ARCHIVE // GD // 2017

Grenada

2017 Edition — sovereign

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Communications
Broadcast media [time series]
the Grenada Broadcasting Network, jointly owned by the government and the Caribbean Communications Network of Trinidad and Tobago, operates a TV station and 2 radio stations; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is available; a dozen private radio stations also broadcast (2007)
Internet country code [time series]
.gd
Internet users [time series]
total: 62,123 | percent of population: 55.9% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 183
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: adequate, automatic, island-wide telephone system | domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links | international: country code - 1-473; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad (2015)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 26,776 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total: 118,973 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 107 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables
Budget [time series]
revenues: $263.4 million | expenditures: $271.1 million (2016 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
-0.8% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62
Central bank discount rate [time series]
6.5% (31 December 2009) | 6.5% (31 December 2008) | country comparison to the world: 58
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
8.66% (31 December 2016 est.) | 8.96% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96
Current account balance [time series]
$-34 million (2016 est.) | $-203.4 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84
Debt - external [time series]
$679 million (2013 est.) | $538 million (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange especially since the construction of an international airport in 1985. Strong performance in construction and manufacturing, together with the development of tourism and higher education - especially in medicine - contributed to growth in national output; however, economic growth remained stagnant in the 2010-14 period, after a sizable contraction in 2009, because of the global economic slowdown's effects on tourism and remittances. Gross national saving – and wealth – has been declining since 2010. | Hurricanes Ivan (2004) and Emily (2005) severely damaged the agricultural sector - particularly nutmeg and cocoa cultivation - which had been a key driver of economic growth. Grenada has rebounded from the devastating effects of the hurricanes but is now saddled with the debt burden from the rebuilding process. Public debt-to-GDP is about 110%, leaving the MITCHELL administration limited room to engage in public investments and social spending. MITCHELL in 2013 announced a structural adjustment program that includes a plan to increase tax revenue.
Exchange rates [time series]
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - | 2.7 (2016 est.) | 2.7 (2015 est.) | 2.7 (2014 est.) | 2.7 (2013 est.) | 2.7 (2012 est.)
Exports [time series]
$44.2 million (2016 est.) | $43.8 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 206
Exports - commodities [time series]
nutmeg, bananas, cocoa, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace
Exports - partners [time series]
US 28.4%, Japan 11%, Dominica 7.9%, St. Lucia 7.6%, Netherlands 5.2%, Barbados 4.9%, St. Kitts and Nevis 4.8% (2016)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$1.056 billion (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$1.524 billion (2016 est.) | $1.451 billion (2015 est.) | $1.349 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 198
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 83.9% | government consumption: 14.3% | investment in fixed capital: 16.1% | investment in inventories: -0.1% | exports of goods and services: 19.6% | imports of goods and services: -33.9% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 9% | industry: 14.6% | services: 76.5% (2016 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$14,200 (2016 est.) | $13,700 (2015 est.) | $13,000 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 113
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
3.7% (2016 est.) | 6.4% (2015 est.) | 7.3% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94
Gross national saving [time series]
17% of GDP (2016 est.) | 13.9% of GDP (2015 est.) | 13.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 179
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% | highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$313.7 million (2016 est.) | $310.4 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 199
Imports - commodities [time series]
food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel
Imports - partners [time series]
US 32.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 23.5%, China 6%, Japan 4.6% (2016)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
2% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109
Industries [time series]
food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
1.7% (2016 est.) | -0.6% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113
Labor force [time series]
59,900 (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 188
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 11% | industry: 20% | services: 69% (2008 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
$NA
Population below poverty line [time series]
38% (2008 est.)
Public debt [time series]
84.4% of GDP (2016 est.) | 91.7% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 30
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$207.7 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $198 million (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 158
Stock of broad money [time series]
$796.7 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $786.1 million (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$566.3 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $567.5 million (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173
Stock of narrow money [time series]
$214 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $201.1 million (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 182
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
25.6% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115
Unemployment rate [time series]
33.5% (2013) | 25% (2008) | country comparison to the world: 205
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]
500,000 Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 185
Crude oil - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130
Crude oil - imports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134
Crude oil - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 141
Electricity - consumption [time series]
185 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142
Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]
98% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 38
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178
Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99
Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]
2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 155
Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]
50,000 kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 191
Electricity - production [time series]
200 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189
Electricity access [time series]
population without electricity: 11,121 | electrification - total population: 91% | electrification - urban areas: 100% | electrification - rural areas: 80% (2012)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 131
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) | country comparison to the world: 145
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
2,300 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 160
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
2,259 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 150
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 344 sq km | land: 344 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 208
Area - comparative [time series]
twice the size of Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds
Coastline [time series]
121 km
Elevation [time series]
mean elevation: NA | elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m | highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
deforestation causing habitat destruction and species loss; coastal erosion and contamination; pollution and sedimentation; inadequate solid waste management
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates [time series]
12 07 N, 61 40 W
Geography - note [time series]
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
Irrigated land [time series]
20 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 32.3% | arable land 8.8%; permanent crops 20.6%; permanent pasture 2.9% | forest: 50% | other: 17.7% (2011 est.)
Location [time series]
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Map references [time series]
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November | volcanism: Mount Saint Catherine (840 m) lies on the island of Grenada; Kick 'em Jenny, an active submarine volcano (seamount) on the Caribbean Sea floor, lies about 8 km north of the island of Grenada; these two volcanoes are at the southern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends up to the Netherlands dependency of Saba in the north
Natural resources [time series]
timber, tropical fruit
Population distribution (Population - distribution) [time series]
approximately one-third of the population is found in the capital of St. George's; the island's population is concentrated along the coast
Terrain [time series]
volcanic in origin with central mountains
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petite Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick
Capital [time series]
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)
Citizenship [time series]
citizenship by birth: yes | citizenship by descent: yes | dual citizenship recognized: yes | residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years for persons from a non-Caribbean state and 4 years for a person from a Caribbean state
Constitution [time series]
previous 1967; latest presented 19 December 1973, effective 7 February 1974, suspended 1979 following a revolution, but restored in 1983; amended 1991 (Constitutional Judicature Act, 1991) (2017)
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none | conventional short form: Grenada | etymology: probably named for the Spanish city of Granada; in Spanish "granada" means "pomegranate"
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: the US does not have an embassy in Grenada; 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 1176 | FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Ethelstan Angus FRIDAY (since 3 September 2013) | chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 | telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 | FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 | consulate(s) general: Miami
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Cecile LA GRENADE (since 7 May 2013) | head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 20 February 2013) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister | elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Flag (Flag description) [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 stand for the seven administrative divisions, with the central star denoting the capital, St. George; yellow represents the sun and the warmth of the people, green stands for vegetation and agriculture, and red symbolizes harmony, unity, and courage
Government type [time series]
parliamentary democracy (Parliament); a Commonwealth realm
Independence [time series]
7 February 1974 (from the UK)
International law organization participation [time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation [time series]
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), 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, WHO, WIPO, WTO
Judicial branch [time series]
highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, travelling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside at the member states with 2 in Grenada | judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, and independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 | subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; Court of Magisterial Appeals
Legal system [time series]
common law based on English model
Legislative branch [time series]
description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (13 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 10 on the advice of the prime minister and 3 on the advice of the opposition party leader; members serve 5-year terms) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) | elections: last held on 19 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018) | election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NNP 58.8%, NDC 40.7%; other 0.5% seats by party - NNP 15
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
name: "Hail Grenada" | lyrics/music: Irva Merle BAPTISTE/Louis Arnold MASANTO | note: adopted 1974
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 7 February (1974)
National symbol(s) [time series]
Grenada dove, Bougainvillea flower; national colors: red, yellow, green
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Wilfred HAYES] | National Democratic Congress or NDC [Nazim BURKE] | New National Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
Committee for Human Rights in Grenada or CHRG | New Jewel Movement Support Group | The British Grenada Friendship Society | The New Jewel 19 Committee
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when Christopher 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 then.
Military and Security
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2010)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 23.99% (male 13,914/female 12,893) | 15-24 years: 15.03% (male 8,377/female 8,414) | 25-54 years: 40.38% (male 23,099/female 22,013) | 55-64 years: 10.52% (male 6,016/female 5,740) | 65 years and over: 10.08% (male 5,210/female 6,048) (2017 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
15.5 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121
Death rate [time series]
8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 50.7 | youth dependency ratio: 39.9 | elderly dependency ratio: 10.8 | potential support ratio: 9.3 (2015 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
urban: 99% of population | rural: 95.3% of population | total: 96.6% of population | urban: 1% of population | rural: 4.7% of population | total: 3.4% of population (2015 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
African descent 82.4%, mixed 13.3%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]
6.1% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 103
Hospital bed density [time series]
3.5 beds/1,000 population (2012)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 9.2 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 10.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141
Languages [time series]
English (official), French patois
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 74.5 years | male: 71.9 years | female: 77.4 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123
Major infectious diseases [time series]
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
SAINT GEORGE'S (capital) 38,000 (2014)
Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]
27 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 118
Median age [time series]
total: 31.5 years | male: 31.5 years | female: 31.6 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109
Nationality [time series]
noun: Grenadian(s) | adjective: Grenadian
Net migration rate [time series]
-2.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
21.3% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 90
Population [time series]
111,724 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 190
Population distribution [time series]
approximately one-third of the population is found in the capital of St. George's; the island's population is concentrated along the coast
Population growth rate [time series]
0.44% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164
Religions [time series]
Protestant 49.2% (includes Pentecostal 17.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 13.2%, Anglican 8.5%, Baptist 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Evangelical 1.9%, Methodist 1.6%, other 1.2%), Roman Catholic 36%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, Rastafarian 1.2%, other 5.5%, none 5.7%, unspecified 1.3% (2011 est.)
Sanitation facility access [time series]
urban: 97.5% of population | rural: 98.3% of population | total: 98% of population | urban: 2.5% of population | rural: 1.7% of population | total: 2% of population (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 17 years | male: 17 years | female: 17 years (2015)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.08 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female | total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
2.02 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 35.7% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 0.44% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Illicit drugs [time series]
small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US
Transportation
Airports [time series]
3 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 195
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 3 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | under 914 m: 1 (2017)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]
J3 (2016)
National air transport system [time series]
number of registered air carriers: 0 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 0 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 0 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km (2015)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
major seaport(s): Saint George's
Roadways [time series]
total: 1,127 km | paved: 687 km | unpaved: 440 km (2001) | country comparison to the world: 184