Map of Grenada | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when Christopher COLUMBUS landed on 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. In 1979, a leftist New Jewel Movement seized power under Maurice BISHOP, ushering in the Grenada Revolution. On 19 October 1983, factions within the revolutionary government overthrew and killed BISHOP and members of his party. 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. The rule of law was restored, and democratic elections were reinstituted the following year and have continued since then.


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Location: 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 Caribbean

Area
Total: 344 km²
Land: 344 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries
Total: 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
Highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit

Land use
Agricultural land: 32.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 8.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 20.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 2.9% (2018 est.)
Forest: 50% (2018 est.)
Other: 17.7% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 2.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 200 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

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

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


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Population
Distribution: approximately one-third of the population is found in the capital of St. George's; the island's population is concentrated along the coast: 114,299 (2023 est.)
Growth rate: 0.29% (2023 est.)
Below poverty line: 38% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Grenadian(s)
Adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups: African descent 82.4%, mixed 13.3%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)

Languages: English (official), French patois

Religions: Protestant 49.2% (includes Pentecostal 17.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 13.2%, Anglican 8.5%, Baptist 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Evangelical 1.9%, Methodist 1.6%, other 1.2%), Roman Catholic 36%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, Rastafarian 1.2%, other 5.5%, none 5.7%, unspecified 1.3% (2011 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.23% (male 13,261/female 12,153)
15-64 years: 65.51% (male 38,112/female 36,765)
65 years and over: 12.26% (2023 est.) (male 6,630/female 7,378)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 51.3
Youth dependency ratio: 36.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 14.9
Potential support ratio: 6.7 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 35 years (2023 est.)
Male: 34.7 years
Female: 35.1 years

Population growth rate: 0.29% (2023 est.)

Birth rate: 13.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate: 8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution: approximately one-third of the population is found in the capital of St. George's; the island's population is concentrated along the coast

Urbanization
Urban population: 37.1% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.86% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 39,000 SAINT GEORGE'S (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation causing habitat destruction and species loss; coastal erosion and contamination; pollution and sedimentation; inadequate solid waste management
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 10.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 0.27 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 2.04 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 21 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76 years (2023 est.)
Male: 73.4 years
Female: 78.8 years

Total fertility rate: 1.92 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved: total: 96.8% of population
Unimproved: total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 5.8% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density: 1.44 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Hospital bed density: 3.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban:
Unimproved urban:

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 21.3% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 8.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 3.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 4.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 3.6% of GDP (2018 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.6%
Male: 98.6%
Female: 98.6% (2014 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 19 years
Male: 18 years
Female: 19 years (2018)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Grenada
Etymology: derivation of the name remains obscure; some sources attribute the designation to Spanish influence (most likely named for the Spanish city of Granada), with subsequent French and English interpretations resulting in the present-day Grenada; in Spanish "granada" means "pomegranate"

Government type: parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; 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)
Etymology: the 1763 Treaty of Paris transferred possession of Grenada from France to Great Britain; the new administration renamed Ville de Fort Royal (Fort Royal Town) to Saint George's Town, after the patron saint of England; eventually the name became simply Saint George's

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 7 February 1974 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution
History: previous 1967; latest presented 19 December 1973, effective 7 February 1974, suspended 1979 following a revolution but restored in 1983
Amendments: proposed by either house of Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership in both houses and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to constitutional sections, such as personal rights and freedoms, the structure, authorities, and procedures of the branches of government, the delimitation of electoral constituencies, or the procedure for amending the constitution, also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum; amended 1991, 1992

Legal system: common law based on English model

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years for persons from a non-Caribbean state and 4 years for a person from a Caribbean state

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Cecile LA GRENADE (since 7 May 2013)
Head of government: Prime Minister Dickon MITCHELL (since 24 June 2022)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch
Description:
Elections:
Election results:

Judicial branch
Highest courts: regionally, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 2 in Grenada; appeals beyond the ECSC in civil and criminal matters are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
Judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, and independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
Subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; Court of Magisterial Appeals

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP, AOSIS, CARIFORUM, CARIBCAN, Caricom, CBI, CDB, CELAC, CSME, ECCU, EPA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), 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 Tarlie FRANCIS (since 15 September 2023)
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 FAX: [1] (202) 265-2,468
In the us email address and website:

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 a leading nutmeg producer); the seven stars stand for the seven administrative divisions, with the central star denoting the capital, St. George's; yellow represents the sun and the warmth of the people, green stands for vegetation and agriculture, and red symbolizes harmony, unity, and courage

National symbols: Grenada dove, bougainvillea flower; national colors: red, yellow, green

National anthem
Name: "Hail Grenada"
Lyrics/music: Irva Merle BAPTISTE/Louis Arnold MASANTO
Note: adopted 1974

National heritage


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Economy overview: small OECS service-based economy; large tourism, construction, transportation, and education sectors; major spice exporter; shrinking but still high public debt; vulnerable to hurricanes; emerging blue economy incentives

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 63% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 12% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 20% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 60% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -55% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.8% (2017 est.)
Industry: 15.5% (2017 est.)
Services: 77.7% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: bananas, watermelons, sweet potatoes, sugar cane, tomatoes, plantains, coconuts, melons, cucumbers, cabbages

Industries: food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction, education, call-center operations

Industrial production growth rate: 15.33% (2021 est.)

Labor force: 55,270 (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 38% (2008 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10%: NA
Highest 10%: NA

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $323 million (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $263 million (2019 est.)
Surplus  or deficit: 3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 25.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt:

Revenue
From forest resources: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance:

Exports:
Partners: United States 30%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12%, France 7%, Germany 5%, Trinidad and Tobago 5% (2021)
Commodities: nutmeg, tuna, cocoa beans, fruits, nuts, toilet paper, acrylic paints, beer (2021)

Imports:
Partners: United States 35%, Trinidad and Tobago 17%, Cayman Islands 8%, China 5%, United Kingdom 4% (2021)
Commodities: refined petroleum, poultry, cars, food preparation materials, delivery trucks (2021)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification-total population: 93.7% (2021)
Access electrification-urban areas: 93% (2020)
Access electrification-rural areas: 96% (2020)
Installed generating capacity: 55,000 kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 194.495 million kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 19 million kWh (2019 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 98.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Coal
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 2,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 1,886 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 316,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 316,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 39.799 million Btu/person (2019 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 26,011 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 100,000 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 81 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: multiple publicly and privately owned television and radio stations; Grenada Information Service (GIS) is government-owned and provides television and radio services; 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; Meaningful Television (MTV) broadcasts island-wide and is part of a locally-owned media house, Moving Target Company, that also includes an FM radio station and a weekly newspaper; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is provided by Columbus Communications Grenada (FLOW GRENADA) and is available island wide; approximately 25 private radio stations also broadcast throughout the country (2019)

Internet
Country code: .gd
Users total: 93,600 (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 78% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 32,000 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2020 est.)


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces: no regular military forces; the Royal Grenada Police Force (under the Ministry of National Security) includes a Coast Guard and a paramilitary Special Services Unit (2023)

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: J3

Airports: 3 (2021)
With paved runways: 3
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 1,127 km (2017)
Paved: 902 km (2017)
Unpaved: 225 km (2017)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 6 (2022)
By type: general cargo 3, other 3

Ports and terminals
Major seaports: Saint George's


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Disputes international: none identified

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: a transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbean; some local demand for cocaine and some use of synthetic drugs