Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]
total: 32,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2020 est.)
Broadcast media [time series]
multiple publicly and privately owned television and radio stations; Grenada Information Service (GIS) is government-owned and provides television and radio services; 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; Meaningful Television (MTV) broadcasts island-wide and is part of a locally-owned media house, Moving Target Company, that also includes an FM radio station and a weekly newspaper; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is provided by Columbus Communications Grenada (FLOW GRENADA) and is available island wide; approximately 25 private radio stations also broadcast throughout the country (2019)
Internet country code [time series]
.gd
Internet users [time series]
total: 93,600 (2021 est.) percent of population: 78% (2021 est.)
Telecommunication systems [time series]
general assessment: the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage (2021) domestic: 21 per 100 for fixed-line and 81 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2021) international: country code - 1-473; landing points for the ECFS, Southern Caribbean Fiber and CARCIP submarine cables with links to 13 Caribbean islands extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad Tobago including Puerto Rico and Barbados; SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad (2019)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 26,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2021 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total subscriptions: 101,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 81 (2021 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products [time series]
coconuts, sugarcane, eggs, bananas, vegetables, fruits, plantains, root vegetables, grapefruits, avocados (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Budget [time series]
revenues: $288.404 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $222.475 million (2017 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Credit ratings [time series]
Standard & Poors rating: SD (2013) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Current account balance [time series]
-$184.237 million (2023 est.) -$135.727 million (2022 est.) -$162.344 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external [time series]
$458.369 million (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Economic overview [time series]
small OECS service-based economy; large tourism, construction, transportation, and education sectors; major spice exporter; shrinking but still high public debt; vulnerable to hurricanes; emerging blue economy incentives
Exchange rates [time series]
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2023 est.) 2.7 (2022 est.) 2.7 (2021 est.) 2.7 (2020 est.) 2.7 (2019 est.)
Exports [time series]
$899.153 million (2023 est.) $712.263 million (2022 est.) $537.898 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities [time series]
nutmeg/cardamom, frozen fruits and nuts, fish, other fruits, toilet paper (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners [time series]
US 33%, Antigua and Barbuda 10%, India 4%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4%, France 3% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$1.32 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 63% (2017 est.) government consumption: 12% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 60% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -55% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 3.3% (2023 est.) industry: 14.9% (2023 est.) services: 64.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income [time series]
43.8 (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 2.1% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 33.7% (2018 est.)
Imports [time series]
$1.021 billion (2023 est.) $791.232 million (2022 est.) $621.896 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities [time series]
refined petroleum, poultry, plastic products, wheat, cars (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners [time series]
US 37%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Cayman Islands 11%, China 5%, UK 3% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
-4.07% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries [time series]
food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction, education, call-center operations
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
2.7% (2023 est.) 2.58% (2022 est.) 1.22% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Labor force [time series]
55,270 (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line [time series]
25% (2018 est.)
Public debt [time series]
70.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) [time series]
$2.008 billion (2023 est.) $1.916 billion (2022 est.) $1.785 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP growth rate [time series]
4.81% (2023 est.) 7.32% (2022 est.) 4.69% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita [time series]
$15,900 (2023 est.) $15,300 (2022 est.) $14,300 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Remittances [time series]
3.74% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.74% of GDP (2022 est.) 5.53% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$404.13 million (2023 est.) $371.767 million (2022 est.) $348.259 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
25.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate [time series]
24% (2017 est.) 28.2% (2016 est.)
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions [time series]
364,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 364,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
exports: (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton imports: 0.7 metric tons (2022 est.)
Electricity [time series]
installed generating capacity: 56,000 kW (2022 est.) consumption: 224.749 million kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 15.877 million kWh (2022 est.)
Electricity access [time series]
electrification - total population: 94.2% (2022 est.)
Electricity generation sources [time series]
fossil fuels: 97.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita [time series]
40.666 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
Petroleum [time series]
refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Environment
Air pollutants [time series]
particulate matter emissions: 10.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 0.27 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 2.04 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate [time series]
tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds
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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 32.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 8.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 20.6% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 2.9% (2018 est.) forest: 50% (2018 est.) other: 17.7% (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal [time series]
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources [time series]
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Total renewable water resources [time series]
200 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawal [time series]
municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 2.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 37.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.86% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling [time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 29,536 tons (2012 est.)
Geography
total : 344 sq km land: 344 sq km water: 0 sq km
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]
highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
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]
total: 0 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 32.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 8.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 20.6% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 2.9% (2018 est.) forest: 50% (2018 est.) other: 17.7% (2018 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 [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) etymology: the 1763 Treaty of Paris transferred possession of Grenada from France to Great Britain; the new administration renamed Ville de Fort Royal (Fort Royal Town) to Saint George's Town, after the patron saint of England; eventually the name became simply Saint George's
Citizenship [time series]
citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: 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]
history: previous 1967; latest presented 19 December 1973, effective 7 February 1974, suspended 1979 following a revolution but restored in 1983 amendments: proposed by either house of Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership in both houses and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to constitutional sections, such as personal rights and freedoms, the structure, authorities, and procedures of the branches of government, the delimitation of electoral constituencies, or the procedure for amending the constitution, also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum; amended 1991, 1992
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Grenada etymology: derivation of the name remains obscure; some sources attribute the designation to Spanish influence (most likely named for the Spanish city of Granada), with subsequent French and English interpretations resulting in the present-day Grenada; in Spanish "granada" means "pomegranate"
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: the US does not have an official embassy in Grenada; the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Richard F. NYHUS, is accredited to Grenada embassy: Lance-aux-Epines, Saint George's mailing address: 3180 Grenada Place, Washington DC 20521-3180 telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820 email address and website: StgeorgesACS@state.gov https://bb.usembassy.gov/embassy/grenada/
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Tarlie FRANCIS (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 email address and website: embassy@grenadaembassyusa.org https://grenadaembassyusa.org/ consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Cecile LA GRENADE (since 7 May 2013) head of government: Prime Minister Dickon MITCHELL (since 24 June 2022) 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 a leading nutmeg producer); the seven stars stand for the seven administrative divisions, with the central star denoting the capital, St. George's; 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 under a constitutional monarchy; 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, ACS, AOSIS, CARIFORUM, CARIBCAN, Caricom, CBI, CDB, CELAC, CSME, ECCU, EPA, 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): regionally, 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, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 2 in Grenada; appeals beyond the ECSC in civil and criminal matters are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by 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: Senate (13 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 10 on the advice of the prime minister and 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms) House of Representatives (15 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last appointments on 3 August 2022 (next to be held no later than 2027) House of Representatives - last held on 23 June 2022 (next to be held no later than 2027) election results: Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - NDC 7, NNP 3, independent 3; composition - men 11, women 5, percentage women 31.3% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NDC 51.8%; NNP 47.8%; other 0.4%; seats by party - NDC 9; NNP 6; composition - men 9, women 4, percentage women 30.8%; note - total Parliament percentage women 31%
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
name: "Hail Grenada" lyrics/music: Irva Merle BAPTISTE/Louis Arnold MASANTO note: adopted 1974; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the King" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)
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 [time series]
National Democratic Congress or NDC New National Party or NNP
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
The indigenous Carib people inhabited Grenada when Christopher COLUMBUS landed on 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. In 1979, a leftist New Jewel Movement seized power under Maurice BISHOP, ushering in the Grenada Revolution. On 19 October 1983, factions within the revolutionary government overthrew and killed BISHOP and members of his party. Six days later, US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations intervened, quickly capturing the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Rule of law was restored, and democratic elections were reinstituted the following year and have continued since.
Military and Security
Military - note [time series]
Grenada joined the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) in 1985; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2024)
Military and security forces [time series]
no regular military forces; the Royal Grenada Police Force (under the Ministry of National Security) includes a Coast Guard and a paramilitary Special Services Unit (2024)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 21.9% (male 13,095/female 12,003) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 38,129/female 36,726) 65 years and over: 12.8% (2024 est.) (male 6,944/female 7,724)
Alcohol consumption per capita [time series]
total: 8.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
13.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
NA
Current health expenditure [time series]
5.8% of GDP (2020)
Currently married women (ages 15-49) [time series]
41.3% (2023 est.)
Death rate [time series]
8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 51.3 youth dependency ratio: 36.4 elderly dependency ratio: 14.9 potential support ratio: 6.7 (2021 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
improved: total: 96.8% of population unimproved: total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
3.6% of GDP (2018 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
African descent 82.4%, mixed 13.3%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)
Gross reproduction rate [time series]
0.91 (2024 est.)
Hospital bed density [time series]
3.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages [time series]
English (official), French patois
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 76.3 years (2024 est.) male: 73.7 years female: 79.1 years
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.6% male: 98.6% female: 98.6% (2014 est.)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
39,000 SAINT GEORGE'S (capital) (2018)
Maternal mortality ratio [time series]
21 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 35.4 years (2024 est.) male: 35.2 years female: 35.7 years
Nationality [time series]
noun: Grenadian(s) adjective: Grenadian
Net migration rate [time series]
-2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
21.3% (2016)
Physician density [time series]
1.44 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Population [time series]
total: 114,621 male: 58,168 female: 56,453 (2024 est.)
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]
0.27% (2024 est.)
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]
improved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 93.7% of population unimproved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 6.3% of population (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 19 years male: 18 years female: 19 years (2018)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.9 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 37.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.86% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs [time series]
a transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbean; some local demand for cocaine and some use of synthetic drugs
Transportation
Airports [time series]
2 (2024)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]
J3
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 6 (2023) by type: general cargo 3, other 3
total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: St. George's
Roadways [time series]
total: 1,127 km paved: 902 km unpaved: 225 km (2017)