Daniel Oerther and representatives from the United States Department of State, The Nature Conservancy, the World Bank, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture…
Photo: Oertherdb, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
View of Calivigny Island in Grenada.
Photo: dpursoo, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Did you know?
Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself, two smaller islands, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, and several small islands that lie to the north of the main island and are a part of the Grenadines. Its size is 344 square kilometres (133 sq mi), with an estimated population of 114,621 in 2024. Its capital is St. George's. Grenada is also known as the "Island of Spice" due to its production of nutmeg and mace.
Before the arrival of Europeans in the Americas, Grenada was inhabited by Indigenous peoples from South America called Kalinago.
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Etymology
The origin of the name "Grenada" is obscure, but Spanish sailors likely named the island for the city of Granada. The name "Granada" was recorded by Spanish maps in the 1520s and referred to the islands to the north as Los Granadillos ('Little Granadas'); although those named islands were deemed the property of the King of Spain, there are no records to suggest the Spanish ever attempted to settle Grenada. The French maintained the name (as "La Grenade" in French) after settlement and colonisation in 1649.
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Grenada Almost Paradise
Photo: Stefan_und_Bille, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
History
Grenada is thought to have been first populated by peoples from South America during the Caribbean Archaic Age, although definitive evidence is lacking. The earliest potential human presence comes from proxy evidence of lake cores, beginning c. 3600 BC. Less ephemeral, permanent villages began c. 100–200. The population peaked between 750 and 1250, with major changes in population afterward, potentially the result of either the "Carib Invasion" (although highly contested), regional droughts, or both.
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Grenada, 2009. This antique machine was actually still in use.
Photo: Paul Harrison, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Carriacou, Grenada
Photo: Atiemann at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Geography
The island of Grenada is the southernmost island in the Antilles archipelago, bordering the eastern Caribbean Sea and the western Atlantic Ocean, and roughly 140 km (90 mi) north of both Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. Its sister islands make up the southern section of the Grenadines, which include Carriacou, Petite Martinique, Ronde Island, Caille Island, Diamond Island, Large Island, Saline Island, and Frigate Island; the remaining islands to the north belong to St Vincent and the Grenadines. Most of the population lives in Grenada, and major towns there include the capital, St.
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Photo of Grenadian Volunteers and bandsmen (1880)
Photo: Unkniwn (part of the National Archives Royal Collection), Public domain · source
Facade of Government House in St. George’s, Grenada, the official residence of the Governor-General of Grenada, as seen from Fort George in 1984.
Photo: Lord Dim 1, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Government and politics
Grenada is a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy with Charles III as head of state, represented locally by a governor-general. Executive power lies with the head of government, the prime minister. The governor-general's role is mainly ceremonial, while the prime minister is usually the leader of the largest party in Parliament.
The Parliament of Grenada consists of a Senate (13 members) and a House of Representatives (15 members).
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Grenada Almost Paradise
Photo: Stefan_und_Bille, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Silver argiope, taken in Grenada. Note the swirly segment of webbing, which argiopes insert in their webs, called Stabilimenta. No one quite knows what they are for, if…
Photo: Paul Harrison, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Economy
Grenada has a small economy in which tourism is the major foreign exchange earner. Major short-term concerns are the rising fiscal deficit and the deterioration in the external account balance. Grenada shares a common central bank and a common currency (the East Caribbean dollar) with seven other members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
Grenada has suffered from a heavy external debt problem, with government debt service payments running at about 25% of total revenues in 2017; Grenada was listed as ninth from bottom in a study of 126 developing countries.
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Grenada South Flight
Photo: Stefan_und_Bille, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Sailing vessel "Wind Surf" off Grenada
Photo: Paul Harrison, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Demographics
A majority of Grenadians (82%) are primarily descended from Africans. Few of the indigenous population remained after the French colonization of the island in the 17th century. A small percentage of descendants of indentured workers from India were brought to Grenada between 1857 and 1885. Today, Grenadians of Indian descent constitute 2.2% of the population. There is also a small community of French and English descendants. The rest of the population is of mixed descent (13%).
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Culture
Island culture is heavily influenced by the African roots of most of the Grenadians, coupled with the country's long experience of colonial rule under the British. Although French influence on Grenadian culture is much less visible than in some other Caribbean islands, surnames and place names in French remain, and the everyday language is laced with French words and the local Creole or Patois. Stronger French influence is found in the well seasoned spicy food and styles of cooking similar to those found in New Orleans, and some French architecture has survived from the 1700s. Indian and Carib Amerindian influence is also seen, especially in the island's cuisine.
Wikipedia: Grenada – read more, CC BY-SA 4.0