ARCHIVE // GD // 1996
Grenada
1996 Edition — sovereign
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Communications
Military and security forces
(Branches)
[time series]
Royal Grenada Police Force, Coast Guard
Military expenditures
(Defense expenditures)
[time series]
$NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
[time series]
males age 15-49: NA males fit for military service: NA
Broadcast media
(Radio broadcast stations)
[time series]
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios
[time series]
80,000 (1993 est.)
Telecommunication systems
(Telephone system)
[time series]
automatic, islandwide telephone system domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links international: new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad
Telephones - fixed lines
(Telephones)
[time series]
5,650 (1988 est.)
Broadcast media
(Television broadcast stations)
[time series]
1 (1988 est.)
Televisions
[time series]
30,000 (1993 est.) Defense
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture)
[time series]
bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $75.7 million (1996 est.) expenditures: $126.7 million, including capital expenditures of $51 million (1996 est.)
Exchange rates
(Currency)
[time series]
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
[time series]
recipient: ODA, $NA
Economic overview
[time series]
The economy is essentially agricultural and centers on the traditional production of spices and tropical plants. Agriculture accounts for about 10% of GDP and 80% of exports and employs 24% of the labor force. Tourism is the leading foreign exchange earner, followed by agricultural exports. Manufacturing remains relatively undeveloped, but is growing due to a favorable private investment climate since 1983. The economy achieved an impressive average annual growth rate of 5.5% in 1986-91 but has slowed since 1992. The new MITCHELL government has moved forward with a plan to eliminate personal income tax in the hope of spurring domestic consumption.
Electricity
[time series]
capacity: 12,500 kW production: 60 million kWh consumption per capita: 639 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
[time series]
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
[time series]
$24.2 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace partners: Caricom 32.3%, UK 20%, US 13%, Netherlands 8.8% (1991)
Debt - external
(External debt)
[time series]
$89.1 million (1995 est.)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(GDP)
[time series]
purchasing power parity - $284 million (1995 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
(GDP composition by sector)
[time series]
agriculture: 10.2% industry: 40.3% services: 49.5% (1994 est.)
Real GDP per capita
(GDP per capita)
[time series]
$3,000 (1995 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
(GDP real growth rate)
[time series]
3% (1995 est.)
Illicit drugs
[time series]
produces and exports marijuana for US markets
Imports
[time series]
$162.2 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: food 25%, manufactured goods 22%, machinery 20%, chemicals 10%, fuel 6% (1989) partners: US 31.2%, Caricom 23.6%, UK 13.8%, Japan 7.1% (1991)
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
1.8% (1992 est.)
Industries
[time series]
food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
3% (1995 est.)
Labor force
[time series]
36,000 by occupation: services 31%, agriculture 24%, construction 8%, manufacturing 5%, other 32% (1985)
Unemployment rate
[time series]
14% (1995 est.)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total area: 340 sq km land area: 340 sq km comparative area: twice the size of Washington, DC
Climate
[time series]
tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds
Coastline
[time series]
121 km
Environment - current issues
(Environment)
[time series]
current issues: NA natural hazards: lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
12 07 N, 61 40 W
Geography - note
(Geographic note)
[time series]
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
Disputes - international
(International disputes)
[time series]
none
Irrigated land
[time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries
[time series]
0 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: 15% permanent crops: 26% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 9% other: 47%
Location
[time series]
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Map references
[time series]
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
[time series]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
[time series]
timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors
Terrain
[time series]
volcanic in origin with central mountains lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick
Capital
[time series]
Saint George's
Constitution
[time series]
19 December 1973
Data code
[time series]
GJ
Diplomatic representation in the US
(Diplomatic representation in US)
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Denneth MODESTE chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), a hereditary monarch, is represented by Governor General Reginald Oswald PALMER (since 6 August 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June 1995) was appointed from members of the House of Assembly by the governor general cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister
Diplomatic representation in the US
(FAX)
[time series]
[1] (809) 444-4820
Flag
[time series]
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
Legislative branch
(House of Representatives)
[time series]
elections last held on 20 June 1995 (next to be held by NA October 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (15 total) NDC 5, GULP 2, NNP 8
Independence
[time series]
7 February 1974 (from UK)
International organization participation
[time series]
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WToO
Judicial branch
[time series]
West Indies Associate States Supreme Court
Legal system
[time series]
based on English common law
Legislative branch
[time series]
bicameral Parliament
Country name
(Name of country)
[time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Grenada
National holiday
[time series]
Independence Day, 7 February (1974)
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
National Democratic Congress (NDC), George BRIZAN; Grenada United Labor Party (GULP), Sir Eric GAIRY; The National Party (TNP), Ben JONES; New National Party (NNP), Keith MITCHELL; Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement (MBPM), Terrence MARRYSHOW; New Democratic Party (NDP), James MITCHELL; Unity Labor Party (ULP), Vincent BEACHE
Legislative branch
(Senate)
[time series]
consists of a 13-member body, 10 appointed by the government and three by the leader of the opposition
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal
Government type
(Type of government)
[time series]
parliamentary democracy
Diplomatic representation from the US
(US diplomatic representation)
[time series]
chief of mission: the ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada; Charge d'Affaires Dennis CARTER embassy: Point Salines, Saint George's mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, W.I. telephone: [1] (809) 444-1173 through 1178
People
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 43% (male 20,975; female 20,246) 15-64 years: 52% (male 26,089; female 23,068) 65 years and over: 5% (male 2,112; female 2,471) (July 1996 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
29.13 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
5.74 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Ethnic groups
(Ethnic divisions)
[time series]
black African
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Languages
[time series]
English (official), French patois
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 70.89 years male: 68.39 years female: 73.44 years (1996 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.) total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98%
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Grenadian(s) adjective: Grenadian
Net migration rate
[time series]
-17.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Population
[time series]
94,961 (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
0.55% (1996 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Roman Catholic, Anglican, other Protestant sects
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female all ages: 1.07 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
3.78 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
total: 3 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1995 est.)
Roadways
(Highways)
[time series]
total: 994 km paved: 597 km unpaved: 397 km (1988 est.)
Merchant marine
[time series]
none
Ports
[time series]
Grenville, Saint George's
Railways
[time series]
0 km