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Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
October 2004
Background Note: Grenada
Flag of Grenada is 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
represent the seven administrative divisions.
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Grenada
Geography
Area: 344 sq. km. (133 sq. mi.); about twice the size of Washington, DC.
Cities: Capital--St. George's (est. pop. 33,734).
Terrain: Volcanic island with mountainous rainforest.
Climate: Tropical.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Grenadian(s).
Population (2004 est.): 100,800.
Annual growth rate (1999): 8.2%.
Ethnic groups: African descent (82%), some South Asians (East Indians)
and
Europeans, trace Arawak/Carib Indian.
Religions: Roman Catholic, Anglican, various Protestant denominations.
Languages: English (official).
Education: Years compulsory--6. Literacy--95% of adult population.
Health: Infant mortality rate--16.2/1,000. Life expectancy--72 yrs.
Work force (1999, 41,017): Services/tourism--50.1%; industry--23.9%;
agriculture--13.8%; other--12.2%. Unemployment (1999)--14%.
Government
Type: Constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style Parliament.
Independence: February 7, 1974.
Constitution: December 19, 1975.
Branches: Executive--governor general (appointed by and represents
British
monarch, head of state), prime minister (head of government, leader of
majority party), and Cabinet direct an apolitical career civil service
in the
administration of the government. Legislative--Parliament composed of 15
directly elected members in the House of Representatives and a 13-seat
Senate
appointed by the governor general on the advice of the majority party
and
opposition. Judicial magistrates' courts, Eastern Caribbean Supreme
Court
(high court and court of appeals), final appeal to Privy Council in
London.
Subdivisions: Six parishes and one dependency (Carriacou and Petit
Martinique).
Major political parties: New National Party (NNP), incumbent; National
Democratic Congress (NDC); Grenada United Labor Party (GULP).
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Economy
GDP (2004 est., in Eastern Caribbean dollars): EC $734.33 million.
GDP growth rate (2004 est.): 4.01%.
Per capita GDP (2004): EC $9,053.
Agriculture: Products--nutmeg, mace, cocoa, bananas, other fruits,
vegetables.
Industry: Types--manufacturing, hotel/restaurant, construction.
Trade (2002): Merchandise exports--EC $57.8 million: nutmeg, mace,
cocoa,
bananas, other fruits, vegetables, fish. Major markets EU, U.S., OECS,
CARICOM countries. Merchandise imports--EC $629.8 million: food,
machinery,
transport, manufactured goods, fuel. Major suppliers--U.S. (36.6%),
CARICOM
countries, U.K., Japan.
Total external debt outstanding. EC $729.2 million.
Exchange rate: U.S. $1=EC $2.67.
PEOPLE
Most of Grenada's population is of African descent; there is some trace
of
the early Arawak and Carib Indians. A few East Indians and a small
community
of the descendants of early European settlers reside in Grenada. About
50% of
Grenada's population is under the age of 30. English is the official
language; only a few people still speak French patois. A more
significant
reminder of Grenada's historical link with France is the strength of the
Roman Catholic Church, to which about 60% of Grenadians belong. The
Anglican
Church is the largest Protestant denomination.
HISTORY
Before the arrival of Europeans, Carib Indians who had driven the more
peaceful Arawaks from the island inhabited Grenada. Columbus landed on
Grenada in 1498 during his third voyage to the new world. He named the
island
"Concepcion." The origin of the name "Grenada" is obscure, but it is
likely
that Spanish sailors renamed the island for the city of Granada. By the
beginning of the 18th century, the name "Grenada," or "la Grenade" in
French,
was in common use.
Partly because of the Caribs, Grenada remained un-colonized for more
than 100
years after its discovery; early English efforts to settle the island
were
unsuccessful. In 1650, a French company founded by Cardinal Richelieu
purchased Grenada from the English and established a small settlement.
After
several skirmishes with the Caribs, the French brought in reinforcements
from
Martinique and defeated the Caribs, the last of whom leaped into the sea
rather than surrender.
The island remained under French control until its capture by the
British in
1762, during the Seven Years' War. The Treaty of Paris formally ceded
Grenada
to Great Britain in 1763. Although the French regained control in 1779,
the
Treaty of Versailles restored the island to Britain in 1783. Although
Britain
was hard-pressed to overcome a pro-French revolt in 1795, Grenada
remained
British for the remainder of the colonial period.
During the 18th century, Grenada's economy underwent an important
transition.
Like much of the rest of the West Indies it was originally settled to
cultivate sugar, which was grown on estates using slave labor. But
natural
disasters paved the way for the introduction of other crops. In 1782,
Sir
Joseph Banks, the botanical adviser to King George III, introduced
nutmeg to
Grenada. The island's soil was ideal for growing the spice, and because
Grenada was a closer source of spices for Europe than the Dutch East
Indies
the island assumed a new importance to European traders.
The collapse of the sugar estates and the introduction of nutmeg and
cocoa
encouraged the development of smaller landholdings, and the island
developed
a land-owning yeoman farmer class. Slavery was outlawed in 1834. In
1833,
Grenada became part of the British Windward Islands Administration. The
governor of the Windward Islands administered the island for the rest of
the
colonial period. In 1958, the Windward Islands Administration was
dissolved,
and Grenada joined the Federation of the West Indies. After that
federation
collapsed in 1962, the British Government tried to form a small
federation
out of its remaining dependencies in the Eastern Caribbean.
Following the failure of this second effort, the British and the islands
developed the concept of associated statehood. Under the Associated
Statehood
Act of 1967, Grenada was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs
in
March 1967. Full independence was granted on February 7, 1974.
After obtaining independence, Grenada adopted a modified Westminster
parliamentary system based on the British model, with a governor general
appointed by and representing the British monarch (head of state) and a
prime
minister who is both leader of the majority party and the head of
government.
Sir Eric Gairy was Grenada's first Prime Minister.
On March 13, 1979, the New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education, and
Liberation Movement (New Jewel Movement--NJM), ousted Gairy in a nearly
bloodless coup and established a People's Revolutionary Government (PRG)
headed by Maurice Bishop, who became Prime Minister. His
Marxist-Leninist
government established close ties with Cuba, the Soviet Union, and other
communist bloc countries.
In October 1983, a power struggle within the government resulted in the
arrest and subsequent murder of Bishop and several members of his
Cabinet by
elements of the People's Revolutionary Army (PRA).
Following a breakdown in civil order, a U.S.-Caribbean force landed on
Grenada on October 25, 1983 in response to an appeal from the Governor
General and to a request for assistance from the Organization of Eastern
Caribbean States. U.S. citizens were evacuated, and order was restored.
An advisory council named by the Governor General administered the
country
until general elections were held in December 1984. The New National
Party
(NNP) led by Herbert Blaize won 14 out of 15 seats in free and fair
elections
and formed a democratic government. Grenada's constitution had been
suspended
in 1979 by the PRG, but it was restored after the 1984 elections.
The NNP continued in power until 1989 but with a reduced majority. Five
NNP
parliamentary members, including two Cabinet ministers, left the party
in
1986-87 and formed the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which became
the
official opposition.
In August 1989, Prime Minister Blaize broke with the NNP to form another
new
party, The National Party (TNP), from the ranks of the NNP. This split
in the
NNP resulted in the formation of a minority government until
constitutionally
scheduled elections in March 1990. Prime Minister Blaize died in
December
1989 and was succeeded as Prime Minister by Ben Jones until after the
elections.
The NDC emerged from the 1990 elections as the strongest party, winning
seven
of the 15 available seats. Nicholas Brathwaite added two TNP members and
one
member of the Grenada United Labor Party (GULP) to create a 10-seat
majority
coalition. The Governor General appointed him to be Prime Minister.
In parliamentary elections on June 20, 1995, the NNP won eight seats and
formed a government headed by Keith Mitchell. The NNP maintained and
affirmed
its hold on power when it took all 15 parliamentary seats in the January
1999
elections.
General elections were held in November 2003; the NNP won 8 of the 15
seats,
holding on to power with a much-reduced majority. The National
Democratic
Congress (NDC) led by Tillman Thomas won 7 seats and is now the official
opposition.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
Grenada is governed under a parliamentary system based on the British
model;
it has a governor general, a prime minister and a Cabinet, and a
bicameral
Parliament with an elected House of Representatives and an appointed
Senate.
Citizens enjoy a wide range of civil and political rights guaranteed by
the
constitution. Grenada's constitution provides citizens with the right to
change their government peacefully. Citizens exercise this right through
periodic, free, and fair elections held on the basis of universal
suffrage.
The political parties in Grenada are the New National Party (NNP), which
remains moderate; the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which is now
made
up of some members of the NJM and the original NDC; the People's Labor
Movement (PLM), which is a combination of members of the original NDC
and the
Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement (MBPM); and the Grenada United Labor
Party
(GULP). TNP and MBPM no longer exist.
The devastation wreaked by Hurricane Ivan on September 7, 2004 is a
major
political issue for the present government.
The 800 members of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF), which includes
an
80-member paramilitary special services unit (SSU) and a 30-member coast
guard, maintain security in Grenada. The U.S. Army and the U.S. Coast
Guard
provide periodic training and material support for the SSU and the coast
guard.
Principal Government Officials
Head of State--Queen Elizabeth II
Governor General--Sir Daniel C. Williams, GCMG, Q.C.
Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Mobilization and
Information--Dr. Keith C. Mitchell
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Elvin Nimrod
Ambassador to the United States and OAS--Denis G. Antoine
Ambassador to the United Nations--Dr. Lamuel Stanislaus
Grenada maintains an embassy in the United States at 1701 New Hampshire
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009 (tel: 202-265-2561).
ECONOMY
The economy of Grenada, based primarily upon agricultural production
(nutmeg,
mace, and cocoa), was brought to a near standstill by Hurricane Ivan on
September 7, 2004. Thirty-seven people were killed by the hurricane, and
approximately 8,000-10,000 left homeless. Hurricane Ivan damaged or
destroyed
90% of the buildings on the island, including some tourist facilities,
which
are also key foreign exchange earners. Reconstruction is expected to
require
time and substantial resources. The United States is committed to robust
participation in the reconstruction effort.
Grenada is a member of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU). The
Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) issues a common currency for all
members of the ECCU. The ECCB also manages monetary policy, and
regulates and
supervises commercial banking activities in its member countries.
Grenada is also a member of the Caribbean Community and Common Market
(CARICOM). Most goods can be imported into Grenada under open general
license, but some goods require specific licenses. Goods that are
produced in
the Eastern Caribbean receive additional protection; in May 1991, the
CARICOM
common external tariff (CET) was implemented. The CET aims to facilitate
economic growth through intra-regional trade by offering duty-free trade
among CARICOM members and duties on goods imported from outside CARICOM.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
The United States, Venezuela, and Taiwan have embassies in Grenada. The
United Kingdom is represented by a resident commissioner (as opposed to
the
governor general, who represents the British monarch). Grenada has been
recognized by most members of the United Nations and maintains
diplomatic
missions in the United Kingdom, the United States, Venezuela, and
Canada.
Grenada is a member of the Caribbean Development Bank, CARICOM, the
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and the Commonwealth of
Nations. It joined the United Nations in 1974, and the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund, and the Organization of American States
(OAS) in
1975. Grenada also is a member of the Eastern Caribbean's Regional
Security
System (RSS).
As a member of CARICOM, Grenada strongly backed efforts in 1994 by the
United
States to implement UN Security Council Resolution 940, designed to
facilitate the departure of Haiti's de facto authorities from power.
Grenada
subsequently contributed personnel to the multinational force, which
restored
the democratically elected government of Haiti in October 1994.
Prime Minister Mitchell joined President Clinton in May 1997 for a
meeting
with 14 other Caribbean leaders during the first-ever U.S.-regional
summit in
Bridgetown, Barbados. The summit strengthened the basis for regional
cooperation on justice and counter-narcotics issues, finance and
development,
and trade.
U.S.-GRENADIAN RELATIONS
The U.S. Government established an Embassy in Grenada in November 1983.
The
U.S. Ambassador to Grenada is resident in Bridgetown, Barbados. The
Embassy
in Grenada is staffed by a Charge d'Affaires who reports to the
Ambassador in
Bridgetown.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has played a major
role
in Grenada's development, providing more than $120 million in economic
assistance from 1984 to 1993. U.S. assistance is primarily channeled
through
multilateral agencies such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the
World
Bank, and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and through the newly
opened
USAID satellite office in Bridgetown, Barbados. About 10 Peace Corps
volunteers in Grenada teach remedial reading, English language skills,
and
vocational training. Grenada also is a beneficiary of the U.S. Caribbean
Basin Initiative. In addition, Grenada receives counter-narcotics
assistance
from the U.S. and benefits from U.S. military exercise-related
construction
and humanitarian civic action projects.
Grenada and the U.S. cooperate closely in fighting narcotics smuggling
and
other forms of transnational crime. In 1995, the U.S. and Grenada signed
a
maritime law enforcement treaty. In 1996, they signed a mutual legal
assistance treaty and an extradition treaty as well as an over-flight/
order-to-land amendment to the maritime law enforcement treaty. Some
U.S.
military training is given to Grenadian security and defense forces.
Grenada continues to be a popular destination for Americans. Of the
147,286
stayover visitors in 2003, 35,191 were U.S. citizens. It is estimated
that
some 2,600 Americans reside in the country, plus the 800 U.S. medical
students who study at the St. George's University School of Medicine.
(Those
students are not counted as residents for statistical purposes.)
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials (all officials except the Charge
located at
the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados)
Ambassador Mary E. Kramer
Deputy Chief of Mission Meg Gilroy
Charge d'Affaires vacant
Political/Economic Officer--Paul Belmont
Consular Officer--Bob Fretz
Defense Attaché--Commander Matthew B. Crawley (resident in Caracas)
Regional Labor Attaché Alfred Anzaldua
Economic-Commercial Affairs John Ashworth
Public Affairs Officer--Kathleen Boyle
Peace Corps Director--Earl Phillips (resident in St. Lucia)
The U.S. Embassy in Grenada is located on the Lance-aux-Epines Main
Road, St.
George's, Grenada; tel: 1-(473)-444-1173/4/5/6/7; fax: 1-(473)-444-4820,
e-mail: usemb_gd@caribsurf.com
The mailing address is P.O. Box 54, St. George's, Grenada, West Indies.
Other Contact Information
U.S. Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration
Trade Information Center
14th and Constitution, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Tel: 1-800-USA-TRADE
Caribbean/Latin America Action
1818 N Street, NW; Suite 310
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-466-7464
Fax: 202-822-0075
TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION
The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides
Consular
Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public Announcements. Consular
Information Sheets exist for all countries and include information on
entry
requirements, currency regulations, health conditions, areas of
instability,
crime and security, political disturbances, and the addresses of the
U.S.
posts in the country. Travel Warnings are issued when the State
Department
recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Public
Announcements are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly
about
terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas
which
pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Free
copies of
this information are available by calling the Bureau of Consular Affairs
at
202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system: 202-647-3000. Consular
Information Sheets and Travel Warnings also are available on the
Consular
Affairs Internet home page: http://travel.state.gov. Consular Affairs
Tips
for Travelers publication series, which contain information on obtaining
passports and planning a safe trip abroad are on the internet and hard
copies
can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government
Printing Office, telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250.
Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be
obtained
from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. For
after-hours emergencies, Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000.
The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department
of
State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport
information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer
service
representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday,
8:00
a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers
for
Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at
877-FYI-TRIP
(877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm
give the
most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or
requirements,
and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries.
A
booklet entitled Health Information for International Travel (HHS
publication
number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government Printing
Office,
Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.
Information on travel conditions, visa requirements, currency and
customs
regulations, legal holidays, and other items of interest to travelers
also
may be obtained before your departure from a country's embassy and/or
consulates in the U.S. (for this country, see "Principal Government
Officials" listing in this publication).
U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in dangerous areas
are
encouraged to register at the Consular section of the U.S. embassy upon
arrival in a country by filling out a short form and sending in a copy
of
their passports. This may help family members contact you in case of an
emergency.
Further Electronic Information
Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://
www.state.gov, the Department of State web site provides timely, global
access to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background
Notes and daily press briefings along with the directory of key officers
of
Foreign Service posts and more.
Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market
information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads,
free
export counseling, help with the export process, and more.
STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce,
provides
authoritative economic, business, and international trade information
from
the Federal government. The site includes current and historical
trade-related releases, international market research, trade
opportunities,
and country analysis and provides access to the National Trade Data
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