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
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
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
Grenville, Saint George's
Railways [time series]
0 km