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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