Grenada
- Alternate meanings, see Grenada (disambiguation)
| ||||
| National motto: The Land, The People, The Light | ||||
| LocationGrenada | ||||
| Official language | English | |||
| Capital | St. George's | |||
| Queen | Elizabeth II | |||
| Governor General | Daniel Williams | |||
| Prime Minister | Keith Mitchell | |||
| Area - Total - % water | Ranked 217th 344 km² 1,6% | |||
| Population
- Total (2002) - Density | Ranked 198th
89,260 139,5/km² | |||
| Independence | February 7, 1974 | |||
| Currency | East Caribbean Dollar | |||
| Time zone | UTC -4 | |||
| National anthem | Hail Grenada | |||
| Internet TLD | .gd | |||
| Calling Code | 1-473 | |||
| Tablecontents |
|
2 Politics 3 Parishes 4 Geography 5 Economy 6 Demographics 7 Culture 8 Miscellaneous topics 9 External link |
History
Main article: HistoryGrenadaThe recorded historyGrenada begins1498, when Christopher Columbus first sightedisland. Afterfailed British settlement attempt,French purchasedisland offCarib indians1650. The island was again cededBritain1783. Grenada was madeCrown Colony1877.
Independence was granted1974,in 1979, after an unstable political period, power was seized bycharismaticpopular left-wing leader Maurice Bishop. Bishop's socialismcooperation withcommunist Cuba didn't sit well withother nations inarea. A dispute withmilitary Coard faction leadBishop's execution on October 19, 1983.
6 days later,island was invaded by US forcesthosesix other Caribbean nationspart ofmilitary campaign called Operation Urgent Fury. The forces quickly capturedringleaderstheir hundredsCuban advisers, mostwhom were laborers working onconstruction ofmajor airport forisland whichUnited States completed years later. Elections were heldfollowing year. A publicised tactical concern ofUnited States wassafe recoveryU.S. nationals enrolled at St. George's University.
Politics
Main article: PoliticsGrenadaAsCommonwealth nation,British monarch isformal headstateGrenada. Sherepresented bygovernor general, but real executive power lies withheadgovernment,prime minister. Although appointed bygovernor general,prime minister generally isleader oflargest faction inparliament.
The parliament consists ofSenate (13 members) andHouseRepresentatives (15). The senatorsappointed bygovernment andopposition, whilerepresentativeselected bypopulation5-year terms. With 8 seats after2003 election,New National Party remainslargest partyGrenada.
Parishes
Main article: ParishesGrenadaPolitically, Grenadadivided into six parishes, viz.:
- Saint Andrew
- Saint David
- Saint George
- Saint John
- Saint Mark
- Saint Patrick
Geography
Main article: GeographyGrenada
The island Grenada itself islargest island; smaller GrenadinesCarriacou, Petit Martinique, Rhonde Island, Caille Island, Diamond Island, Large Island, Saline IslandFrigate Island. Most ofpopulation lives on Grenada itself,major towns there includecapital St. George's, GrenvilleGouyave. Largest settlement onother islandsHillsborough on Carriacou.
The islandsof volcanic origin,Grenada's inlandsslightly mountainous,several small rivers flowing intosea. The climatetropical: hothumid,Grenada occasionally suffers from hurricanes.
Economy
Main article: EconomyGrenadaEconomic progressfiscal reformsprudent macroeconomic management have boosted annual growth5%-6%1998-99;increaseeconomic activity has been led by constructiontrade. Tourist facilitiesbeing expanded; tourism isleading foreign exchange earner. Major short-term concerns arerising fiscal deficit anddeterioration inexternal account balance. Grenada sharescommon central bank andcommon currencyseven other members ofOrganizationEastern Caribbean States (OECS).
Demographics
Main article: DemographicsGrenadaAbout 80% ofpopulationdescendants ofAfrican slaves brought byEuropeans; very little ofindigenous CaribArawak population remains.
The official language, English,spoken by virtually everyone, althoughfew still speakFrench patois. Nearly all GrenadiansChristians, about halfthem Catholics; Anglicanism islargest Protestant religion.
Culture
Main article: CultureGrenadaFrench influence on culturemuch less thanother Caribbean islands,cultureheavily influenced byAfrican rootsmost ofGrenadians.
Miscellaneous topics
External link
