Background: Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when Christopher 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 then.

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
Rank: 207
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
Extremes highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Natural resources: timber tropical fruit deepwater harbors

Land use
Agricultural land: 32.3%
Forest: 50%
Other: 17.7%

Irrigated land: 2.19 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: NA

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

Population: 110,694 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 191
Growth rate: 0.48% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 161
Below poverty line: 38% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Grenadian
Adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups: African descent 89.4% mixed 8.2% East Indian 1.6% other 0.9% (includes indigenous) (2001 est.)

Languages: English (official) French patois

Religions: Roman Catholic 44.6% Protestant 43.5% (includes Anglican 11.5% Pentecostal 11.3% Seventh Day Adventist 10.5% Baptist 2.9% Church of God 2.6% Methodist 1.8% Evangelical 1.6% other 1.3%) Jehovah's Witness 1.1% Rastafarian 1.1% other 6.2% none 3.6%

Age structure
0-14 years: 24.35%
15-24 years: 16.02%
25-54 years: 40.35%
55-64 years: 9.65%
65 years and over: 9.62% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 50.7%
Youth dependency ratio: 39.9%
Elderly dependency ratio: 10.8%
Potential support ratio: 9.3%

Median age
Total: 30.4 years
Male: 30.4 years
Female: 30.4 years

Population growth rate: 0.48% (2015 est.)
Rank: 161

Birth rate: 16.03 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 120

Death rate: 8.08 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 96

Net migration rate: -3.13 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 182

Urbanization
Urban population: 35.6% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.33% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: SAINT GEORGE'S (capital) 38,000 (2014)

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.1 male/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male/female
25-54 years: 1.05 male/female
55-64 years: 1.05 male/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male/female
Total population: 1.03 male/female

Infant mortality rate
Total: 10.21 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 9.59 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 10.9 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 136

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.05 years
Male: 71.47 years
Female: 76.88 years
Rank: 125

Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 112

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.66 physicians/1000 population (2006)

Hospital bed density: 3.5 beds/1000 population (2012)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 24.6% (2014)
Rank: 78

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 16 years

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Grenada
Etymology: probably named for the Spanish city of Granada; in Spanish 'granada' means 'pomegranate'

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

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: previous 1967; latest presented 19 December 1973 came into operation 7 February 1974 suspended 1979 following a revolution but restored in 1983; amended 1991 (Constitutional Judicature Act 1991); note - in early 2014 the prime minister launched a constitutional reform committee but progress toward actual constitutional reform has stalled (2015)

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: 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: Queen ELIZABETH II ; represented by Governor General Cecile LA GRENADE (since 7 May 2013)
Head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Electionsappointments: 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 the Senate and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 19 February 2013
Election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NNP 59% NDC 41%; seats by party - NNP 15

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court of Grenada ; note - the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the itinerant superior court of record for the 9-member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States to include Grenada; the ECSC - with its headquarters on St. Lucia - is headed by the chief justice and is comprised of the Court of Appeal with 3 justices and the High Court with 16 judges; sittings of the Court of Appeal and High Court rotate among the member states
Judge selection and term of office: justice selection and tenure NA
Subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; Court of Magisterial Appeals

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP AOSIS C Caricom CDB CELAC 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 Ethelstan A. FRIDAY
In the us chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW Washington DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] 265-2,561
In the us FAX: [1] 265-2,468
In the us consulate general: Miami
In the us consulate: Chicago Detroit New York
From the us chief of mission: the US does not have an embassy in Grenada; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada
From the us embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch Saint George's
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 54 Saint George's
From the us telephone: [1] 444-1173 through 1176
From the us FAX: [1] 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 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 symbols: Grenada dove Bougainvillea flower; national colors: red yellow green

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

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 about 110% leaving the MITCHELL administration limited room to engage in public investments and social spending. MITCHELL in 2013 announced a structural adjustment program that includes a plan to increase tax revenue. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing together with the development of tourism and higher education - especially in medicine - have contributed to growth in national output; however economic growth remained stagnant in 2010-14 after a sizable contraction in 2009 because of the global economic slowdown's effects on tourism and remittances. Gross national saving – and wealth – has been declining since 2010.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 199

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 43

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 120

Gross national saving:
Rank: 174

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 94.3%
Government consumption: 15.5%
Investment in fixed capital: 16.3%
Investment in inventories: 0%
Exports of goods and services: 20.2%
Imports of goods and services: -46.3%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6%
Industry: 14.7%
Services: 79.3%

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: -2% (2014 est.)
Rank: 181

Labor force: 59,900 (2013 est.)
Rank: 188
By occupation agriculture: 11%
By occupation industry: 20%
By occupation services: 69%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 191

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

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

Budget
Revenues: $173.3 million
Expenditures: $208.6 million
Surplus or deficit: -4.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 153

Taxes and other revenues: 20.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 162

Public debt: 110% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 10

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 9

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 55

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 92

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 183

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 174

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 165

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance:
Rank: 86

Exports:
Rank: 203
Commodities: nutmeg bananas cocoa fruit and vegetables clothing mace
Partners: Nigeria 45% St. Lucia 11.2% Antigua and Barbuda 7.6% St. Kitts and Nevis 6.8% Dominica 6.8% US 6.7% (2014)

Imports:
Rank: 199
Commodities: food manufactured goods machinery chemicals fuel
Partners: Trinidad and Tobago 48.6% US 15.8% (2014)

Debt external:
Rank: 173

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 193 million kWh (2012 est.)
Production rank: 186
Consumption: 178 million kWh (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 190
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 144
Imports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 155
Installed generating capacity: 48,700 kW (2012 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 187
Generation sources fossil fuels: 98.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 52
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 100
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 175
Generation sources other renewable sources: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 89

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 141
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 130
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 197
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 139

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 188
Products consumption: 2000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 187
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 181
Products imports: 2012 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products imports rank: 182

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 194
Consumption: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 148
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 106
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 202
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 143

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 431,300 Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 185

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 28,600
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26
Fixed lines rank: 174
Mobile cellular total: 134,500
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 122
Mobile cellular rank: 186

Telephone system
General assessment: automatic island-wide telephone system
Domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
International: country code - 1-473; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad (2009)

Broadcast media: 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; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is available; a dozen private radio stations also broadcast (2007)

Internet
Country code: .gd
Users total: 49,600
Users percent of population: 45.1%
Users rank: 183

Airports: 3 (2013)
Rank: 195
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1

Roadways
Total: 1127 km
Paved: 687 km
Unpaved: 440 km
Rank: 184

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Saint George's

Disputes international: none

Illicit drugs: small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US