Grenada - General Facts and Information

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Location & Geography

Grenada is an island nation in the southeastern Caribbean Sea including the southern Grenadines. It is the second-smallest independent country in the Western Hemisphere (after Saint Kitts and Nevis) and is located 100 miles north of Venezuela. To the north lie St. Vincent and the Grenadines and to the south Trinidad and Tobago.

The nation consists of three islands: Grenada, Carriacou (pronounced Carry-a koo), and Petite Martinique (pronounced Pitty Mar-ti-neek). Grenada is the largest of the three, with a width of twelve miles (18 km) and a length of twenty-one miles (34 km). Its 133 square miles are mountainous, volcanic terrain, with its highest point being Mount St. Catherine which reaches 2,756 feet. Known as “The Spice Isle of the Caribbean,” Grenada produces cloves, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and about a third of the world’s supply of nutmeg.

Grenada’s smaller sister island, Carriacou, is known as “land of the reefs’ and is 13 square miles in size. It is hilly but not mountainous and possesses fine sand beaches and natural harbours, as well as excellent views of the northern Grenadine islands.

Petite Martinique, the third and smallest island in the state, consists of little more than the tip of a volcanic cone poking through the water. It lies 2.5 miles off the northeast coast of Carriacou and it is only now being developed for visitors.

Our Government

As a Commonwealth Realm, Queen Elizabeth II is Queen of Grenada and Head of State. The Crown is represented by a Governor-General but executive power rests with the Head of Government, the Prime Minister. Although appointed by the Governor-General, the Prime Minister is usually the leader of the largest faction in the Parliament.

The Parliament consists of a Senate (13 members) and a House of Representatives (15 members). The senators are appointed by the government and the opposition, while the representatives are elected by the population for 5-year terms.

People

Approximately 102,000 people inhabit Grenada, including the 8,000 inhabitants of Carriacou and the 600 residents of Petite Martinique. The nation’s citizens are primarily of African, East-Indian and European descent, with the largest proportion of the population, approximately 75%, of African descent. English is the official language of Grenada.

Climate

Average temperatures range from 75ºF to 85ºF (24ºC to 30ºC), tempered by the steady and cooling trade winds. The lowest temperatures occur between November and February. Due to Grenada’s remarkable topography, the island also experiences climate changes according to altitude. The driest season is between January and May. Even during the rainy season, from June to December, it rarely rains for more than an hour at a time and generally not every day. The climate is tropical: hot and humid in the rainy season and cooled by the trade winds in the dry season.

Currency

The official currency of Grenada is the Eastern Caribbean dollar, which is also used throughout most of the Eastern Caribbean. Notes are issued in denominations of $100, 50, 20, 10, 5.

Coins are issued in denominations of $1 and 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1cents. The exchange rate is tied to the US dollar at a rate of $2.68. Travelers cheques and most major credit cards are also widely accepted.

Flora, Fauna & Sea Life

There is a wide variety of forest trees, Mahogany and Gommier trees and many types of tropical flowers, indigenous plants and shrubs grow throughout the island.

Birds found on the islands include the hummingbird, egret, dove, and wild pigeon; also to be found are the Broad winged hawk, Lesser Antillean Swift and the Purple throated Carib. Characteristic wildlife includes the armadillo, opossum, agouti, and monkey.

The waters around Grenada are teeming with interesting sea life and here you will find the most breathtaking underwater scenery. The reefs are composed of finger coral, sea whips, sea fans, brain coral, pillar coral, black coral and deepwater gorgonians plus lots of colourful sponges, hydroids and soft coral.

Also in abundance are rock beauties, angel fish, tang, grunts, damsel, blennys, parrot fish, trigger fish, jaw fish, spotted drum, moral eels, snake eels, lobsters, nurse sharks, barracudas, eagle rays, turtles, groupers and mackerels.

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