Grenada

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Grenada

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

Area (including the southern Grenadine Islands, notably Carriacou and Petit Martinique) 344 sq km/133 sq mi Capital St George's Language English (official), some French-African patois Religion Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican about 14%, Seventh Day Adventist, Pentecostal, Methodist Time difference GMT -4 Major holidays 1–2 January, 7 February, 1 May, 3–4 August, 25 October, 25–26 December; variable: Corpus Christi, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Grenville, Sauteurs, Victoria, Gouyave Physical features southernmost of the Windward Islands; mountainous; Grand-Anse beach; Annandale Falls; the Great Pool volcanic crater Airports one international airport, one smaller airport, and several airfields; total aircraft arrivals: 11,310 (1995) Railways none Roads total road network: 1,040 km/646 mi, of which 61.3% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 190.3 per 1,000 people (2000)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Queen Elizabeth II from 1974, represented by Governor General Daniel Williams from 1996 Head of government Keith Mitchell from 1995 Political system liberal democracy Political executive parliamentary Administrative divisions 15 constituencies Political parties Grenada United Labour Party (GULP), nationalist, left of centre; National Democratic Congress (NDC), centrist; National Party (TNP), centrist Death penalty retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes but can be considered abolitionist in practice; date of last known execution 1978 Armed forces no standing army; 730-strong regional security unit Education spend (% GDP) 5.1 (2003 est) Health spend (% GDP) 4.9 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency East Caribbean dollar GDP (US$) 454 million (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 6.5 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 418 million (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 7,260 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 4.3% (2006 est) Unemployment 12.3% (2002) Labour force 24% agriculture, 14% industry, 62% services (2000 est) Foreign debt (US$) 433 million (2004 est) Major trading partners USA, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, the Netherlands, Germany, St Lucia Industries agricultural products (nutmeg oil distillation), rum, beer, soft drinks, cigarettes, clothing, tourism Exports nutmeg, cocoa, bananas, cocoa, mace, fresh fruit. Principal market: St Lucia 12.1% each (2005) Imports foodstuffs, mineral fuels, machinery and transport equipment, basic manufactures, beverages, tobacco. Principal source: Trinidad and Tobago 27.8% (2005) Arable land 5.9% (2006 est) Agricultural products cocoa, bananas, nutmeg (world's second-largest producer), mace, sugar cane, fresh fruit and vegetables; livestock productions (for domestic use); fishing


POPULATION

Population 100,400 (2006 est) Population growth rate 0.3% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 261 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 42 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 38%, 15–59 55%, 60+ 7% (2001 est) Ethnic groups majority is of black African descent Life expectancy 68 (men); 67 (women) (2000–05) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 21 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 12 Literacy rate 95% (2001 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 10.8 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 5.7 (2003 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 97 (urban); 93 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 32 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 42.4 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 615 (1997) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 383 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 15.7 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 18.6 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

1498 Sighted by the explorer Christopher Columbus; Spanish named it Grenada since its hills were reminiscent of the Andalusian city. 1650 Colonized by French settlers from Martinique, who faced resistance from the local Carib Indian community armed with poison arrows, before the defeated Caribs performed a mass suicide. 1783 Ceded to Britain as a colony by the Treaty of Versailles; black African slaves imported to work cotton, sugar, and tobacco plantations. 1795 Abortive rebellion against British rule led by Julien Fedon, a black planter. 1834 Slavery abolished. 1950 Left-wing Grenada United Labour Party (GULP) founded by trade union leader Eric Gairy. 1951 Universal adult suffrage granted and GULP elected to power in nonautonomous local assembly. 1958–62 Part of Federation of the West Indies. 1967 Internal self-government achieved. 1974 Independence achieved within Commonwealth, with Gairy as prime minister. 1979 Autocratic Gairy removed in bloodless coup led by left-wing Maurice Bishop of the New Jewel Movement. Bishop strengthened ties with Cuba and USSR. 1983 After attempts to improve relations with USA, Bishop overthrown by left-wing opponents, precipitating military coup by Gen Hudson Austin. USA invaded; 250 fatalities. Austin arrested and 1974 constitution reinstated. 1984 Newly formed centre-left New National Party (NNP) won general election; Herbert A Blaize became prime minister. 1995 General election won by NNP, led by Keith Mitchell. 1999 Ruling NNP gained sweeping general election victory. 2001 Opposition criticized government for establishing ties with Libya and for Mitchell's trip to Tripoli. Canada imposed visa regime on holders of Grenada passports over security fears. 2003 Prime Minister Mitchell narrowly won third term in office. 2004 Prime minister declared national disaster after Hurricane Ivan; about 90% of island devastated. 2005 Grenada re-established diplomatic ties with China. Hit by Hurricane Emily. 2007 UK-based Privy Court said that sentencing to death of 14 prisoners over 1983 coup was illegal and they should be re-sentenced.


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