Grenada — map and facts

About Grenada

Grenada is a small island nation in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, comprising the main island of Grenada and several smaller islands including Carriacou and Petite Martinique. It lies about 160 kilometres north of Venezuela. With a population of approximately 125,000 and an area of 344 square kilometres, it is one of the smallest sovereign states in the Western Hemisphere. The capital is St. George's, one of the most picturesque harbour cities in the Caribbean. Grenada is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy with King Charles III as head of state, represented by a Governor-General. It is often called the "Spice Isle" because it is one of the world's leading producers of nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, and cloves. Tourism is the main economic driver. Grenada gained international attention in October 1983 when the United States led an invasion — Operation Urgent Fury — following a military coup in which Prime Minister Maurice Bishop was executed.

Geography and Landscape

Grenada's main island is volcanic in origin, characterised by rugged, forested interior highlands and a deeply indented coastline. The island's highest peak is Mount Saint Catherine at 840 metres, located in the mountainous north-central region. Grand Etang Lake, a crater lake in the Grand Etang National Park at about 530 metres elevation, is a notable inland feature. Several rivers flow down from the highlands to the coast. The southwestern coast hosts St. George's harbour — one of the finest natural harbours in the Caribbean — and the famous Grand Anse Beach, a two-kilometre stretch of white sand widely regarded as one of the Caribbean's most beautiful beaches. The north of the island is wetter and more forested, while the south and southwest are drier. Carriacou, the largest of the smaller islands, is flat and arid. The climate is tropical with a dry season from January to May and a wetter season from June to December. Grenada lies along the hurricane belt but was devastated by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, which destroyed much of the island's housing.

History

Grenada was originally inhabited by the Arawak and later the Kalinago. Columbus sighted the island in 1498 on his third voyage. France colonised Grenada in 1649, and the Kalinago resistance ended tragically at Le Morne des Sauteurs (Leapers' Hill) in 1651, where the last Kalinago jumped to their deaths rather than surrender to the French. The island was ceded to Britain in 1763 following the Seven Years' War and became a major producer of sugar using enslaved labour. The British developed the nutmeg industry in the nineteenth century after introducing the plant from the East Indies. Grenada gained independence on 7 February 1974. In 1979 Maurice Bishop's Marxist-oriented New Jewel Movement seized power in a bloodless coup. Bishop was executed in October 1983 during an internal power struggle, prompting the US-led invasion that same month. Democratic governance was restored and has continued since. Grenada recovered slowly from Hurricane Ivan (2004) and was largely rebuilt by the time Hurricane Emily struck in 2005.