Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when 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 that time. Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada in September of 2004 causing severe damage.
Population
107,818 (July 2010 est.)
Country comparison to the world:190
Nationality
Noun:Grenadian(s)
Adjective:Grenadian
Ethnic groups
black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East Indian 5%, and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian
Religions
Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%
Languages
English (official), French patois
Country Name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form:Grenada
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 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
19 December 1973
Legal system
19 December 1973
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state:Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Carlyle Arnold GLEAN (since 27 November 2008)
Head of government:Prime Minister Tillman THOMAS (since 9 July 2008)
Cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
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Elections:the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (13 seats, 10 members appointed by the government and 3 by the leader of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections:last held on 8 July 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
Election results:House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDC 11, NNP 4
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of a court of Appeal and a High Court of Justice (two High Court judges are assigned to and reside in Grenada); Itinerant Court of Appeal three judges; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)
Political Parties and Leaders
Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Gloria Payne BANFIELD]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Committee for Human Rights in Grenada or CHRG; New Jewel Movement Support Group; The British Grenada Friendship Society; The New Jewel 19 Committee
International organization participation
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, 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, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission:Ambassador Gillian M.S. BRISTOL
Chancery:1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Telephone:[1] (202) 265-2561
FAX:[1] (202) 265-2468
Consulate(s) general:New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
Chief of mission:the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada
Embassy:Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's
Mailing address:P. O. Box 54, Saint George's
Telephone:[1] (473) 444-1173 through 1177
FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820
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 represent the seven administrative divisions
