Grenada
Encyclopedia
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm
consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines
in the southeastern Caribbean Sea
. Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago
, northeast of Venezuela
, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
.
Grenada is also known as the "Island of Spice" due to the production of nutmeg and mace
crops of which Grenada is one of the world's largest exporters. Its size is 344 square kilometres (132.8 sq mi), with an estimated population of 110,000. Its capital is St. George's
. The national bird of Grenada is the critically endangered
Grenada Dove
.
to the new world. At the time the indigenous Island Caribs (Kalinago) who lived there called it Camahogne. The Spaniards did not permanently settle on Camahogne. The English
failed in their attempt at settlement in 1609.
, led by Jacques du Parquet founded a permanent settlement on Grenada. Within months this led to conflict with the local islanders which lasted until 1654 when the Island was completely subjugated by the French. Those indigineous islanders who survived either left for neighbouring islands or retreated to remoter parts of Grenada where they were marginalised – the last distinct communities disappeared during the eighteenth century. Warfare did continue during the seventeenth century between the French on Grenada and the Caribs of present day Dominica
and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.The French named the new French colony
La Grenade and the economy was initially based on sugar and indigo. The French established a capital known as Fort Royal (later St. George). To shelter from hurricanes the French navy would often take refuges in the capital's natural harbour, as no nearby French islands had a natural harbour to compare with that of Fort Royal. The British captured Grenada during the Seven Years' War
in 1762.
by the Treaty of Paris
in 1763. The French re-captured the island
during the American War of Independence, after Comte d'Estaing won the bloody land and naval Battle of Grenada
in July 1779. However the island was restored to Britain with the Treaty of Versailles in 1783. Britain was hard pressed to overcome a pro-French revolt in 1795–1796 led by Julien Fedon. Nutmeg was introduced to Grenada in 1843 when a merchant ship called in on its way to England from the East Indies. The ship had a small quantity of nutmeg trees on board which they left in Grenada and this was the beginning of Grenada's nutmeg industry that now supplies nearly forty percent of the world's annual crop. In 1877 Grenada was made a Crown Colony
. Theophilus A. Marryshow founded the Representative Government Association (RGA) in 1917 to agitate for a new and participative constitutional dispensation for the Grenadian people. Partly as a result of Marryshow`s lobbying the Wood Commission of 1921–1922 concluded that Grenada was ready for constitutional reform in the form of a 'modified' Crown Colony government. This modification granted Grenadians from 1925 the right to elect 5 of the 15 members of the Legislative Council, on a restricted property franchise enabling the wealthiest 4% of adult Grenadians to vote.
founded the Grenada United Labour Party
, initially as a trades union, which led the 1951 general strike
for better working conditions, this sparked great unrest – so many buildings were set ablaze that the disturbances became known as the 'red sky' days – and the British authorities had to call in military reinforcements to help regain control of the situation. On October 10, 1951 Grenada held its first general elections on the basis of universal adult suffrage - Eric Gairy's Grenada United Labour Party
won 6 of the 8 seats contested. From 1958 to 1962 Grenada was part of the Federation of the West Indies.
On March 3, 1967 Grenada was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs as an Associated State. Herbert Blaize
was the first Premier of the Associated State of Grenada fom March to August 1967. Eric Gairy served as Premier from August 1967 until February 1974.
, who became the first Prime Minister of Grenada.
Civil conflict gradually broke out between Eric Gairy’s government and some opposition parties including the New Jewel Movement
(NJM). Gairy’s party won elections in 1976 but the opposition did not accept the result, accusing it of fraud. In 1979, the New Jewel Movement under Maurice Bishop
launched a paramilitary attack on the government resulting in its overthrow.
The constitution was suspended and Bishop's "People's Revolutionary Government" ruled subsequently by decree. Cuba
n doctors, teachers, and technicians were invited in to help develop health, literacy, and agriculture over the next few years. Agrarian reforms started by the Gairy government were continued and greatly expanded under the revolutionary government of Maurice Bishop.
Some years later a dispute developed between Bishop and certain high-ranking members of the NJM. Though Bishop cooperated with Cuba
and the USSR on various trade and foreign policy issues, he sought to maintain a "non-aligned" status. Bishop had been taking his time making Grenada wholly socialist, encouraging private-sector development in an attempt to make the island a popular tourist destination. Hardline Marxist party members, including Communist Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard
, deemed Bishop insufficiently revolutionary and demanded that he either step down or enter into a power-sharing arrangement.
On October 19, 1983, Bernard Coard and his wife Phyllis, backed by the Grenadian Army, led a coup against the government of Maurice Bishop and placed Bishop under house arrest
. These actions led to street demonstrations in various parts of the island. Bishop had enough support from the population that he was eventually freed after a demonstration in the capital. When Bishop attempted to resume power, he was captured and executed by soldiers along with seven others, including government cabinet ministers. The Coard regime then put the island under martial law.
After the execution of Bishop, the People's Revolutionary Army
formed a military government with General Hudson Austin
as chairman. The army declared a four-day total curfew, during which (it said) anyone leaving their home without approval would be shot on sight.
The overthrow of a moderate government by one which was strongly pro-communist worried U.S. President Ronald Reagan
. Particularly concerning was the presence of Cuban construction workers and military personnel who were building a 10000 feet (3,048 m) airstrip on Grenada. Bishop had stated the purpose of the airstrip was to allow commercial jets to land, but U.S. military analysts argued that the only reason for constructing such a long and reinforced runway was so that it could be used by heavy military transport planes. The contractors, American and European companies, and the EEC, which provided partial funding, all claimed the airstrip did not have military capabilities.
Reagan was worried that Cuba – under the direction of the Soviet Union – would use Grenada as a refueling stop for Cuban and Soviet airplanes loaded with weapons destined for Central American communist insurgents.
On October 25 combined forces from the United States
and from the Regional Security System
(RSS) based in Barbados invaded Grenada in an operation codenamed Operation Urgent Fury
. The U.S. stated this was done at the behest of Dame Eugenia Charles
, of Dominica
. While the Governor-General
, Sir Paul Scoon
, later stated that he had also requested the invasion, it was highly criticised by HM Queen Elizabeth II
and the governments of Britain
, Trinidad and Tobago
and Canada
. The United Nations General Assembly
condemned it as "a flagrant violation of international law" by a vote of 108 in favor to 9, with 27 abstentions. The United Nations Security Council considered a similar resolution, which failed to pass when vetoed by the United States.
After the invasion of the island nation, the pre-revolutionary Grenadian constitution came into operation once again. Eighteen members of the PRG and the PRA (army) were arrested after the invasion on charges related to the murder of Maurice Bishop and seven others. The eighteen included the top political leadership of Grenada at the time of the execution as well as the entire military chain of command directly responsible for the operation that led to the executions. Fourteen were sentenced to death
, one was found not guilty and three were sentenced to forty-five years in prison. The death sentences were eventually commuted to terms of imprisonment. Those in prison have become known as the Grenada 17
.
of the National Democratic Congress
was appointed Prime Minister of an interim administration by the Governor General Sir Paul Scoon
until elections could be organized. The first democratic elections since 1976 were held in December 1984 and were won by the Grenada National Party
under Herbert Blaize
who served as Prime Minister until his death in December 1989. Ben Jones
succeeded Blaize as Prime Minister and served until the March 1990 election, which was won by the National Democratic Congress
under Nicholas Braithwaite
who returned as Prime Minister for a second time until he resigned in February 1995. He was succeeded as Prime Minister by George Brizan
who served until the June 1995 election which was won by the New National Party
under Keith Mitchell
who went on to win the 1999 and 2003 elections and served as Prime Minister for a record 13 years until 2008.
In 2000–2002, much of the controversy of the late 1970s and early 1980s was once again brought into the public consciousness with the opening of the truth and reconciliation commission
. The commission was chaired by a Roman Catholic priest
, Father Mark Haynes, and was tasked with uncovering injustices arising from the PRA, Bishop’s regime, and before. It held a number of hearings around the country. Brother Robert Fanovich, head of Presentation Brothers’ College (PBC) in St. George’s tasked some of his senior students with conducting a research project into the era and specifically into the fact that Maurice Bishop’s body was never discovered. See Maurice Paterson's book, published before this event, called Big Sky Little Bullet. Paterson also uncovered that there was still a lot of resentment in Grenadian society resulting from the era, and a feeling that there were many injustices still unaddressed.
In 2004, after being hurricane-free for forty-nine years, the island was directly hit by Hurricane Ivan
(September 7). Ivan struck as a Category 3 hurricane
and caused 90 percent of the homes to be damaged or destroyed. The following year, 2005, Hurricane Emily
(July 14), a Category 1 hurricane at the time, struck the northern part of the island with 80 kn (156.8 km/h; 97.4 mph) winds, causing an estimated USD $110 million (EC$ 297 million) worth of damage. This was much less damage than Ivan had caused. Grenada recovered due to both domestic labor and financing from the world at large, and the work done by the New National Party Administration of Dr. Keith Mitchell
and his team. By December 2005, 96% of all hotel rooms were to be open for business and to have been upgraded in facilities and strengthened to an improved building code
. The agricultural industry
and in particular the nutmeg
industry suffered serious losses, but that event has begun changes in crop management and it is hoped that as new nutmeg trees gradually mature, the industry will return to its pre-Ivan position as a major supplier in the Western world
.
In April 2007, Grenada jointly hosted (along with several other Caribbean nations) the 2007 Cricket World Cup
. The island's then Prime Minister was at the time CARICOM Representative on cricket and was instrumental in having the World Cup Games brought to the region. After Hurricane Ivan, the government of the People's Republic of China
(PRC) paid for the new $40 million national stadium, and provided the aid of over 300 laborers to build and repair it. During the opening ceremony, the anthem of the Republic of China
(ROC, Taiwan
) was accidentally played instead of the PRC's anthem, leading to the firing of top officials.
The 2008 election was won by the National Democratic Congress
under Tillman Thomas
.
The island Grenada itself is the largest island; smaller Grenadines are Carriacou, Petit Martinique, Ronde Island
, Caille Island
, Diamond Island, Large Island
, Saline Island
, and Frigate Island. Most of the population lives on Grenada itself, and major towns there include the capital, St. George’s, Grenville
and Gouyave
. The largest settlement on the other islands is Hillsborough
on Carriacou.
The islands are of volcanic origin with extremely rich soil. Grenada’s interior is very mountainous with Mount St. Catherine being the highest at 840 m. Several small river
s with beautiful waterfalls flow into the sea from these mountains. The climate
is tropical: hot and humid in the rainy season
and cooled by the trade wind
s in the dry season
. Grenada, being on the Southern edge of the hurricane belt
, has suffered only three hurricanes in fifty years.
Hurricane Janet
passed over Grenada on September 23, 1955 with winds of 185 km/h, causing severe damage. The most recent storms to hit have been Hurricane Ivan on September 7, 2004 causing severe damage and thirty-nine deaths and Hurricane Emily on July 14, 2005, causing serious damage in Carriacou and in the north of Grenada which had been relatively lightly affected by Hurricane Ivan.
:
Carriacou and Petite Martinique
, two of the Grenadines, have the status of dependency.
, Queen Elizabeth II is Queen of Grenada and Head of State
. The Crown
is represented by a Governor-General, who is currently Mr. Carlyle Glean. Day-to-day executive power
lies with the Head of Government, the Prime Minister. Although appointed by the Governor-General, the Prime Minister is usually the leader of the largest party in the Parliament.
The Parliament consists of a Senate (thirteen members) and a House of Representatives (fifteen members). The senators are appointed by the government and the opposition, while the representatives are elected by the population for five-year terms. With 51% of the votes and eleven seats in the 2008 election
, the National Democratic Congress
won the July 8, 2008 election. The opposition New National Party
won the remaining four seats.
Grenada is a full and participating member of both the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
(OECS).
Economic progress in fiscal reforms and prudent macroeconomic management have boosted annual growth to 5%–6% in 1998–99; the increase in economic activity has been led by construction and trade. Tourist facilities are being expanded; tourism
is the leading 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 is a leading producer of several different spices. Cinnamon
, cloves, ginger
, mace, allspice, orange/citrus peels, wild coffee used by the locals, and especially nutmeg
, providing 20% of the world supply, are all important exports. The nutmeg on the nation's flag represents the economic crop of Grenada; the nation is the world’s second largest producer of nutmeg (after Indonesia).
Tourism
is Grenada’s main economic force. Conventional beach and water-sports tourism is largely focused in the southwest region around St George, the airport and the coastal strip; however, ecotourism
is growing in significance. Most of these small ecofriendly guesthouses are located in the Saint David
and Saint John
parishes. You will find a lot of different accommodations from luxury like the Spice Island Beach Resort to small cottages resorts like Mango Bay Cottages.The tourism industry is increasing dramatically with the construction of a large cruise ship pier and esplanade. Up to 4 cruise ships per day were visiting St. Georges in 2007–8 during the cruise ship season.
The island has also pioneered the cultivation of organic cocoa which is also processed into finished bars by the Grenada Chocolate Company
.
Tourism is concentrated in the southwest of the island, around St. George, Grand Anse, Lance Aux Epines, and Point Salines. Grenada has many idyllic beaches around its coastline including the 3 km (1.9 mi) long Grand Anse Beach in St George which is considered to be one of the finest beaches in the world, and often appears in countdowns of the world's top 10 beaches.
Grenada is linked to the world through the Maurice Bishop International Airport and the St. George’s harbour. International flights connect with other Caribbean islands, the United States, and Europe. There is also a daily fast ferry service between St. George and Hillsborough. Beginning in October, 2009, new passenger ferry service between Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and Trinidad provided by Grenada-based BEDY Ocean Line is scheduled to begin.
brought by the English and French; few of the indigenous Carib and Arawak population survived the French purge at Sauteurs
. A small percentage of descendants of East Indian indentured workers were brought to Grenada mainly from the North Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh between May 1, 1857 – January 10, 1885. There is also a small community of French and English descendants. The rest of the population is of mixed descent.
Grenada, like many of the Caribbean islands is subject to a large amount of migration, with a large number of young people wanting to leave the island to seek life elsewhere. With just 110,000 people living in Grenada, estimates and census data suggest that there are at least that number of Grenadian-born people in other parts of the Caribbean (such as Barbados and Trinidad) and at least that number again in First World
countries. Popular migration points for Grenadians further north include New York City
, Toronto
, the United Kingdom
(London
and Yorkshire
predominantly — see Grenadians in the UK) and sometimes Montreal
, or as far south as Australia
. This means that probably around a third of those born in Grenada still live there.
The official language
, English, is used in the government, but Grenadian Creole
is considered the lingua franca
of the island. French Patois
(Antillean Creole
) is also spoken by about 10%–20% the population. Some Hindi
/Bhojpuri terms are still spoken amongst the Indian descendants, mostly those pertaining to the kitchen; such as aloo, geera, karela, seim, chownkay, and baylay. The term bhai, which means 'brother' in Urdu
and Hindi
, is a common form of greeting amongst Indo-Grenadians
males of equal status.
Including a small community of Rastafarians living in Grenada, most of the population belong to Christian
churches. About half of the population are Roman Catholic; while the largest Protestant
denomination is Anglican
, with Presbyterian
and Seventh Day Adventist
taking up much of the remainder. Most churches have denomination-based schools but are open to all. There are a small Hindu
and Muslim
populations descended mostly from Gujarati
Indian immigrants who came during the colonial period and set up merchant shops.
Although French influence on Grenadian culture is much less visible than on other Caribbean islands, surnames and place names in French remain, and the every day language is laced with French words and the local dialect 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. Island culture is heavily influenced by the African roots of most of the Grenadians but India
n and Carib Amerindian influence is also seen with dhal
puri, rotis, Indian sweets, cassava and curries in the cuisine.
The "oildown" is considered to be the national dish. The phrase "oil-down" refers to a dish cooked in coconut milk until all the milk is absorbed, leaving a bit of coconut oil in the bottom of the pot. Early recipes call for a mixture of salted pigtail, pigs feet (trotters), salt beef and chicken, dumplings made from flour, provision: breadfruit, green banana, yam and potatoes. Callaloo
leaves are some times used to retain the steam and for extra flavour.
This dish is a common tradition at family and other gatherings at the beach, There is a modest debate in the West Indies about the origin of this dish, with some experts attributing it to other islands like Barbados or Trinidad & Tobago.
Foods are not the only important aspect of Grenadian culture. Music, dance, and festivals are also extremely important. Soca
, calypso
, and reggae
set the mood for Grenada's annual Carnival
activities. Over the years Rap
music became famous among Grenadian youths and there have been numerous young rappers emerging in the islands underground rap scene. Zouk
is also being slowly introduced onto the island. The islanders’ African and Carib Amerindian heritage plays an influential role in many aspects of Grenada’s culture.
As with other islands from the Caribbean, cricket
is the national and most popular sport and is an intrinsic part of Grenadian culture.
An important aspect of Grenadian culture is the tradition of story telling
, with folk tales bearing both African and French influences. The character, Anancy
, a spider god who is a trickster
, originated in West Africa
and is prevalent on other Caribbean islands as well. French influence can be seen in La Diablesse
, a well-dressed she-devil
, and Ligaroo (from Loup Garoux), a werewolf
.
Member of:
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines
Grenadines
The Grenadines is a Caribbean island chain of over 600 islands in the Windward Islands.-Geographic boundaries:They are divided between the island nations of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. They lie between the islands of Saint Vincent in the north and Grenada in the south. Neither...
in the southeastern Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
. Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
, northeast of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country in the Lesser Antilles chain, namely in the southern portion of the Windward Islands, which lie at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean....
.
Grenada is also known as the "Island of Spice" due to the production of nutmeg and mace
Nutmeg
The nutmeg tree is any of several species of trees in genus Myristica. The most important commercial species is Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree indigenous to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas of Indonesia...
crops of which Grenada is one of the world's largest exporters. Its size is 344 square kilometres (132.8 sq mi), with an estimated population of 110,000. Its capital is St. George's
St. George's, Grenada
St. George's, population 89,018 , with an agglomeration of 4,500 people , is the capital of Grenada, . The city is surrounded by a hillside of an old volcano crater and is on a horseshoe-shaped harbor....
. The national bird of Grenada is the critically endangered
Critically endangered
Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
Grenada Dove
Grenada Dove
The Grenada Dove is a medium-sized New World tropical dove. It is endemic to the island of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. Originally known as the Pea Dove or Well's Dove, it is the National Bird of Grenada...
.
Pre-history and early European contacts
Grenada was first sighted by Europeans in 1498 during the 3rd voyage of ColumbusChristopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
to the new world. At the time the indigenous Island Caribs (Kalinago) who lived there called it Camahogne. The Spaniards did not permanently settle on Camahogne. The English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
failed in their attempt at settlement in 1609.
French colony (1649–1763)
On March 17, 1649 a French expedition of 203 men from MartiniqueMartinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
, led by Jacques du Parquet founded a permanent settlement on Grenada. Within months this led to conflict with the local islanders which lasted until 1654 when the Island was completely subjugated by the French. Those indigineous islanders who survived either left for neighbouring islands or retreated to remoter parts of Grenada where they were marginalised – the last distinct communities disappeared during the eighteenth century. Warfare did continue during the seventeenth century between the French on Grenada and the Caribs of present day Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.The French named the new French colony
French colonial empires
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
La Grenade and the economy was initially based on sugar and indigo. The French established a capital known as Fort Royal (later St. George). To shelter from hurricanes the French navy would often take refuges in the capital's natural harbour, as no nearby French islands had a natural harbour to compare with that of Fort Royal. The British captured Grenada during the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
in 1762.
British colony (1763–1950)
Grenada was formally ceded to BritainKingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
by the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
in 1763. The French re-captured the island
French capture of Grenada 1779
The Capture of Grenada was an amphibious expedition on July 2 of 1779 by French forces of the Comte D'Estaing against the British defenders of Grenada, as part of the American Revolutionary War.-French capture:...
during the American War of Independence, after Comte d'Estaing won the bloody land and naval Battle of Grenada
Battle of Grenada
The Battle of Grenada took place on 6 July 1779 during the American War of Independence in the West Indies between the British Royal Navy and the French Navy.-Origins:...
in July 1779. However the island was restored to Britain with the Treaty of Versailles in 1783. Britain was hard pressed to overcome a pro-French revolt in 1795–1796 led by Julien Fedon. Nutmeg was introduced to Grenada in 1843 when a merchant ship called in on its way to England from the East Indies. The ship had a small quantity of nutmeg trees on board which they left in Grenada and this was the beginning of Grenada's nutmeg industry that now supplies nearly forty percent of the world's annual crop. In 1877 Grenada was made a Crown Colony
Crown colony
A Crown colony, also known in the 17th century as royal colony, was a type of colonial administration of the English and later British Empire....
. Theophilus A. Marryshow founded the Representative Government Association (RGA) in 1917 to agitate for a new and participative constitutional dispensation for the Grenadian people. Partly as a result of Marryshow`s lobbying the Wood Commission of 1921–1922 concluded that Grenada was ready for constitutional reform in the form of a 'modified' Crown Colony government. This modification granted Grenadians from 1925 the right to elect 5 of the 15 members of the Legislative Council, on a restricted property franchise enabling the wealthiest 4% of adult Grenadians to vote.
Towards independence (1950–1974)
In 1950 Eric GairyEric Gairy
Sir Eric Matthew Gairy was the first Prime Minister of Grenada, serving from Grenada`s independence in 1974 until his overthrow in a coup by Maurice Bishop in 1979...
founded the Grenada United Labour Party
Grenada United Labour Party
-History:The party was founded by Eric Gairy in 1950. It was the only party to contest the first elections held under universal suffrage in 1951, and won six of the eight seats. The 1954 elections saw the same outcome...
, initially as a trades union, which led the 1951 general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
for better working conditions, this sparked great unrest – so many buildings were set ablaze that the disturbances became known as the 'red sky' days – and the British authorities had to call in military reinforcements to help regain control of the situation. On October 10, 1951 Grenada held its first general elections on the basis of universal adult suffrage - Eric Gairy's Grenada United Labour Party
Grenada United Labour Party
-History:The party was founded by Eric Gairy in 1950. It was the only party to contest the first elections held under universal suffrage in 1951, and won six of the eight seats. The 1954 elections saw the same outcome...
won 6 of the 8 seats contested. From 1958 to 1962 Grenada was part of the Federation of the West Indies.
On March 3, 1967 Grenada was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs as an Associated State. Herbert Blaize
Herbert Blaize
Herbert Augustus Blaize was a Grenadian politician and leader of the Grenada National Party. When Grenada was still a British Crown Colony he served as the first Chief Minister from 1960-61, and again, from 1962-67. He became the first Premier of the autonomous Associated State of Grenada briefly...
was the first Premier of the Associated State of Grenada fom March to August 1967. Eric Gairy served as Premier from August 1967 until February 1974.
Independence and revolution (1974–1983)
Independence was granted in 1974 under the leadership of the then Premier, Sir Eric Matthew GairyEric Gairy
Sir Eric Matthew Gairy was the first Prime Minister of Grenada, serving from Grenada`s independence in 1974 until his overthrow in a coup by Maurice Bishop in 1979...
, who became the first Prime Minister of Grenada.
Civil conflict gradually broke out between Eric Gairy’s government and some opposition parties including the New Jewel Movement
New Jewel Movement
The New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education, and Liberation, or New JEWEL Movement, was a Marxist-Leninist vanguard party in the Caribbean island nation of Grenada...
(NJM). Gairy’s party won elections in 1976 but the opposition did not accept the result, accusing it of fraud. In 1979, the New Jewel Movement under Maurice Bishop
Maurice Bishop
Maurice Rupert Bishop was a Grenadian politician and revolutionary who seized power in a coup in 1979 from Eric Gairy and served as Prime Minister of the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada until 1983, when he was overthrown in another coup by Bernard Coard, a member of his own...
launched a paramilitary attack on the government resulting in its overthrow.
The constitution was suspended and Bishop's "People's Revolutionary Government" ruled subsequently by decree. Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n doctors, teachers, and technicians were invited in to help develop health, literacy, and agriculture over the next few years. Agrarian reforms started by the Gairy government were continued and greatly expanded under the revolutionary government of Maurice Bishop.
Invasion of Grenada by the U.S. and OECS military (1983)
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and the USSR on various trade and foreign policy issues, he sought to maintain a "non-aligned" status. Bishop had been taking his time making Grenada wholly socialist, encouraging private-sector development in an attempt to make the island a popular tourist destination. Hardline Marxist party members, including Communist Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard
Bernard Coard
Winston Bernard Coard was Grenadian Deputy Prime Minister in the People's Revolutionary Government of the New Jewel Movement, who placed Maurice Bishop under house arrest and took control of the government on 14 October 1983....
, deemed Bishop insufficiently revolutionary and demanded that he either step down or enter into a power-sharing arrangement.
On October 19, 1983, Bernard Coard and his wife Phyllis, backed by the Grenadian Army, led a coup against the government of Maurice Bishop and placed Bishop under house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
. These actions led to street demonstrations in various parts of the island. Bishop had enough support from the population that he was eventually freed after a demonstration in the capital. When Bishop attempted to resume power, he was captured and executed by soldiers along with seven others, including government cabinet ministers. The Coard regime then put the island under martial law.
After the execution of Bishop, the People's Revolutionary Army
People's Revolutionary Army (Grenada)
The People’s Revolutionary Army was the military of Grenada between 1979–1983.-History:The army was originally founded in the late 1970s as the National Liberation Army by 12 members of the New Jewel Movement who were known as “The 12 Apostles” including Hudson Austin and 11 others who had gone...
formed a military government with General Hudson Austin
Hudson Austin
Hudson Austin is a former general in thePeople's Revolutionary Army of Grenada. After the killing of Maurice Bishop, he formed a military government with himself as chairman to rule Grenada.-History:...
as chairman. The army declared a four-day total curfew, during which (it said) anyone leaving their home without approval would be shot on sight.
The overthrow of a moderate government by one which was strongly pro-communist worried U.S. President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. Particularly concerning was the presence of Cuban construction workers and military personnel who were building a 10000 feet (3,048 m) airstrip on Grenada. Bishop had stated the purpose of the airstrip was to allow commercial jets to land, but U.S. military analysts argued that the only reason for constructing such a long and reinforced runway was so that it could be used by heavy military transport planes. The contractors, American and European companies, and the EEC, which provided partial funding, all claimed the airstrip did not have military capabilities.
Reagan was worried that Cuba – under the direction of the Soviet Union – would use Grenada as a refueling stop for Cuban and Soviet airplanes loaded with weapons destined for Central American communist insurgents.
On October 25 combined forces from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and from the Regional Security System
Regional Security System
The Regional Security System is an international agreement for the defence and security of the eastern Caribbean region.The Regional Security System was created out of a need for collective response to security threats, which were impacting on the stability of the region in the late 1970s and...
(RSS) based in Barbados invaded Grenada in an operation codenamed Operation Urgent Fury
Invasion of Grenada
The Invasion of Grenada, codenamed Operation Urgent Fury, was a 1983 United States-led invasion of Grenada, a Caribbean island nation with a population of about 100,000 located north of Venezuela. Triggered by a military coup which had ousted a four-year revolutionary government, the invasion...
. The U.S. stated this was done at the behest of Dame Eugenia Charles
Eugenia Charles
Dame Mary Eugenia Charles, DBE was Prime Minister of Dominica from 21 July 1980 until 14 June 1995. She was Dominica's first, and to date only, female prime minister, as well as the nation's longest serving prime minister...
, of Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
. While the Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
, Sir Paul Scoon
Paul Scoon
Sir Paul Scoon, GCMG, GCVO, OBE was Governor General of Grenada for 14 years, from 1978 to 1992.-Biography:Sir Paul was born on 4 July 1935 in Gouyave, a town on the west coast of Grenada. He attended St. John's Anglican School and then the Grenada Boys' Secondary School...
, later stated that he had also requested the invasion, it was highly criticised by HM Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
and the governments of Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
condemned it as "a flagrant violation of international law" by a vote of 108 in favor to 9, with 27 abstentions. The United Nations Security Council considered a similar resolution, which failed to pass when vetoed by the United States.
After the invasion of the island nation, the pre-revolutionary Grenadian constitution came into operation once again. Eighteen members of the PRG and the PRA (army) were arrested after the invasion on charges related to the murder of Maurice Bishop and seven others. The eighteen included the top political leadership of Grenada at the time of the execution as well as the entire military chain of command directly responsible for the operation that led to the executions. Fourteen were sentenced to death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, one was found not guilty and three were sentenced to forty-five years in prison. The death sentences were eventually commuted to terms of imprisonment. Those in prison have become known as the Grenada 17
Grenada 17
The Grenada 17 are seventeen political, military and civilian figures who were convicted of various crimes associated with the overthrow of the Maurice Bishop government of Grenada in 1983 and the subsequent murder of Bishop.-History:...
.
Grenada since 1983
When US troops withdrew from Grenada in December 1983 Nicholas BraithwaiteNicholas Braithwaite
Nicholas Paul Dallon Braithwaite is an English conductor. He is the son of the conductor Warwick Braithwaite.Braithwaite studied at the Royal Academy of Music, at the Festival masterclasses in Bayreuth, and with Hans Swarowsky in Vienna. In the 1960s, Braithwaite was associate conductor of the...
of the National Democratic Congress
National Democratic Congress (Grenada)
The National Democratic Congress is a liberal centre-left political party in Grenada. Tillman Thomas is the party's leader, Nazim Burke is its deputy leader, and Peter David is its General Secretary...
was appointed Prime Minister of an interim administration by the Governor General Sir Paul Scoon
Paul Scoon
Sir Paul Scoon, GCMG, GCVO, OBE was Governor General of Grenada for 14 years, from 1978 to 1992.-Biography:Sir Paul was born on 4 July 1935 in Gouyave, a town on the west coast of Grenada. He attended St. John's Anglican School and then the Grenada Boys' Secondary School...
until elections could be organized. The first democratic elections since 1976 were held in December 1984 and were won by the Grenada National Party
Grenada National Party
-History:The party was founded in 1955 and took its support from the urban middle class and landowners. It first contested national elections in 1957 when it won two of the eight seats, tied with the Grenada United Labour Party and the People's Democratic Movement. Its leader Herbert Blaize became...
under Herbert Blaize
Herbert Blaize
Herbert Augustus Blaize was a Grenadian politician and leader of the Grenada National Party. When Grenada was still a British Crown Colony he served as the first Chief Minister from 1960-61, and again, from 1962-67. He became the first Premier of the autonomous Associated State of Grenada briefly...
who served as Prime Minister until his death in December 1989. Ben Jones
Ben Jones
Ben Jones may refer to:*Ben Jones , British actor*Ben Jones , British radio DJ*Ben Jones , Welsh soccer player*Ben Jones , English soccer player...
succeeded Blaize as Prime Minister and served until the March 1990 election, which was won by the National Democratic Congress
National Democratic Congress (Grenada)
The National Democratic Congress is a liberal centre-left political party in Grenada. Tillman Thomas is the party's leader, Nazim Burke is its deputy leader, and Peter David is its General Secretary...
under Nicholas Braithwaite
Nicholas Braithwaite
Nicholas Paul Dallon Braithwaite is an English conductor. He is the son of the conductor Warwick Braithwaite.Braithwaite studied at the Royal Academy of Music, at the Festival masterclasses in Bayreuth, and with Hans Swarowsky in Vienna. In the 1960s, Braithwaite was associate conductor of the...
who returned as Prime Minister for a second time until he resigned in February 1995. He was succeeded as Prime Minister by George Brizan
George Brizan
George Ignatius Brizan, CMG, CBE is a Grenadian political figure who served as the Caribbean island nation's Prime Minister for four months in 1995...
who served until the June 1995 election which was won by the New National Party
New National Party (Grenada)
The New National Party is a conservative political party in Grenada. It is led by the Leader of the Opposition, Keith Mitchell.The party was founded in August 1984 through the merger of the Grenada National Party, led by Herbert Blaize, the National Democratic Party, led by George Brizan, and the...
under Keith Mitchell
Keith Mitchell
Keith Claudius Mitchell is a Grenadian politician who served as Prime Minister of Grenada from 1995 to 2008. He was the longest serving Prime Minister Grenada has ever had, serving just over 13 years as Prime Minister...
who went on to win the 1999 and 2003 elections and served as Prime Minister for a record 13 years until 2008.
In 2000–2002, much of the controversy of the late 1970s and early 1980s was once again brought into the public consciousness with the opening of the truth and reconciliation commission
Truth commission
A truth commission or truth and reconciliation commission is a commission tasked with discovering and revealing past wrongdoing by a government , in the hope of resolving conflict left over from the past...
. The commission was chaired by a Roman Catholic priest
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
, Father Mark Haynes, and was tasked with uncovering injustices arising from the PRA, Bishop’s regime, and before. It held a number of hearings around the country. Brother Robert Fanovich, head of Presentation Brothers’ College (PBC) in St. George’s tasked some of his senior students with conducting a research project into the era and specifically into the fact that Maurice Bishop’s body was never discovered. See Maurice Paterson's book, published before this event, called Big Sky Little Bullet. Paterson also uncovered that there was still a lot of resentment in Grenadian society resulting from the era, and a feeling that there were many injustices still unaddressed.
In 2004, after being hurricane-free for forty-nine years, the island was directly hit by Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde-type hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlantic hurricane season...
(September 7). Ivan struck as a Category 3 hurricane
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
and caused 90 percent of the homes to be damaged or destroyed. The following year, 2005, Hurricane Emily
Hurricane Emily (2005)
Hurricane Emily was a powerful, early season tropical cyclone that caused significant damage across the Caribbean Sea to Mexico. A Cape Verde-type hurricane, the storm formed on July 10, 2005, in the central Atlantic Ocean before passing through the Windward Islands on July 14...
(July 14), a Category 1 hurricane at the time, struck the northern part of the island with 80 kn (156.8 km/h; 97.4 mph) winds, causing an estimated USD $110 million (EC$ 297 million) worth of damage. This was much less damage than Ivan had caused. Grenada recovered due to both domestic labor and financing from the world at large, and the work done by the New National Party Administration of Dr. Keith Mitchell
Keith Mitchell
Keith Claudius Mitchell is a Grenadian politician who served as Prime Minister of Grenada from 1995 to 2008. He was the longest serving Prime Minister Grenada has ever had, serving just over 13 years as Prime Minister...
and his team. By December 2005, 96% of all hotel rooms were to be open for business and to have been upgraded in facilities and strengthened to an improved building code
Building code
A building code, or building control, is a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable level of safety for constructed objects such as buildings and nonbuilding structures. The main purpose of building codes are to protect public health, safety and general welfare as they relate to the...
. The agricultural industry
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and in particular the nutmeg
Nutmeg
The nutmeg tree is any of several species of trees in genus Myristica. The most important commercial species is Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree indigenous to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas of Indonesia...
industry suffered serious losses, but that event has begun changes in crop management and it is hoped that as new nutmeg trees gradually mature, the industry will return to its pre-Ivan position as a major supplier in the Western world
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
.
In April 2007, Grenada jointly hosted (along with several other Caribbean nations) the 2007 Cricket World Cup
2007 Cricket World Cup
The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was the ninth edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament that took place in the West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007, using the sport's One Day International format...
. The island's then Prime Minister was at the time CARICOM Representative on cricket and was instrumental in having the World Cup Games brought to the region. After Hurricane Ivan, the government of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
(PRC) paid for the new $40 million national stadium, and provided the aid of over 300 laborers to build and repair it. During the opening ceremony, the anthem of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(ROC, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
) was accidentally played instead of the PRC's anthem, leading to the firing of top officials.
The 2008 election was won by the National Democratic Congress
National Democratic Congress (Grenada)
The National Democratic Congress is a liberal centre-left political party in Grenada. Tillman Thomas is the party's leader, Nazim Burke is its deputy leader, and Peter David is its General Secretary...
under Tillman Thomas
Tillman Thomas
Tillman Joseph Thomas is a Grenadian politician, currently serving as Prime Minister of Grenada. He is also the leader of the National Democratic Congress .-Biography:...
.
Geography
Ronde Island
Ronde Island, Grenada is a private island in the Lesser Antilles chain of the Caribbean Sea. The island was listed for sale as of October of 2007 for US$100,000,000, making it currently the most expensive listed island property in the world. Ronde is located approximately 4 miles east of the...
, Caille Island
Caille Island
-External links:* Official site of Isle de Caille* Official site of Île de Caille...
, Diamond Island, Large Island
Large Island
Large Island is an islet between Grenada and Carriacou ....
, Saline Island
Saline Island
Saline Island is a small islet between Grenada and Carriacou , owned by the John family, of Harvey Vale, Carriacou....
, and Frigate Island. Most of the population lives on Grenada itself, and major towns there include the capital, St. George’s, Grenville
Grenville, Grenada
Grenville is the second largest city in Grenada, after St. George's, and it is the capital of the largest parish, Saint Andrew Parish. Grenville is located on Grenville Bay, about halfway up the east coast of the Caribbean island of Grenada and is heavily involved in the agriculture export industry...
and Gouyave
Gouyave
Gouyave is the third-largest fishing town in Grenada Gouyave is the third-largest fishing town in Grenada Gouyave is the third-largest fishing town in Grenada (behind the capital, St. George's, with a population of 4,378. It is located on the west coast of the Grenada and is the capital of the...
. The largest settlement on the other islands is Hillsborough
Hillsborough, Grenada
Hillsborough is the largest town on the island of Carriacou, Grenada. The town serves primarily as a retail and administrative centre of both Carriacou and Petite Martinique. It has a population of approximately 1,000 people.-History:...
on Carriacou.
The islands are of volcanic origin with extremely rich soil. Grenada’s interior is very mountainous with Mount St. Catherine being the highest at 840 m. Several small river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s with beautiful waterfalls flow into the sea from these mountains. The climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
is tropical: hot and humid in the rainy season
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
and cooled by the trade wind
Trade wind
The trade winds are the prevailing pattern of easterly surface winds found in the tropics, within the lower portion of the Earth's atmosphere, in the lower section of the troposphere near the Earth's equator...
s in the dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
. Grenada, being on the Southern edge of the hurricane belt
Hurricane belt
The hurricane belt is an area in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, which is prone to hurricanes during the Atlantic hurricane season....
, has suffered only three hurricanes in fifty years.
Hurricane Janet
Hurricane Janet
Hurricane Janet was the most powerful hurricane of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season and one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. It made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, causing catastrophic damage and at least 687 deaths in the Lesser...
passed over Grenada on September 23, 1955 with winds of 185 km/h, causing severe damage. The most recent storms to hit have been Hurricane Ivan on September 7, 2004 causing severe damage and thirty-nine deaths and Hurricane Emily on July 14, 2005, causing serious damage in Carriacou and in the north of Grenada which had been relatively lightly affected by Hurricane Ivan.
Parishes
Grenada is divided into 6 parishesParishes of Grenada
|The Caribbean island country of Grenada is subdivided into sub-regions known as parishes.A parish defines a territorial unit or region that, historically, was usually an area under the pastoral care served by a local church as an ecclesiastical administrative unit and later used by map-makers to...
:
Carriacou and Petite Martinique
Carriacou and Petite Martinique
Carriacou and Petite Martinique is the dependency of Grenada, lying north of Grenada island and south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the Lesser Antilles. The Grenadine islands to the north of Carriacou and Petite Martinique belong to the nation of St...
, two of the Grenadines, have the status of dependency.
Politics
As a Commonwealth realmCommonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
, Queen Elizabeth II is Queen of Grenada and Head of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
. The Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
is represented by a Governor-General, who is currently Mr. Carlyle Glean. Day-to-day executive power
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
lies with the Head of Government, the Prime Minister. Although appointed by the Governor-General, the Prime Minister is usually the leader of the largest party in the Parliament.
The Parliament consists of a Senate (thirteen members) and a House of Representatives (fifteen members). The senators are appointed by the government and the opposition, while the representatives are elected by the population for five-year terms. With 51% of the votes and eleven seats in the 2008 election
Grenadian general election, 2008
A general election was held in Grenada on 8 July 2008.Out of a total of fifteen seats, the opposition National Democratic Congress won eleven seats and the governing New National Party won four seats, thus bringing the NDC to power for the first time since 1995...
, the National Democratic Congress
National Democratic Congress (Grenada)
The National Democratic Congress is a liberal centre-left political party in Grenada. Tillman Thomas is the party's leader, Nazim Burke is its deputy leader, and Peter David is its General Secretary...
won the July 8, 2008 election. The opposition New National Party
New National Party (Grenada)
The New National Party is a conservative political party in Grenada. It is led by the Leader of the Opposition, Keith Mitchell.The party was founded in August 1984 through the merger of the Grenada National Party, led by Herbert Blaize, the National Democratic Party, led by George Brizan, and the...
won the remaining four seats.
Grenada is a full and participating member of both the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
Caribbean Community
The Caribbean Community is an organisation of 15 Caribbean nations and dependencies. CARICOM's main purposes are to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, to ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and to coordinate foreign policy...
and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States , created in 1981, is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance between countries and dependencies in the Eastern Caribbean...
(OECS).
Economy and tourism
Economic progress in fiscal reforms and prudent macroeconomic management have boosted annual growth to 5%–6% in 1998–99; the increase in economic activity has been led by construction and trade. Tourist facilities are being expanded; tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
is the leading foreign exchange
Foreign exchange market
The foreign exchange market is a global, worldwide decentralized financial market for trading currencies. Financial centers around the world function as anchors of trading between a wide range of different types of buyers and sellers around the clock, with the exception of weekends...
earner. Major short-term concerns are the rising fiscal deficit and the deterioration in the external account balance. Grenada shares a common central bank
Central bank
A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is a public institution that usually issues the currency, regulates the money supply, and controls the interest rates in a country. Central banks often also oversee the commercial banking system of their respective countries...
and a common currency
Currency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
(the East Caribbean dollar
East Caribbean dollar
The East Caribbean dollar is the currency of eight of the nine members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States...
) with seven other members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States , created in 1981, is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance between countries and dependencies in the Eastern Caribbean...
(OECS)
Grenada is a leading producer of several different spices. Cinnamon
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum that is used in both sweet and savoury foods...
, cloves, ginger
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
, mace, allspice, orange/citrus peels, wild coffee used by the locals, and especially nutmeg
Nutmeg
The nutmeg tree is any of several species of trees in genus Myristica. The most important commercial species is Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree indigenous to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas of Indonesia...
, providing 20% of the world supply, are all important exports. The nutmeg on the nation's flag represents the economic crop of Grenada; the nation is the world’s second largest producer of nutmeg (after Indonesia).
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
is Grenada’s main economic force. Conventional beach and water-sports tourism is largely focused in the southwest region around St George, the airport and the coastal strip; however, ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
is growing in significance. Most of these small ecofriendly guesthouses are located in the Saint David
Saint David Parish, Grenada
Saint David in the southeastern part of Grenada is the fourth largest parish on the island. It is also the only one without a main town. Because of this fact, it is sometimes referred to as "The Virgin Parish". It is ringed by spectacular bays and inlets that help to provide the nation with a...
and Saint John
Saint John Parish, Grenada
-External links:***...
parishes. You will find a lot of different accommodations from luxury like the Spice Island Beach Resort to small cottages resorts like Mango Bay Cottages.The tourism industry is increasing dramatically with the construction of a large cruise ship pier and esplanade. Up to 4 cruise ships per day were visiting St. Georges in 2007–8 during the cruise ship season.
The island has also pioneered the cultivation of organic cocoa which is also processed into finished bars by the Grenada Chocolate Company
Grenada Chocolate Company
The Grenada Chocolate Company is a cooperative in Grenada making organic dark chocolate from bean to bar as well as growing the cocoa in Grenada .-History:...
.
Tourism is concentrated in the southwest of the island, around St. George, Grand Anse, Lance Aux Epines, and Point Salines. Grenada has many idyllic beaches around its coastline including the 3 km (1.9 mi) long Grand Anse Beach in St George which is considered to be one of the finest beaches in the world, and often appears in countdowns of the world's top 10 beaches.
Grenada is linked to the world through the Maurice Bishop International Airport and the St. George’s harbour. International flights connect with other Caribbean islands, the United States, and Europe. There is also a daily fast ferry service between St. George and Hillsborough. Beginning in October, 2009, new passenger ferry service between Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and Trinidad provided by Grenada-based BEDY Ocean Line is scheduled to begin.
Demographics
A majority of the citizens are descendants of the African slavesAtlantic slave trade
The Atlantic slave trade, also known as the trans-atlantic slave trade, refers to the trade in slaves that took place across the Atlantic ocean from the sixteenth through to the nineteenth centuries...
brought by the English and French; few of the indigenous Carib and Arawak population survived the French purge at Sauteurs
Sauteurs
Sauteurs is a Fishing Town in the Saint Patrick Parish, Grenada and is the sixth largest in Grenada, with a population of about 1,300. It is located in the far north of that island overlooking Sauteurs Bay...
. A small percentage of descendants of East Indian indentured workers were brought to Grenada mainly from the North Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh between May 1, 1857 – January 10, 1885. There is also a small community of French and English descendants. The rest of the population is of mixed descent.
First World
The concept of the First World first originated during the Cold War, where it was used to describe countries that were aligned with the United States. These countries were democratic and capitalistic. After the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the term "First World" took on a...
countries. Popular migration points for Grenadians further north include New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
predominantly — see Grenadians in the UK) and sometimes Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, or as far south as Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. This means that probably around a third of those born in Grenada still live there.
The official language
Official language
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
, English, is used in the government, but Grenadian Creole
Grenadian Creole
Grenadian Creole, is a term that may refer to either Grenadian Creole English or Grenadian Creole French.Grenadian Creole English, is a Creole language spoken in Grenada...
is considered the lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
of the island. French Patois
Patois
Patois is any language that is considered nonstandard, although the term is not formally defined in linguistics. It can refer to pidgins, creoles, dialects, and other forms of native or local speech, but not commonly to jargon or slang, which are vocabulary-based forms of cant...
(Antillean Creole
Antillean Creole
Antillean Creole is a creole language with a vocabulary based on French. It is spoken primarily in the Lesser Antilles. Its grammar and vocabulary also include elements of Carib and African languages. Antillean Creole is related to Haitian Creole, but has a number of distinctive features; they are...
) is also spoken by about 10%–20% the population. Some Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
/Bhojpuri terms are still spoken amongst the Indian descendants, mostly those pertaining to the kitchen; such as aloo, geera, karela, seim, chownkay, and baylay. The term bhai, which means 'brother' in Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
and Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, is a common form of greeting amongst Indo-Grenadians
Indo-Grenadians
Indo-Grenadians, or Grenadians who trace their roots to India, form the largest minority group in Grenada. This group was first introduced during the second half of the 19th century when Grenada experimented with indentured labour. By the second half of the 20th century Indians were so integrated...
males of equal status.
Religion
| Religion | |
|---|---|
| Roman Catholic | 53 |
| Anglican | 14 |
| Other Protestant | 33 |
| Rastafari/Spiritist | 1.3 |
| Hindu Hindu Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion... |
0.7 |
| Muslim Muslim A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable... |
0.3 |
| Buddhist | 0.2 |
| Baha'i | 0.2 |
Including a small community of Rastafarians living in Grenada, most of the population belong to Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
churches. About half of the population are Roman Catholic; while the largest Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
denomination is Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
, with Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
and Seventh Day Adventist
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
taking up much of the remainder. Most churches have denomination-based schools but are open to all. There are a small Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
populations descended mostly from Gujarati
Gujarati people
Gujarati people , or Gujaratis are an ethnic group that is traditionally Gujarati-speaking and can trace their ancestry to the state of Gujarat in western India...
Indian immigrants who came during the colonial period and set up merchant shops.
Culture
Spice
A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for flavor, color, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth. It may be used to flavour a dish or to hide other flavours...
and styles of cooking similar to those found in New Orleans and some French architecture has survived from the 1700s. Island culture is heavily influenced by the African roots of most of the Grenadians but India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n and Carib Amerindian influence is also seen with dhal
Dal
Dal is a preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi cuisine...
puri, rotis, Indian sweets, cassava and curries in the cuisine.
The "oildown" is considered to be the national dish. The phrase "oil-down" refers to a dish cooked in coconut milk until all the milk is absorbed, leaving a bit of coconut oil in the bottom of the pot. Early recipes call for a mixture of salted pigtail, pigs feet (trotters), salt beef and chicken, dumplings made from flour, provision: breadfruit, green banana, yam and potatoes. Callaloo
Callaloo
Callaloo is a popular Caribbean dish served in different variants in across the Caribbean. The main ingredient is a leaf vegetable, traditionally either amaranth , taro or Xanthosoma. Both are known by many names including callaloo, coco, tannia, bhaaji, or dasheen bush...
leaves are some times used to retain the steam and for extra flavour.
This dish is a common tradition at family and other gatherings at the beach, There is a modest debate in the West Indies about the origin of this dish, with some experts attributing it to other islands like Barbados or Trinidad & Tobago.
Foods are not the only important aspect of Grenadian culture. Music, dance, and festivals are also extremely important. Soca
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
, calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
, and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
set the mood for Grenada's annual Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
activities. Over the years Rap
Rap
Rap may refer to:*Rapping, performance in which rhyming lyrics are used, with or without musical accompaniment ; while an MC performs spoken verses in time to a beat/ melody**Hip hop subculture**Hip hop music...
music became famous among Grenadian youths and there have been numerous young rappers emerging in the islands underground rap scene. Zouk
Zouk
Zouk is a style of rhythmic music originating from the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe & Martinique. Zouk means "party" or "festival" in the local Antillean Creole of French, although the word originally referred to, and is still used to refer to, a popular dance, based on the Polish dance, the...
is also being slowly introduced onto the island. The islanders’ African and Carib Amerindian heritage plays an influential role in many aspects of Grenada’s culture.
As with other islands from the Caribbean, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
is the national and most popular sport and is an intrinsic part of Grenadian culture.
An important aspect of Grenadian culture is the tradition of story telling
Storytelling
Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
, with folk tales bearing both African and French influences. The character, Anancy
Anansi
Anansi the trickster is a spider, and is one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore.He is also known as Ananse, Kwaku Ananse, and Anancy; and in the Southern United States he has evolved into Aunt Nancy. He is a spider, but often acts and appears as a man...
, a spider god who is a trickster
Trickster
In mythology, and in the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a god, goddess, spirit, man, woman, or anthropomorphic animal who plays tricks or otherwise disobeys normal rules and conventional behavior. It is suggested by Hansen that the term "Trickster" was probably first used in this...
, originated in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
and is prevalent on other Caribbean islands as well. French influence can be seen in La Diablesse
La Diablesse
According to the folklore of Trinidad and Tobago, La Diablesse is a woman whose poise, figure and dress make her appear to be beautiful; her hideous face is hidden by a large brimmed hat. Her long dress hides the fact that she has one human foot and one cow's hoof, also she walks with one foot on...
, a well-dressed she-devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
, and Ligaroo (from Loup Garoux), a werewolf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
.
See also
- Caribbean SeaCaribbean SeaThe Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
- International rankings of GrenadaInternational rankings of Grenada-International rankings:...
- Windward IslandsWindward IslandsThe Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
Member of:
- Commonwealth of NationsCommonwealth of NationsThe Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
- United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...