What is Grenada?

Grenada
Flag of Grenada Coat of arms
Motto "Ever Conscious of God We Aspire in the name of justice , Build and Advance as One People"
Anthem Hail Grenada Royal anthem God Save the Queen
Location of Grenada
Capital (and largest city)		St. George's
Official languages		English
Demonym		Grenadian
Government		Westminster-style parliament (Constitutional monarchy)
-	Queen	Queen Elizabeth II
-	Governor General	Sir Daniel Williams
-	Prime Minister	Keith Mitchell
Independence
-	from the United Kingdom	February 7 1974
-	Water (%)	1.6
Population
-	July 2005 estimate	103,000 (193rd)
GDP (PPP)		2002 est. estimate
-	Total	$440 million (210th)
-	Per capita	$5,0001 (134th)
HDI (2003)		0.762 (medium) (85th)
Currency		East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Time zone		(UTC-4)
-	Summer (DST)	(UTC-4)
Internet TLD		.gd
Calling code		+1 473
1	2002 estimate.
2

Grenada (IPA: [grəˈneɪdə] or [grɪˈneɪdə]) is an island nation in the southeastern Caribbean Sea including the southern Grenadines. Grenada is the second-smallest independent country in the Western Hemisphere (after Saint Kitts and Nevis). It is located north of Trinidad and Tobago, and south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The National Bird of Grenada is the critically endangered Grenada Dove.

History 1498-1877

Main article: History of Grenada

The recorded history of Grenada begins in 1498, when Christopher Columbus first sighted the island and gave it the name Conception Island, and later called it Granada. At the time the Island Caribs (Kalinago) lived there and called it knouhogue. The Spaniards did not permanently settle in Camerhogne. Later the English failed their first settlement attempts, but the French fought and conquered Grenada from the Caribs circa 1650. At one point many Caribs leaped to their death near Sauteurs, a present day northern town in Grenada; the Caribs opted not to be captives of the French. Subsequently, this resulted in warfare between the Caribs of present day Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the French invaders. The French took control of Camerhogne and named the new French colony Grenade. The colony was ceded to the United Kingdom in 1763 by the Treaty of Paris. Grenada was made a Crown Colony in 1877.

History 1958-1984: Independence and Revolution

The island was a province of the short-lived West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962. In 1967, Grenada attained the position of "Associated State of the United Kingdom", which meant that Grenada was now responsible for her own internal affairs, and the UK was responsible for her defense and foreign affairs. Independence was granted in 1974 under the leadership of the then Premier Sir Eric Matthew Gairy, 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. In 1979, the New Jewel Movement under Maurice Bishop launched a successful armed revolution against the government. Maurice Bishop suspended the constitution and declaired a People's Revolutionary Government. All parties except the NJM were banned and elections were never held to legitimize the change.

A dispute later struggle developed between Bishop and certain high-ranking members of the NJM. Party members including Bernard Coard demanded that Bishop either step down or enter into a power sharing arrangement. The dispute eventually led to Bishop being illegally deposed and placed under house arrest. These actions led to street demonstrations in various parts of the island. Bishop was eventually freed by a large demonstration in the capital. Soon after, he was captured and executed by soldiers along with seven others including cabinet ministers of the government.

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 that anyone leaving their home without approval would be shot on sight.

Six days after the execution of Bishop, the island was invaded by forces from the United States. The US stated this was done at the behest of Dame Eugenia Charles, of Dominica. Five other Caribbean nations participated with Dominica and the USA in the campaign, called Operation Urgent Fury. While the Governor-General, Sir Paul Scoon later stated that he had requested the invasion, the governments of the United Kingdom and Trinidad and Tobago expressed anger at not having been consulted.



After the invasion, the pre-revolutionary constitution was resumed.

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 seventeen 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 commutted to terms of imprisonment. Those in prison have become known as the Grenada 17.

Twenty-first century history

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 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. The commission was formed, bizarrely, because of a school project. 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. Their project attracted a great deal of attention, including from the Miami Herald and the final report was published in a book written by the boys called Big Sky, Little Bullet. It 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. The commission began shortly after the boys concluded their project. In 2004, the island after being hurricane free for forty-nine years, was directly hit by Hurricane Ivan (September 7). Ivan struck as a Category 4 hurricane and caused 90 percent of the homes to be damaged or destroyed. The following year, 2005, Hurricane Emily (July 14) a Category 2 hurricane struck the northern part of the island, causing an estimated USD $110 million (EC$ 297 million) worth of damage. This was much less damage than Ivan had caused.

Grenada has recovered with remarkable speed, due to both domestic labor and financing from the world at large. 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. After hurricane Ivan, the Chinese government paid for the new $40 million national stadium, along with the aid of over 300 Chinese labourers to build and repair it. [1]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Grenada

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 (meaning it was formed by volcanos) with extremely rich soil. Grenada's interior is very mountainous with Mount St. Catherine being the highest at 2,756 feet. Several small rivers 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 winds 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 23 September 1955 with winds of 115 mph, 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

Main article: Parishes of Grenada

Grenada is divided into 6 parishes:

1. Saint Andrew
2. Saint David
3. Saint George
4. Saint John
5. Saint Mark
6. Saint Patrick

Carriacou and Petite Martinique, two of the Grenadines, have the status of dependency.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Grenada

As a Commonwealth Realm, Queen Elizabeth II is Queen of Grenada and Head of State. The Crown is represented by a Governor-General, who is currently Sir Daniel Williams. 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 faction 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 48% of the votes and eight seats in the 2003 election, the New National Party remains the largest party in Grenada. The largest opposition party is the National Democratic Congress with 45.6% of the votes and seven seats.

Grenada is a full and participating member of both the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

Flag of Grenada

The National Flag of Grenada represents the distillation of a national effort to produce an emblem of a nation that can stand for all time and which incorporates simplicity of form, a pleasing visual quality and is symbolic of the confidence, hope and aspirations of a courageous people accepting the challenge of nationhood.

The components of the Grenadian flag have the following meaning:

• Red represents the fervor of the people, their courage and vitality - their burning aspiration to be free. The red border indicates the dedication of the Grenadians to preserve harmony and unity of spirit.

• Gold / Yellow is the color wisdom, the sunshine of the islands in the sun, and the warmth and friendliness of the people of Grenada.

• Green symbolizes the fertility of the land, the lush vegetation and the islands' agriculture.

• The six Gold Stars represent the six parishes

• The center Gold Star represents the hopes, aspirations and ideas upon which the nation was founded.

• The Nutmeg symbolizes the island's reputation as the Isle of Spice. Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia.

The Grenadian National Flag was designed by Anthony George from Soubise, St. Andrew Parish.

Economy and tourism

Main article: Economy of Grenada

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 called The Spice Isle because it 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 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.

Tourism is concentrated in the southwest of the island, around Grand Anse, Lance Aux Epines, and Point Salines. Grenada has many idyllic beaches around its coastline.

Grenada is linked to the world through the Point Salines International Airport and the St. George's harbor. International flights connect with the Caribbean, America, and Europe. There is also a daily fast ferry service between St. George's and Hillsborough.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Grenada

About 80% of the population are descendants of the African slaves brought by the Europeans; no indigenous Carib and Arawak population survived the French purge at Sauteurs. About 12% are descendants of East Indian indentured servants brought to Grenada from May 1,1857-January 10,1885. Also, present is a small enclave of 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 over 100,000 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, London, Yorkshire, and sometimes Montreal, or as far south as Australia. Few go to Paris. 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 still spoken by about 10%-20% the population. Aside from a marginal community of Rastafarians living in Grenada, nearly all are Christians, about half of them Catholics; Anglicanism is the largest Protestant denomination with Presbyterian and Seventh Day Adventist taking up the remainder. Most Churches have denomination-based schools but are open to all. There is a small Muslim population mostly from Gujarati Indian immigrants who came many years ago and set up some merchant shops.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Grenada

Although French influence on Grenadian culture is much less visible than in other Caribbean islands, surnames and place names in French remain as well as 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 Indian influence is also seen with dhal puri, rotis, Indian sweets, and curries in the cuisine.

Foods aren't 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. Zouk is also being slowly introduced onto the island. The islanders' African heritage plays an influential role in many aspects of Grenada's 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's 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.

References

Bibliography

• Adkin, Mark. 1989. Urgent Fury: The Battle for Grenada: The Truth Behind the Largest U.S. Military Operation Since Vietnam. Trans-Atlantic Publications. ISBN 0-85052-023-1
• Beck, Robert J. 1993. The Grenada Invasion: Politics, Law, and Foreign Policy Decisionmaking. Boulder: Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-8709-4
• Brizan, George 1984. Grenada Island of Conflict: From Amerindians to People's Revolution 1498-1979. London, Zed Books Ltd., publisher; Copyright, George Brizan, 1984.
• Sinclair, Norma. 2003. Grenada: Isle of Spice (Caribbean Guides). Interlink Publishing Group; 3rd edition. ISBN 0-333-96806-9
• Stark, James H. 1897. Stark's Guide-Book and History of Trinidad including Tobago, Grenada, and St. Vincent; also a trip up the Orinoco and a description of the great Venezuelan Pitch Lake. Boston, James H. Stark, publisher; London, Sampson Low, Marston & Company.
• Steele, Beverley A. 2003. Grenada: A History of Its People (Island Histories). MacMillan Caribbean. ISBN 0-333-93053-3

See also

• Communications in Grenada
• Foreign relations of Grenada
• Military of Grenada
• Public services in Grenada
• Transportation in Grenada
• The Scout Association of Grenada

External links

• Rural poverty in Grenada (IFAD)
• Official Website of the Government of Grenada
• The Grenada Revolution online
• Presentation Brothers College

Geographic locale

•  • [ e] Countries and territories of the Caribbean  •  • [ e] Sovereign states Commonwealth Realms Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Grenada Jamaica St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Commonwealth republics Dominica Trinidad and Tobago Other republics Cuba Dominican Republic Haiti  •  • [ e] Dependencies and other territories British Anguilla British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Montserrat Turks and Caicos Islands Dutch Aruba Netherlands Antilles French Guadeloupe Martinique Saint Barthelemy St. Martin American Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands  •  • [ e] States and dependencies of Middle America States  —  Dependencies Anguilla (UK) Antigua and Barbuda Aruba (NL) Bahamas Barbados Belize British Virgin Islands (UK) Cayman Islands (UK) Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador Grenada Guadeloupe (FR) Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Martinique (FR) Mexico Montserrat (UK)Netherlands Antilles (NL) Nicaragua Panama Puerto Rico (US) St.-Barthlemy (FR) St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Martin (FR) St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands (UK) US Virgin Islands (US)

International membership

•  • [ e] Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Members Antigua and Barbuda Dominica Grenada Montserrat St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Associate members Anguilla British Virgin Islands  •  • [ e] Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Members Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas1 Barbados Belize Dominica Grenada Guyana Haiti1 Jamaica Montserrat2 St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad and Tobago Associate members Anguilla Bermuda Cayman Islands British Virgin Islands Turks and Caicos Islands Observers Aruba Colombia Dominican Republic Mexico Netherlands Antilles Puerto Rico Venezuela 1 Member of the Community but not of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).   2 British overseas territory awaiting entrustment to join the CSME.  •  • [ e] Commonwealth of Nations Sovereign states Antigua and Barbuda Australia Bahamas Bangladesh Barbados Belize Botswana Brunei Cameroon Canada Cyprus Dominica Fiji The Gambia Ghana Grenada Guyana India Jamaica Kenya Kiribati Lesotho Malawi Malaysia Maldives Malta Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Nauru New Zealand Nigeria Pakistan Papua New Guinea St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa Sri Lanka Swaziland Tanzania Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tuvalu Uganda United Kingdom Vanuatu Zambia Dependencies Australia Ashmore and Cartier Islands Australian Antarctic Territory Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Coral Sea Islands Heard Island and McDonald Islands Norfolk Island India Andaman and Nicobar Islands Lakshadweep New Zealand Cook Islands Niue Ross Dependency Tokelau United Kingdom Akrotiri and Dhekelia Anguilla Bermuda British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Gibraltar Guernsey Isle of Man Jersey Montserrat Pitcairn Islands St. Helena (including Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands