation other: 32% (1985)
Unemployment rate: 20% (1 October 1996)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $85.8 million
Expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28 million (1997)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $22 million (1997)
Commodities: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace
Partners: Caricom 32.3%, UK 20%, US 13%, Netherlands 8.8% (1991)
Imports: $166.5 million (1997)
Commodities: food 25%, manufactured goods 22%, machinery 20%, chemicals 10%, fuel 6% (1989)
Partners: US 31.2%, Caricom 23.6%, UK 13.8%, Japan 7.1% (1991)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $74 million (1997 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1_2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 70 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 70 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 5,650 (1988 est.)
Telephone system: 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
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $NA
Percent of gdp: NA%
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 3 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailways: 0 km
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: none
Ports and terminalsGrenada - Transnational issues 1999
top of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US