Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
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.
- Capital
- Saint George's
- Government
- parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
- Population
- 114,621
- Area
- 344 sq km
- Location
- Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
- Climate
- tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds
- Natural resources
- timber; tropical fruit
- Languages
- English (official); French patois
- Religions
- Protestant 49.2% (includes Pentecostal 17.2%; Seventh Day Adventist 13.2%; Anglican 8.5%; Baptist 3.2%…
- Independence
- 7 February 1974 (from the UK)
- Administrative divisions
- 6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petite Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Sai…
- Currency
- East Caribbean dollars (XCD)
- Export partners
- USA 24%; Antigua & Barbuda 13%; St. Vincent & the Grenadines 8%; Dominica 6%…
- Import partners
- USA 37%; Trinidad & Tobago 13%; Cayman Islands 10%; China 4%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain