Grenada

Central America and Caribbean Saint George's

Population

114.6K

Area

344 km²

GDP

$1.39B

GDP Per Capita

$17,700

Pop. Density

333/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

$Eastern Caribbean dollar(XCD)

Calling Code

+1473

Timezone

UTC-04:00

Languages

English

Driving Side

left

Demonym

Grenadian

Background

The indigenous Carib people inhabited Grenada when Christopher COLUMBUS landed on the island in 1498, but it remained uncolonized for more than a century. The French settled Grenada in the 17th century, established sugar estates, and imported large numbers of African slaves. Britain took the island in 1762 and vigorously expanded sugar production. In the 19th century, cacao eventually surpassed sugar as the main export crop; in the 20th century, nutmeg became the leading export. In 1967, Britain gave Grenada autonomy over its internal affairs. Full independence was attained in 1974, making Grenada one of the smallest independent countries in the Western Hemisphere. In 1979, a leftist New Jewel Movement seized power under Maurice BISHOP, ushering in the Grenada Revolution. On 19 October 1983, factions within the revolutionary government overthrew and killed BISHOP and members of his party. Six days later, US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations intervened, quickly capturing the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Rule of law was restored, and democratic elections were reinstituted the following year and have continued since.

Historical Trends

GDP (USD)

↑96.4% since 2006

$699M (2006)$1B (2024)

Population

↑6.4% since 2006

110,135 (2006)117,207 (2024)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Latest: 75.2 years

2006: 73.9 years2023: 75.2 years

Data source: World Bank Open Data

Geography16

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates

12 07 N, 61 40 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total : 344 sq km
land: 344 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

twice the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

121 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain

volcanic in origin with central mountains

Elevation

highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural resources

timber, tropical fruit

Land use

agricultural land

23.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 8.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 2.9% (2023 est.)

forest

52.1% (2023 est.)

other

24.4% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

20 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

approximately one third of the population is found in the capital of St. George's; the island's population is concentrated along the coast

Natural hazards

lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November

volcanism: Mount Saint Catherine (840 m) is on the island of Grenada; Kick 'em Jenny, an active submarine volcano (seamount) on the Caribbean Sea floor, lies about 8 km (5 mi) north of Grenada; these two volcanoes are at the southern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends to the Dutch dependency of Saba in the north

People & Society28

Population

total: 114,621 (2024 est.)
male: 58,168
female: 56,453

Nationality

noun: Grenadian(s)
adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups

African descent 82.4%, mixed 13.3%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)

Languages

English (official), French patois

Religions

Protestant 49.2% (includes Pentecostal 17.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 13.2%, Anglican 8.5%, Baptist 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Evangelical 1.9%, Methodist 1.6%, other 1.2%), Roman Catholic 36%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, Rastafarian 1.2%, other 5.5%, none 5.7%, unspecified 1.3% (2011 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 21.9% (male 13,095/female 12,003)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 38,129/female 36,726)
65 years and over: 12.8% (2024 est.) (male 6,944/female 7,724)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 53.1 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 33.5 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 19.6 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 5.1 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 35.9 years (2025 est.)
male: 35.2 years
female: 35.7 years

Population growth rate

0.24% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

13 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

8.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-2.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

approximately one third of the population is found in the capital of St. George's; the island's population is concentrated along the coast

Urbanization

urban population: 37.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.86% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

39,000 SAINT GEORGE'S (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

48 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 73.7 years
female: 79.1 years

Total fertility rate

1.89 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.9 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 5.7% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 6.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

1.38 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Hospital bed density

3.2 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.3% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 8.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 3.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 4.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 5.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 11.4% national budget (2025 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 18 years (2018 est.)
male: 17 years (2018 est.)
female: 18 years (2018 est.)

Government25

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Grenada
etymology: origin of the name remains obscure; some sources attribute the designation to Spanish influence (most likely named for the Spanish city of Granada); in Spanish granada means "pomegranate"

Government type

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital

name: Saint George's
geographic coordinates: 12 03 N, 61 45 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: originally named Ville de Fort Royal (Fort Royal Town), the name was changed to Saint George's Town in 1764, in honor of the patron saint of England, when the English took over Grenada from the French; the name was eventually shortened to Saint George's

Administrative divisions

6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petite Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Legal system

common law based on English model

Constitution

history: previous 1967; latest presented 19 December 1973, effective 7 February 1974, suspended 1979 following a revolution but restored in 1983
amendment process: proposed by either house of Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership in both houses and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to constitutional sections, such as personal rights and freedoms, the structure, authorities, and procedures of the branches of government, the delimitation of electoral constituencies, or the procedure for amending the constitution, also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years for persons from a non-Caribbean state and 4 years for a person from a Caribbean state

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Cecile LA GRENADE (since 7 May 2013)
head of government: Prime Minister Dickon MITCHELL (since 24 June 2022)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament
legislative structure: bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

House of Representatives

number of seats

15 (all directly elected)

electoral system

plurality/majority

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

most recent election date

6/23/2022

parties elected and seats per party

National Democratic Congress (NDC) (9); New National Party (NNP) (6)

percentage of women in chamber

31.3%

expected date of next election

June 2027

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate

number of seats

13 (all appointed)

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

most recent election date

8/31/2022

percentage of women in chamber

30.8%

expected date of next election

August 2027

Judicial branch

highest court(s): regionally, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts
judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, and independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; Court of Magisterial Appeals

Political parties

National Democratic Congress or NDC
New National Party or NNP

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Tarlie FRANCIS (since 15 September 2023)

chancery

1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone

[1] (202) 265-2561

FAX

[1] (202) 265-2468

email address and website

embassy@grenadaembassyusa.org

https://grenadaembassyusa.org/

consulate(s) general

Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

the US does not have an official embassy in Grenada; the Chargé d’Affaires to Barbados, Karin B. SULLIVAN, is accredited to Grenada

embassy

Lance-aux-Epines, Saint George's

mailing address

3180 Grenada Place, Washington DC  20521-3180

telephone

[1] (473) 444-1173

FAX

[1] (473) 444-4820

email address and website

StgeorgesACS@state.gov

https://bb.usembassy.gov/embassy/grenada/

International organization participation

ACP, ACS, AOSIS, CARIFORUM, CARIBCAN, Caricom, CBI, CDB, CELAC, CSME, ECCU, EPA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Independence

7 February 1974 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Flag

description: a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (left and right), with a wide red border around the flag; three five-pointed yellow stars are centered on the top and bottom of the red border, with one larger yellow star on a red disk at the center of the flag; a small yellow-and-red nutmeg pod is on the left triangle

meaning: the seven stars stand for the country's administrative divisions, with the central star symbolizing the capital, St. George's; yellow stands for the sun and the warmth of the people, green for vegetation and agriculture, and red for harmony, unity, and courage

National symbol(s)

Grenada dove, bougainvillea flower

National color(s)

red, yellow, green

National coat of arms

Grenada’s coat of arms shows Grand Etang Lake, a crater lake on the volcano that formed Grenada; in the center of the shield is Christopher Columbus’s ship, the Santa Maria, which landed on the island in 1498; the gold cross dividing the shield, the two Madonna lilies, and the national motto signal the importance of religion; two lions symbolize past UK rule (1762-1974), as well as Grenada’s current status as a Commonwealth country; the corn stalk and banana plant represent agriculture; the armadillo and Grenada dove next to the shield are native to the island, and the roses in the bougainvillea flower garland represent Grenada’s seven communities

National anthem(s)

title: "God Save the King"
lyrics/music: unknown
history: royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country

Economy26

Economic overview

small OECS service-based economy; large tourism, construction, transportation, and education sectors; major spice exporter; shrinking but still high public debt; vulnerable to hurricanes; emerging blue economy incentives

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $2.08 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $2.005 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $1.916 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024: 3.7% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 4.7% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 7.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $17,700 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $17,100 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $16,400 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.391 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 1.1% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 2.7% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 2.6% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 2.7% (2024 est.)
industry: 14.8% (2024 est.)
services: 65.2% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

sugarcane, coconuts, eggs, vegetables, fruits, bananas, plantains, grapefruits, avocados, mangoes/guavas (2023)

Industries

food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction, education, call-center operations

Industrial production growth rate

2.9% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

25% (2018 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018: 43.8 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.1% (2018 est.)
highest 10%: 33.7% (2018 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2024: 5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 5.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 5.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget

revenues: $288.404 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: $222.475 million (2017 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016: 82% of GDP (2016 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2024: -$270.771 million (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$243.473 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$148.445 million (2022 est.)

Exports

Exports 2024: $858.949 million (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $828.529 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $706.195 million (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

USA 24%, Antigua & Barbuda 13%, St. Vincent & the Grenadines 8%, Dominica 6%, Trinidad & Tobago 5% (2023)

Exports - commodities

nutmeg/cardamons, fish, wheat flours, frozen fruits and nuts, aqueous paints (2023)

Imports

Imports 2024: $990.587 million (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $924.688 million (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $785.022 million (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

USA 37%, Trinidad & Tobago 13%, Cayman Islands 10%, China 4%, UK 3% (2023)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, poultry, ships, plastic products (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $423.263 million (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $404.13 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $371.767 million (2022 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023: $501.371 million (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

2.7 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

2.7 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2.7 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2.7 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

2.7 (2020 est.)

Energy6

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 94.2% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 60,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 221.453 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 18 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 98.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 41.703 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications6

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 17,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 112,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 81 (2021 est.)

Broadcast media

multiple publicly and privately owned TV and radio stations; state-owned Grenada Information Service (GIS) provides TV and radio; the Grenada Broadcasting Network, jointly owned by the government and the Caribbean Communications Network of Trinidad and Tobago, operates a TV station and 2 radio stations; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is provided by Columbus Communications Grenada (FLOW GRENADA); approximately 25 private radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.gd

Internet users

percent of population: 74% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 35,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2022 est.)

Transportation4

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

2 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 6 (2023)
by type: general cargo 3, other 3

Ports

total ports

1 (2024)

large

medium

small

very small

ports with oil terminals

key ports

St. George's

Military & Security2

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; the Royal Grenada Police Force (under the Ministry of National Security) includes a Coast Guard and a paramilitary Special Services Unit (2025)

Military - note

Grenada joined the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) in 1985; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025)

Transnational Issues1

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 383 (2024 est.)

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