Grenada

Broadcast media

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

.gd

Internet hosts

80 (2012) country comparison to the world: 213

Internet users

25,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 186

Telephone system

general assessment: automatic, island-wide telephone system domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links international: country code - 1-473; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber Optic 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

Telephones - main lines in use

28,400 (2010) country comparison to the world: 179

Telephones - mobile cellular

121,900 (2010) country comparison to the world: 188

Agriculture - products

bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Budget

revenues: $175.3 million expenditures: $215.9 million (2009 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4.8% of GDP (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 52 6.5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.4% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 10.68% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

-$217.2 million (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 -$221 million (2010 est.)

Debt - external

$538 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 168 $542 million (2009 est.)

Economy - overview

Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange especially since the construction of an international airport in 1985. 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 nearly 110%, leaving the THOMAS administration limited room to engage in public investments and social spending. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing, together with the development of tourism and an offshore financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national output; however, economic growth remained stagnant in 2010-12 after a sizeable contraction in 2009, because of the global economic slowdown's effects on tourism and remittances.

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2012 est.) 2.7 (2011 est.) 2.7 (2010 est.) 2.7 (2009)

Exports

$36.36 million (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 203 $30.31 million (2010 est.)

Exports - commodities

nutmeg, bananas, cocoa, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Exports - partners

St. Lucia 19.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 13.5%, St. Kitts and Nevis 12.1%, Dominica 12.1%, US 10.2% (2011)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$851 million (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.471 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 198 $1.463 billion (2011 est.) $1.457 billion (2010 est.) note: datum is in 2011 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5.4% industry: 12.6% services: 81.9% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$14,100 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $14,000 (2011 est.) $14,000 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

0.5% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 0.4% (2011 est.) -1.3% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$296.3 million (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 200 $284.4 million (2010 est.)

Imports - commodities

food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Imports - partners

Trinidad and Tobago 43.2%, US 19% (2011)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.2% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 3% (2011 est.)

Labor force

47,580 (2008) country comparison to the world: 193

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 11% industry: 20% services: 69% (2008 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

38% (2008)

Public debt

110% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Stock of broad money

$715.6 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 172 $687.9 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$793.2 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 $744.9 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$137.8 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 $123.3 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

20.6% of GDP (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Unemployment rate

25% (2008) country comparison to the world: 173 12.5% (2000)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

429,300 Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Electricity - consumption

177.4 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Electricity - installed generating capacity

33,000 kW (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Electricity - production

201.4 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Refined petroleum products - consumption

2,803 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,976 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Area

total: 344 sq km country comparison to the world: 207 land: 344 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Coastline

121 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Environment - international agreements

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

12 07 N, 61 40 W

Geography - note

the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

Irrigated land

15 sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 5.88% permanent crops: 29.41% other: 64.71% (2005)

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November

Natural resources

timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Terrain

volcanic in origin with central mountains

Total renewable water resources

NA

Administrative divisions

6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petite Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Capital

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)

Constitution

19 December 1973

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Grenada

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: 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 1177 FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian M.S. BRISTOL chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Carlyle Arnold GLEAN (since 27 November 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Tillman THOMAS (since 9 July 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Flag description

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

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Independence

7 February 1974 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, 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

local Magistrate's Courts handle limited criminal and civil matters; Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of a court of Appeal and a High Court of Justice (two High Court judges are assigned to and reside in Grenada); Itinerant Court of Appeal three judges; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Legal system

common law based on English model

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (13 seats, 10 members appointed by the government and 3 by the leader of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 8 July 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NDC 51%, NNP 48%; seats by party - NDC 11, NNP 4

National anthem

name: "Hail Grenada" lyrics/music: Irva Merle BAPTISTE/Louis Arnold MASANTO note: adopted 1974

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Political parties and leaders

Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Wilfred HAYES]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Committee for Human Rights in Grenada or CHRG; New Jewel Movement Support Group; The British Grenada Friendship Society; The New Jewel 19 Committee

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

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 that time. Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada in September of 2004 causing severe damage.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 27,468 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 22,596 females age 16-49: 22,588 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 995 female: 1,002 (2010 est.)

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2010)

Military expenditures

NA

Age structure

0-14 years: 25% (male 14,035/ female 13,230) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 36,591/ female 35,274) 65 years and over: 9.1% (male 4,479/ female 5,402) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

16.81 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Death rate

7.98 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Education expenditures

4.9% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 60

Ethnic groups

black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East Indian 5%, and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Health expenditures

7.1% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 74

Hospital bed density

2.4 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

total: 11.12 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 140 male: 10.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Languages

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.3 years country comparison to the world: 121 male: 70.76 years female: 76.09 years (2012 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: NA female: NA (2003 est.)

Major cities - population

SAINT GEORGE'S (capital) 40,000 (2009)

Maternal mortality rate

24 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 132

Median age

total: 29 years male: 29 years female: 29 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

noun: Grenadian(s) adjective: Grenadian

Net migration rate

-3.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Population

109,011 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Population growth rate

0.538% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Religions

Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 96% of population rural: 97% of population total: 97% of population unimproved: urban: 4% of population rural: 3% of population total: 3% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.15 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Urbanization

urban population: 39% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US

Airports

3 (2012) country comparison to the world: 197

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2012)

Ports and terminals

Saint George's

Roadways

total: 1,127 km country comparison to the world: 182 paved: 687 km unpaved: 440 km (2000)