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

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Background: The indigenous Carib people 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, US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations intervened, quickly capturing the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Rule of law was restored, and democratic elections were reinstituted the following year and have continued since.


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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
Country comparison total: 0 km

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.)
Agricultural land forest: 50% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land 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 m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November
Volcanism: Mount Saint Catherine (840 m) lies on the island of Grenada; Kick 'em Jenny, an active submarine volcano (seamount) on the Caribbean Sea floor, lies about 8 km north of the island of Grenada; these two volcanoes are at the southern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends up to the Netherlands dependency of Saba in the north

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
Total: 114,621
Male: 58,168
Female: 56,453 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.27% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 25% (2018 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: 21.9% (male 13,095/female 12,003)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 38,129/female 36,726)
65 years and over: 12.8% (2024 est.) (male 6,944/female 7,724)

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: 35.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 35.2 years
Female: 35.7 years

Population growth rate: 0.27% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 13.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 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 (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

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

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 9.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 73.7 years
Female: 79.1 years

Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (2024 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

Physicians density

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

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 93.7% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 6.3% of population (2020 est.)

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: bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (13 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 10 on the advice of the prime minister and 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms), House of Representatives (15 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last appointments on 3 August 2022 (next to be held no later than 2,027), House of Representatives - last held on 23 June 2022 (next to be held no later than 2,027)
Elections results: Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - NDC 7, NNP 3, independent 3; composition - men 11, women 5, percentage women 31.3%, House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NDC 51.8%; NNP 47.8%; other 0.4%; seats by party - NDC 9; NNP 6; composition - men 9, women 4, percentage women 30.8%
Note: total Parliament percentage women 31%

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: National Democratic Congress or NDC, New National Party or NNP

International organization participation: ACP, ACS, 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: embassy@grenadaembassyusa.org; [link]
In the us consulates general: Miami, New York
From the us chief of mission: the US does not have an official embassy in Grenada; the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Richard F. NYHUS, is accredited to Grenada
From the us embassy: Lance-aux-Epines, Saint George's
From the us mailing address: 3,180 Grenada Place, Washington DC 20,521-3,180
From the us telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173
From the us fax: [1] (473) 444-4,820
From the us email address and website: StgeorgesACS@state.gov; [link]

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; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, 'God Save the King' serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)

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: $2.008 billion (2023 est.); $1.916 billion (2022 est.); $1.785 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 4.81% (2023 est.); 7.32% (2022 est.); 4.69% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $15,900 (2023 est.); $15,300 (2022 est.); $14,300 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 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: 3.3% (2023 est.)
Industry: 14.9% (2023 est.)
Services: 64.3% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: coconuts, sugarcane, eggs, bananas, vegetables, fruits, plantains, root vegetables, grapefruits, avocados (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: -4.07% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 55,270 (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate: 24% (2017 est.); 28.2% (2016 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 25% (2018 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $288.404 million (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $222.475 million (2017 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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

Public debt: 70.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

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

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.7% (2023 est.); 2.58% (2022 est.); 1.22% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on 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: -$184.237 million (2023 est.); -$135.727 million (2022 est.); -$162.344 million (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $899.153 million (2023 est.); $712.263 million (2022 est.); $537.898 million (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 33%, Antigua and Barbuda 10%, India 4%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4%, France 3% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: nutmeg/cardamom, frozen fruits and nuts, fish, other fruits, toilet paper (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $1.021 billion (2023 est.); $791.232 million (2022 est.); $621.896 million (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 37%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Cayman Islands 11%, China 5%, UK 3% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, poultry, plastic products, wheat, cars (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $404.13 million (2023 est.); $371.767 million (2022 est.); $348.259 million (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $458.369 million (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 94.2% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 56,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 224.749 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 15.877 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 97.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Exports: (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton
Imports: 0.7 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 364,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 364,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 40.666 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 26,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 101,000 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 81 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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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 (2024)

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: 2 (2024)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

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

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

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