Simple directory > Regional > Grenada

Country : Grenada Official name: Grenada Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II; Governor General Sir Daniel C Williams (since Aug 1996) Head of government: Prime Minister Keith C Mitchell (leader of NNP) (since Jun 1995; last re-elected 27 Nov 2003) Ruling party: New National Party (NNP) (since Jun 1995; last re-elected 27 Nov 2003) Area: 345 square km Population: 94,200 (2004) Capital: St George's Official language: English Currency: East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents Exchange rate: EC$2.70 per US$ (fixed) GDP per capita: US$5,000 (2003) GDP real growth: 2.50% (2003) Labour force: 42,300 (2003) Unemployment: 12.50% (2003) Inflation: 2.80% (2003) Balance of trade: -US$192.00 million (2003) Foreign debt: US$196.00 million (2003 Visitor numbers: 142,355 (2003) (stay-over)

Historical profile

1762 Grenada (which includes Carriacou and Ronde and a number of small uninhabited islands known in the Grenadines to the north-east of Grenada itself) was initially colonised by the French until captured by the British.

1783 British control of the islands was recognised.

1958 Grenada joined the Federation of the West Indies.

1967 Internal self-government was granted.

1974 Independence was granted.

1983 The US, backed by troops from Jamaica, Barbados and other members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), invaded the islands after a period of civil disturbances, anti-government protests, media restrictions and a power struggle within the left-wing government which resulted in the killing of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and other ministers during the fighting. The rebel Revolutionary Military Council (RMC) was defeated and an interim government appointed until elections were held.

1984 The general election was won by the New National Party (NNP) led by Herbert Blaize.

1987 The National Democratic Congress (NDC) was formed.

1990 A coalition of NDC and Grenada United Labour Party (GULP) was elected, with Nicholas Braithwaite as prime minister.

1995 The NNP won the elections.

1996 Grenada signed anti-drug trafficking treaties with the US. The appointment of Sir Daniel Williams as governor general provoked controversy owing to his links with the NNP.

1999 The general election was won by the ruling NNP.

2001 Grenada was blacklisted by the OECD's Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for not doing enough to combat money laundering.

2002 The government revoked the licences of 36 offshore banks in an attempt to secure removal from the FATF blacklist. In September, Grenada was hit by tropical storm Lili, causing damage estimated at around 2 per cent of GDP.

2003 In July, Grenada was removed from the FATF's blacklist. Prime Minister Keith Mitchell's NNP was re-elected on 27 November. A new cabinet was sworn in on 3 December.

2004 Thirty years of independence were celebrated in February. A new radio service – Radio Caricom, the Voice of the Caribbean Community – was officially launched at the 25th Meeting of the Conference of the Heads of Government in Grenada on 4 July 2004. Grenada is a `pilot state' in the project. Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada in September; 85 per cent of its houses were damaged.

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