Ethnicity/race: black 82%, mixed black and European 13%,
European and East Indian 5%, and trace of Arawak/Carib
Amerindian
Religions: Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 14%, other
Protestant 33%
Literacy rate: 96% (2003 est.)
Economic summary:GDP/PPP (2006
est.): $982 million; per capita $3,900 (2005 est.). Real growth
rate: 0.9%. Inflation: 3% (2005 est.). Unemployment:
12.5% (2000). Arable land: 6%. Agriculture:
bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops,
sugarcane, corn, vegetables. Labor force: 42,300 (1996);
services 62%, agriculture 24%, industry 14% (1999 est.).
Industries: food and beverages, textiles, light assembly
operations, tourism, construction. Natural resources: timber,
tropical fruit, deepwater harbors. Exports: $38 million (2006
est.): bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace.
Imports: $343 million (2006): food, manufactured goods,
machinery, chemicals, fuel. Major trading partners: Saint
Lucia, U.S., Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dominica,
Trinidad and Tobago, UK (2006).
Member of Commonwealth of Nations
Communications: Telephones: main lines
in use: 27,700 (2006); mobile cellular: 46,200 (2006). Radio
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998).
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997). Internet
hosts: 7 (2007). Internet users: 19,000 (2003).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km.
Highways: total: 1,127 km; paved: 687 km; unpaved: 440 km
(1999 est.). Ports and harbors: Saint George's.
Airports: 3 (2007).
Grenada (the first “a” is a long vowel) is the most southerly of the
Windward Islands, about 100 mi (161 km) from the Venezuelan coast. It is a
volcanic island traversed by a mountain range, the highest peak of which
is Mount St. Catherine (2,756 ft; 840 m).
Government
Constitutional monarchy. A governor-general represents the sovereign,
Elizabeth II.
History
The Arawak Indians were the first to inhabit Grenada, but they were all
eventually massacred by the Carib Indians. When Columbus arrived in 1498,
he encountered the Caribs, who continued to rule over the island for
another 150 years. The French gained control of the island in 1672 and
held on to it until 1762, when the British invaded. Black slaves were
granted freedom in 1833. After more than 200 years of British rule, most
recently as part of the West Indies Associated States, Grenada became
independent on Feb. 7, 1974, with Eric M. Gairy as prime minister.
In 1979, the Marxist New Jewel Movement staged a coup, and its leader,
Maurice Bishop, became prime minister. Bishop, a protégé of Cuba's
President Castro, was killed in a military coup on Oct. 19, 1983.
In an effort to establish order on the island and eliminate the Cuban
military presence, U.S. president Ronald Reagan ordered an invasion of
Grenada on Oct. 25, 1983, involving over 1,900 U.S. troops and a small
military force from Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and St.
Vincent. The troops met strong resistance from Cuban military personnel on
the island but soon occupied it. After a gradual withdrawal of
peacekeeping forces, a centrist coalition led by Herbert A. Blaize won a
parliamentary majority in 1984. The New National Party (NNP), led by Keith
C. Mitchell, won a majority in the 1995 parliamentary elections. He won
reelection again in 1999 and 2003.
In Sept. 2004, Grenada suffered the most damage of any country from
Hurricane Ivan, which killed 39 and left thousands homeless. In July 2005,
Hurricane Emily wreaked further destruction.
