World Atlas 2010 (4th edition)

225

Grenada

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

FACTFILE

OFFICIAL NAME: Grenada

DATE OF FORMATION: 1974

CAPITAL: St. George’s

POPULATION: 103,900

TOTAL AREA: 131 sq. miles

(340 sq. km)

DENSITY: 793 people per sq. mile

LANGUAGES: English*, English Creole

RELIGIONS: Roman Catholic 68%,

Anglican 17%, other 15%

ETHNIC MIX: Black African 82%,

Mixed race 13%, East Indian 3%, other 2%

GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary system

CURRENCY: East Caribbean dollar =

100 cents

The southernmost of the Windward Islands, Grenada

made world headlines in 1983 when the US and Caribbean

allies mounted an invasion to sever links with Castro’s Cuba.

GEOGRAPHY

Volcanic in origin, with densely

forested central mountains. Its territory

also includes the islands of Carriacou and

Petite Martinique.

CLIMATE

Tropical, tempered by trade winds.

Hurricanes are a hazard in the July–

November wet season.

PEOPLE & SOCIETY

Grenadians are mainly of African

origin; their traditions remain strong,

especially on Carriacou. Inter-ethnic

marriage has reduced tensions between

the groups. Extended families, often

headed by women, are the norm. Wealth

disparities are not marked, but levels of

poverty are growing.

THE ECONOMY

Severe damage from Hurricane Ivan

in 2004 to crops and 90% of buildings;

reconstruction will take years. Nutmeg,

cocoa, bananas, and mace. Smuggling is a

serious problem.

INSIGHT: Known as “the spice island

of the Caribbean,” it is the world’s

second-largest nutmeg producer

500m/1640ft

200m/656ft

Sea Level

8 km

8 miles

0

0

Caribbean

Sea

A T L A N T I C

O C E A N

Grenada

Carriacou

Diamond I.

Ronde I.

Petite Martinique

Point

Salines

Airport

Grenville

Hillsborough

Grand

Roy

Victoria

ST. GEORGE’S