Grenada

Grenada(/ɡrəˈneɪdə/grə-NAY-də;Grenadian Creole French:Gwenad,[ɡweˈnad]) is an island country of theWest Indiesin the easternCaribbean Sea. The southernmost of theWindward Islands, Grenada is directly south ofSaint Vincent and the Grenadinesand about 100 miles (160 km) north ofTrinidadand the South American mainland.
Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself, two smaller islands,CarriacouandPetite Martinique, and several small islands which lie to the north of the main island and are a part of the Grenadines. Its size is 344 square kilometres (133 sq mi), with an estimated population of 114,621 in 2024.Its capital isSt. George's.Grenada is also known as the "Island of Spice" due to its production ofnutmegandmacecrops.
Before thearrival of Europeans in the Americas, Grenada was inhabited by theindigenous peoplesfrom South America.Christopher Columbussighted Grenada in 1498 during histhird voyageto the Americas.Following several unsuccessful attempts by Europeans to colonise the island due to resistance from residentIsland Caribs,Frenchsettlement and colonisation began in 1649 and continued for the next century.On 10 February 1763, Grenada was ceded to theBritishunder theTreaty of Paris. British rule continued until 1974 (except for abrief French takeoverbetween 1779 and 1783).However, on 3 March 1967, it was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs as anAssociated State, and from 1958 to 1962, Grenada was part of theFederation of the West Indies, a short-lived federation ofBritish West Indian colonies.
Independence was granted on 7 February 1974 under the leadership ofEric Gairy, who became the firstprime minister of Grenadaas asovereign state. The new country became a member of theCommonwealth of Nations, withQueen Elizabeth IIas head of state.In March 1979, theMarxist–LeninistNew Jewel Movementoverthrew Gairy's government in abloodlesscoup d'étatand established thePeople's Revolutionary Government(PRG), headed byMaurice Bishopas prime minister.Bishop was later arrested and executed by members of thePeople's Revolutionary Army(PRA), which was used to justify aU.S.-led invasionin October 1983. Since then, the island has returned to aparliamentaryrepresentative democracyand has remainedpolitically stable.A Governor General represents the Head of State. The country is currently headed byKing Charles III,King of Grenada, and 14 othercommonwealth realms.
The origin of the name "Grenada" is obscure, but it is likely that Spanish sailors named the island for theAndalusiancity ofGranada.The name "Granada" was recorded by Spanish maps in the 1520s and referred to the islands to the north asLos Granadillos("Little Granadas");although those named islands were deemed the property of theKing of Spain, there are no records to suggest the Spanish ever attempted to settle Grenada.The French maintained the name (as "La Grenade" in French) after settlement and colonisation in 1649.On 10 February 1763, the island of La Grenade was ceded to the British under theTreaty of Paris. The British renamed it "Grenada", one of many place-nameanglicisationsthey made there.
The island was given its first European name byChristopher Columbuswho sighted it on histhird voyageto the region in 1498 and named it "La Concepción" in honour of theVirgin Mary. It is said that he may have actually named it "Assumpción", but it is uncertain, as he is said to have sighted what are now Grenada and Tobago from a distance and named them both at the same time. However, it became accepted that he named Tobago "Assumpción" and Grenada "La Concepción".The year after, Italian explorerAmerigo Vespuccitravelled through the region with the Spanish explorerAlonso de Ojedaand mapmakerJuan de la Cosa. Vespucci is reported to have renamed the island "Mayo", although this is the only map where the name appears.
The indigenousArawakwho once lived on the island before the arrival of the Europeans gave the nameCamajuya.
Grenada is thought to have been first populated by peoples from South America during the CaribbeanArchaic Age, although definitive evidence is lacking. The earliest potential human presence comes fromproxyevidence of lake cores, beginningc.3600 BC.Less ephemeral, permanent villages beganc.100–200.The population peaked between 750 and 1250, with major changes in population afterward, potentially the result of either the"Carib Invasion"(although highly contested),regional droughts, or both.
In 1498, Christopher Columbus was the first European to report sighting Grenada during his third voyage, naming it 'La Concepción', but Amerigo Vespucci may have renamed it 'Mayo' in 1499.Although it was deemed the property of the King of Spain, there are no records to suggest the Spanish attempted to settle. However, various Europeans are known to have passed and both fought and traded with the indigenous peoples there.The first known settlement attempt was a failed venture by the English in 1609, but they were massacred and driven away by the native "Carib" peoples.
In 1649, a French expedition of 203 men fromMartinique, led byJacques Dyel du Parquet, founded a permanent settlement on Grenada.They signed a peace treaty with the Carib chiefKairouane, but within months conflict broke out between the two communities.This lasted until 1654 when the island was completely subjugated by the French.Warfare continued during the 1600s between the French on Grenada and the Caribs of present-dayDominicaandSt. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Chocolatewas brought to Grenada in 1714 with the introduction ofcocoa beans.
The French named theirnew colonyLa Grenade, and the economy was initially based onsugar caneandindigo, worked by African slaves.The French established a capital known as Fort Royal (later St. George's). To shelter from hurricanes, the French navy would often take refuge in the capital's natural harbour, as no nearby French islands had a natural harbour to compare with that of Fort Royal. The British captured Grenada in theSeven Years' Warin 1762.
Grenada was formally ceded toBritainby the Treaty of Paris in 1763.The Frenchre-captured the islandduring theAmerican Revolutionary War, afterComte d'Estaingwon the bloody land and navalBattle of Grenadain July 1779.However, the island was restored to Britain with theTreaty of Versaillesin 1783.A decade later, dissatisfaction with British rule led to apro-French revoltin 1795–96 led byJulien Fédon, which was successfully defeated by the British.
As Grenada's economy grew, more and more African slaves were forcibly transported to the island. Britain eventually outlawed the slave trade within the British Empire in 1807. Slavery was completely outlawed in 1833, leading to the emancipation of all enslaved by 1838.To ease the subsequent labour shortage, migrants from India were brought to Grenada in 1857.
Nutmegwas introduced to Grenada in 1843 when a merchant ship called in on its way to England from the East Indies.The ship had a small quantity of nutmeg trees on board, which they left in Grenada, and this was the beginning of Grenada's nutmeg industry that now supplies nearly 40% of the world's annual crop.
In 1877, Grenada was made aCrown colony.Theophilus A. Marryshowfounded the Representative Government Association (RGA) in 1918 to agitate for a new and participative constitutional dispensation for the Grenadian people.Due to Marryshow's lobbying, the Wood Commission of 1921–22 concluded that Grenada was ready for constitutional reform in the form of a modified Crown colony government. This modification granted Grenadians the right to elect five of the 15 Legislative Council members on a restricted property franchise, enabling the wealthiest 4% of adult Grenadians to vote.Marryshow was named aCommander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1943.
In 1950,Eric Gairyfounded theGrenada United Labour Party(GULP), initially as a trade union, which led to the 1951general strikefor better working conditions.This sparked great unrest, and so many buildings were set ablaze that the disturbances became known as the "sky red" days. On 10 October 1951, Grenada held itsfirst general electionsbased on universal adult suffrage,with Gairy's party winning six of the eight seats contested.
From 1958 to 1962, Grenada was part of theFederation of the West Indies.After the federation's collapse, Grenada was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs as an Associated State on 3 March 1967.Herbert Blaizeof theGrenada National Party(GNP) was the first Premier of the Associated State of Grenada from March to August 1967. Eric Gairy served asPremierfrom August 1967 until February 1974.
Independence was granted on 7 February 1974 under the leadership of Eric Gairy, who became the firstprime minister of Grenada.This is annually commemorated asIndependence Day.Grenada opted to remain within theCommonwealth, retaining Queen Elizabeth asMonarch, represented locally by agovernor-general. Civil conflict gradually broke out between Eric Gairy's government and some opposition parties, including the MarxistNew Jewel Movement(NJM).Gairy and the GULP won the1976 Grenadian general election, albeit with a reduced majority;however, the opposition deemed the results invalid due to fraud and the violent intimidation performed by the so-called 'Mongoose Gang', a private militia loyal to Gairy.
On 13 March 1979, whilst Gairy was out of the country, the NJM launched abloodless coupwhich removed Gairy, suspended the constitution, and established aPeople's Revolutionary Government(PRG), headed byMaurice Bishop, who declared himself prime minister.HisMarxist–Leninistgovernment established close ties withCuba,Nicaragua, and othercommunist bloccountries.All political parties except for the New Jewel Movement were banned and no elections were held during the four years of PRG rule.
Some years later,a dispute developed between Bishop and certain high-ranking members of the NJM. Though Bishop cooperated with Cuba and theUSSRon various trade and foreign policy issues, he sought to maintain anon-aligned status. HardlineMarxistparty members, includingcommunistDeputy Prime MinisterBernard Coard, deemed Bishop insufficiently revolutionary and demanded that he either step down or enter into a power-sharing arrangement.
On 16 October 1983, Bernard Coard and his wife, Phyllis, backed by the Grenadian Army, led a coup against the government of Maurice Bishop and placed Bishop underhouse arrest.These actions led to street demonstrations in various parts of the island because Bishop had widespread support from the population. Because Bishop was a widely popular leader, he was freed by impassioned supporters who marched en masse to his guarded residence from a rally in the capital's central square. Bishop then led the crowd to the island's military headquarters to reassert his power. Grenadian soldiers were dispatched in armoured vehicles by the Coard faction to retake the fort. A confrontation between soldiers and civilians at the fort ended in gunfire and panic. Three soldiers and at least eight civilians died in the tumult that also injured 100 others, a school-sponsored study later found in 2000.When the initial shooting ended with Bishop's surrender, he and a group of seven of his closest supporters were taken prisoner and executed by firing squad. Besides Bishop, the group included three of his cabinet ministers, a trade union leader, and three service-industry workers.
After the execution of Bishop, thePeople's Revolutionary Army(PRA) formed a military Marxist government with GeneralHudson Austinas chairman. The army declared a four-day total curfew, during which anyone leaving their home without approval would be shot on sight.
US PresidentRonald Reaganstated that particularly worrying was the presence of Cuban construction workers and military personnel building a 10,000-foot (3,000 m)airstripon Grenada.Bishop had stated the purpose of the airstrip was to allow commercial jets to land, but some US military analysts argued that the only reason for constructing such a long and reinforced runway was so that it could be used by heavy military transport planes. The contractors, American and European companies, and theEEC, which provided partial funding, all claimed the airstrip did not have military capabilities. Reagan asserted that Cuba, under the direction of the Soviet Union, would use Grenada as a refuelling stop for Cuban and Soviet airplanes loaded with weapons destined for Central American communist insurgents.
The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS),Barbados, and Jamaica all appealed to the United States for assistance.On 25 October 1983, combined forces from the United States and theRegional Security System(RSS) based in Barbados invaded Grenada in an operation codenamedOperation Urgent Fury. The US stated this was done at the behest of Barbados,Dominicaand Governor-GeneralPaul Scoon.Scoon had requested the invasion through secret diplomatic channels, but it was not made public for his safety.Progress was rapid, and within four days the Americans had removed the military government of Hudson Austin.
The invasion was criticised by the governments of Britain,Trinidad and Tobago, and Canada. TheUnited Nations General Assemblycondemned it as "a flagrant violation of international law" by a vote of 108 to 9, with 27 abstentions.TheUnited Nations Security Councilconsidered a similar resolution, which was supported by 11 countries. However, the United States vetoed the motion.
After the invasion, the pre-revolutionary Grenadian constitution came into operation once again. Eighteen members of the PRG/PRA were arrested on charges related to the murder of Maurice Bishop and seven others. The 18 included the top political leadership of Grenada at the time of the execution, along with the entire military chain of command directly responsible for the operation that led to the executions. Fourteen weresentenced to death, one was found not guilty, and three were sentenced to 45 years in prison. The death sentences were eventually commuted to terms of imprisonment. Those in prison have become known as the "Grenada 17".
When US troops withdrew from Grenada in December 1983, Governor-General Scoon appointed an interim advisory council chaired byNicholas Brathwaiteto organise new elections.The first democratic elections since 1976 wereheld in December 1984, and were won by theNew National Partyunder Herbert Blaize, who served as prime minister until his death in December 1989.
Ben Jonesbriefly succeeded Blaize as prime minister and served until theMarch 1990 election.This election was won by theNational Democratic Congressunder Nicholas Brathwaite, who served as prime minister until he resigned in February 1995.He was succeeded byGeorge Brizanfor a brief perioduntil theJune 1995 electionwhich was won by theNew National PartyunderKeith Mitchell, who went on to win the1999and2003 elections, serving for a record 13 years until 2008.Mitchell re-established relations with Cuba and also reformed the country's banking system, which had come under criticism over potential money laundering concerns.
In 2000–02, much of the controversy of the late 1970s and early 1980s was once again brought into the public consciousness with the opening of thetruth and reconciliation commission.The commission was chaired by aRoman 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. 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.
On 7 September 2004, after being hurricane-free for 49 years, the island was directly hit byHurricane Ivan.Ivan struck as aCategory 3 hurricane, resulting in 39 deaths and damage or destruction to 90% of the island's homes.On 14 July 2005,Hurricane Emily, a Category 1 hurricane at the time, struck the northern part of the island with 80-knot (150 km/h; 92 mph) winds, killing one person and causing an estimated US$110 million (EC$297 million) worth of damage.Agriculture, and in particular the nutmeg industry, suffered serious losses, but that event caused changes in crop management and it is hoped that as new nutmeg trees mature, the industry will gradually rebuild. On 1 July 2024,Hurricane Beryl (2024)struck the island of Carriacou, causing widespread damage across all of Grenada and Carriacou. On Carriacou, there was no electricity and limited communication. Throughout the rest of the country, 95% of customers had no power and telecommunications were also damaged.
Mitchell was defeated in the2008 electionby the NDC underTillman Thomas;however, he won the2013 Grenadian general electionby a landslide and the NNP returned to power,winning again by another landslidein 2018.In March 2020,Grenada confirmed its first case of COVID-19and, as of 17 March 2022, 13,921 cases and 217 deaths had been recorded.
On 23 June 2022, the NDC won thegeneral electionunderDickon Mitchell, who became prime minister the following day.
The island of Grenada is the southernmost island in theAntillesarchipelago, bordering the eastern Caribbean Sea and the western Atlantic Ocean, and roughly 140 km (90 mi) north of bothVenezuelaand Trinidad and Tobago. Its sister islands make up the southern section of the Grenadines, which includeCarriacou,Petite Martinique,Ronde Island,Caille Island,Diamond Island,Large Island,Saline Island, andFrigate Island; the remaining islands to the north belong to St Vincent and the Grenadines. Most of the population lives in Grenada, and major towns there include the capital, St. George's,GrenvilleandGouyave. The largest settlement on the sister islands isHillsboroughon Carriacou.
Grenada is ofvolcanicorigin,as evident in its soil, mountainous interior, and several explosion craters, including Lake Antoine,Grand Etang Lake, andLevera Pond. Grenada's highest point isMount St. Catherine, rising to 840 m (2,760 ft) above sea level.Other major mountains includeMount GranbyandSouth East Mountain. Several small rivers with waterfalls flow into the sea from these mountains. The coastline contains several bays, most notably on the southern coast, split into numerous thin peninsulas.
Grenada is home to four ecoregions: Windward Islands moist forests, Leeward Islands dry forests, Windward Islands dry forests, and Windward Islands xeric scrub.It had a 2018Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 4.22/10, ranking it 131st globally out of 172 countries.
Theclimateis tropical: hot and humid in thedry seasonand cooled by the moderate rainfall in therainy season. Temperatures range from 22–32 °C (72–90 °F) and are rarely below 18 °C (64 °F).
Grenada lies at the southern edge of theMain Development Regionfortropical cycloneactivity, though the island has suffered only fourlandfallinghurricanes in the last several decades.Hurricane Janetpassed over Grenada on 23 September 1955, with winds of 185 km/h (115 mph), causing severe damage. The most recent storm to hit Grenada wasHurricane Berylon 1 July 2024, a strong category 4 hurricane which set the record for the earliest forming Category 5 Hurricane in recorded history and the strongest hurricane to develop within the Main Development Region (MDR) of the Atlantic before the month of July. While all three inhabited Grenadian islands were impacted, it passed directly over the island of Carriacou causing total devastation and the damage and destruction of many vessels (both in water and ashore) in Tyrrel Bay and the Carriacou Mangroves. Petit Martinique also suffered considerable damage with much more limited damage occurring on the main island of Grenada, mainly on the windward and northern portions of the island.  Grenada was also impacted by Hurricane Ivan on 7 September 2004,which caused severe damage and thirty-nine deaths, and Hurricane Emily on 14 July 2005, which peaked as a category 5 hurricane on 16 July over the greater Caribbean region. Hurricane Emily caused serious damage in Carriacou and in the north of Grenada, which had been relatively lightly affected by Hurricane Ivan; Grenada has had to be put on Tropical Storm Watch several times since.
It took over five years to officially recover from Ivan, although recovery continued for decades after (e.g., the St. George's Anglican Church and the St Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Scots Kirk) were restored in 2021).
On 1 July 2024,Hurricane Berylslammed into Grenada, causing damage throughout the country but especially in Carriacou and Petite Martinique, where the eye of the storm passed.Beryl gained international attention, in part, because of its rapid intensification from a tropical storm to Category 4 hurricane within just a 48 hour period.
Like much of the Caribbean, Grenada isdepauperateoflarge animals. However, nativeopossums,armadillos, and introducedmona monkeysandmongoosesare common. As of June 2024, the avifauna of Grenada included a total of 199 species according toBird Checklists of the World. Of these, one isendemic(Grenada dove), one has beenintroducedby humans (Rock Pigeon), and 130 are rare oraccidental.
Approximately 2 million years ago, in thePlioceneera, the area of what is nowadays Grenada emerged from ashallow seaas a submarine volcano. In recent times,volcanic activityhas been non-existent, except for some of itshot springand underwater volcanoKick 'em Jenny. Most of Grenada's terrain is made up of volcanic activity that took place 1–2 million years ago.There would have been many unknown volcanoes responsible for the formation of Grenada including Grenada's capital St. George's with its horseshoe-shaped harbour, the carenage. Two extinct volcanoes, which are now crater lakes,Grand Etang LakeandLake Antoine, would have also contributed to the formation of Grenada.
Grenada is a constitutional monarchy withCharles IIIashead of state, represented locally by agovernor-general.Executive powerlies with the head of government, theprime minister. The governor-general role is mainly ceremonial, while the prime minister is usually the leader of the largest party inParliament.
The Parliament of Grenada consists of a Senate (13 members) and a House of Representatives (15 members). The government and the opposition recommend appoints of senators to the governor-general, while the population elect representatives for five-year terms.Grenada operates a multi-party system, with the largest parties being the centre-right New National Party (NNP) and the centre-left National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In February 2013, the governingNational Democratic Congress(NDC) lost theelection. The oppositionNew National Party(NNP) won all 15 seats in the general election.Keith Mitchell, leader of NNP, who had served three terms as prime minister between 1995 and 2008, returned to power.Mitchell subsequently led NNP to win all 15 seats in the House of Representatives again in2018, marking three separate occasions on which he had achieved this feat.
In November 2021, Prime Minister Keith Mitchell said that the upcoming general elections which were constitutionally due no later than June 2023, was to be the last one for him.Mitchell advised the governor-general on 16 May 2022 to dissolve Parliament a year earlier than the constitutional requirement.The New National Party subsequently lost the2022 electionto the National Democratic Congress, with the NDC winning 9 seats to the NNP's 6.Dickon Mitchell, a political newcomer who had only taken over as leader of the National Democratic Congress less than a year before the election and never held elected office, was subsequently appointed prime minister.
Grenada is a full and participating member of both theCaribbean Community(CARICOM) and theOrganisation of Eastern Caribbean States(OECS).
Grenada, along with much of the Caribbean region, is a member of theCommonwealth of Nations. The organisation primarily consists of former British colonies and focuses on fostering international relations between its members.
Grenada is one of the 35 states which has ratified theOAScharter and is a member of the Organization.Grenada entered into the Inter-American system in 1975 according to the OAS's website.
On 6 July 1994 atSherbourne Conference Centrein St. Michael,Barbados,George Brizansigned the Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty on behalf of the Government of Grenada.This treaty covered concepts such as taxes, residence, tax jurisdictions, capital gains, business profits, interest, dividends, royalties and other areas.
On 30 June 2014, Grenada formally signed a Model 1 agreement with the United States of America to enable theForeign Account Tax Compliance Act(FATCA).
In December 2014, Grenada joinedBolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America(ALBA) as a full member. Prime Minister Mitchell said that the membership was a natural extension of the cooperation Grenada has had over the years with both Cuba and Venezuela.
Grenada has no standing military, leaving typical military functions to theRoyal Grenada Police Force(RGFP) and theCoast Guard of Grenada.The Special Service Unit (SSU) of the RGFP wear combat uniforms and participate in theRegional Security System(RSS), a military defence body of the Eastern Caribbean (who participated in theUnited States invasion of Grenadain 1983.
In 2019, Grenada signed the UN treaty on theProhibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Grenada is divided intosix parishes.The area known asCarriacou and Petite Martinique(not pictured) has the status of a dependency.
Homosexuality is illegal in Grenada and punishable by imprisonment.
In 2023, the country scored 89 out of 100 in the Freedom ratings.
Grenada has a small economy in which tourism is the majorforeign exchangeearner.Major short-term concerns are the risingfiscal deficitand the deterioration in the external account balance. Grenada shares a commoncentral bankand a common currency (theEast Caribbean dollar) with seven other members of theOrganisation of Eastern Caribbean States(OECS).
Grenada has suffered from a heavy external debt problem, with government debt service payments running at about 25% of total revenues in 2017; Grenada was listed as ninth from bottom in a study of 126 developing countries.
Grenada is an exporter of several different spices, most notablynutmeg, its top export and depicted on the national flag, andmace.Other major exports include bananas, cocoa, fruit and vegetables, clothing, chocolate and fish.
According to a case study released in November 2003,the nutmeg industry in Grenada provided a major source of foreign exchange earnings to the country and acted as a livelihood for a significant portion of the population. The majority of Grenada nutmeg producers are small (e.g. 74.2% of growers have sales volumes of <500 lbs per year, accounting for 21.77% of total production). Only 3.3% of growers have sales over 2500 lbs per year (accounting for 40% of the total output).
At the time the study was released, the majority of the production of nutmeg from within Grenada was derived from four companies:
Tourism is the mainstay of Grenada's economy.Conventional beach and water-sports tourism is largely focused in the southwest region around St George, the airport, and the coastal strip.Ecotourismis growing in significance.
Grenada has many beaches around its coastline, including the 3 km (1.9 mi) long Grand Anse Beach in St. George's, often described as one of the best beaches in the world.Grenada's many waterfalls are also popular with tourists. The nearest to St. George's is the Annandale Waterfalls; others include Mt. Carmel, Concord, Tufton Hall and St Margaret's also known as Seven Sisters.
Several festivals also draw in tourists, such as Grenada's Carnival Spice Mas in August,Carriacou Maroon and String Band Music Festival in April,the Annual Budget Marine Spice Island Billfish Tournament,the Island Water World Sailing Week,and the Grenada Sailing Festival Work Boat Regatta.
Education in Grenada consists of kindergarten, pre-primary school, primary school, secondary school, and tertiary education. The government spent 10.3% of its budget on education in 2016, the third highest rate in the world.Literacy rates are very high, with 98.6% of the population being able to read and write.
St. George's University(SGU) is a renowned international university located in Grenada, specializing in medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, and other health sciences. Founded in 1976, SGU has become a global leader in medical education, offering diverse programs that attract students from over 150 countries.
Transport in Grenada
Maurice Bishop International Airportis the country's main airport,connecting the country with other Caribbean islands, the United States, Canada, and Europe. There is also an airport on Carriacou called Lauriston Airport.
A semi-organized bus system exists on the island running 9 zones with a total of 44 routes.Buses are privately owned, high-volume (usually 17) passenger vehicles which display a large, circled, zone number sticker on the windshield of the vehicle and generally operate from about 8AM to 8 PM.  The cost per person, per segment is $2.50 XCD (Eastern Caribbean Dollar) and is paid to the "conductor", whom usually sits in the first row of main passenger space (so they can open the sliding door) or in the front passenger seat. This conductor can be told where you would like to stop, or a stop can be requested by banging (with a non-ring wearing hand) on the ceiling or wall of the vehicle.  It is not uncommon for a passing bus to honk at or for the conductor to yell out the window to a walking person to determine if there is interest in a ride.
A separate 3 zone/route system exists on the Grenada island ofCarriacou.
Taxis are available through the island, and will display a Taxi sticker in the windshield. Haylup, a Grenada-developed ride-sharing service similar toUberorLyftis also an available option for the main tourist areas of the island.
A majority of Grenadians (82%) are primarily descended fromenslaved Africans.Few of the indigenous population remained after the successful French colonisation of the island in the 17th century. A small percentage of descendants ofindentured workers from Indiawere brought to Grenada between 1857 and 1885, predominantly from the states ofBiharandUttar Pradesh.Today, Grenadians of Indian descent constitute 2.2% of the population.There is also a small community of French and English descendants.The rest of the population is of mixed descent (13%).
Grenada, like many of the Caribbean islands, is subject to a large amount of out-migration, with a large number of young people seeking more prospects abroad. Popular migration points for Grenadians include more prosperous islands in the Caribbean (such as Barbados), North American cities (such as New York City, Toronto andMontreal), the United Kingdom (in particular, London andYorkshire;seeGrenadians in the UK) and Australia.
Figures are 2011 estimates
In 2022, Grenada was awarded a score of four out of four for religious freedom by the Freedom House organization.
English is the country's official language,but the primary spoken language is either of twocreole languages(Grenadian Creole Englishand, less frequently,Grenadian Creole French) (sometimes called 'patois') which reflects the African, European, and native heritage of the nation. The creoles contain elements from a variety of African languages, French and English.Grenadian Creole French is only spoken in smaller rural areas in the north.
SomeHindustaniterms are still spoken amongst the descendants of the Indo-Grenadian community.
The indigenous languages wereIñeriandKarina(Carib).
Island culture is heavily influenced by theAfricanroots of most of the Grenadians, coupled with the country's long experience of colonial rule under the British. Although French influence on Grenadian culture is much less visible than in some otherCaribbean islands, surnames and place names in French remain, and the everyday language is laced with French words and the local Creole or Patois.Stronger French influence is found in the well seasonedspicy foodand styles of cooking similar to those found inNew Orleans, and some French architecture has survived from the 1700s.Indian andCarib Amerindianinfluence is also seen, especially in the island's cuisine.
Oil down, a stew, is considered the national dish.The name refers to a dish cooked in coconut milk until all the milk is absorbed, leaving a bit of coconut oil in the bottom of the pot. Early recipes call for a mixture of salted pigtail, pig's feet (trotters), salt beef and chicken, dumplings made from flour, and provisions like breadfruit, green banana, yam and potatoes.Callalooleaves are sometimes used to retain the steam and add extra flavour.
Soca,calypso,kaisoandreggaeare popular music genres and are played at Grenada's annualCarnival. Over the years,rapmusic became popular amongst Grenadian youths, and numerous young rappers have emerged in the island's underground rap scene.Zoukis also being slowly introduced onto the island.
An important aspect of the Grenadian culture is the tradition ofstorytelling, withfolk talesbearing both African and French influences.The characterAnancy, a spider who is atrickster, originated in West Africa and is prevalent on other islands as well. French influence can be seen inLa Diablesse, a well-dressed she-devil, andLoogaroo(from "loup-garou"), awerewolf.
Grenada has competed in every Summer Olympics since the1984 Summer Olympicsin Los Angeles.Kirani Jameswon the first Olympicgold medalfor Grenada in themen's 400 metersat the2012 Summer Olympicsin London, the silver medal in themen's 400 metersat the2016 Summer Olympicsin Rio de Janeiroand the bronze medal in themen's 400 metersat the2020 Summer Olympicsin Tokyo.Anderson PetersandLindon Victoralso won bronze medals in the men's javelin throw and decathlon respectively at the2024 Summer Olympicsin France.
As with other islands from the Caribbean,cricketis the national and most popular sport and is an intrinsic part of Grenadian culture. TheGrenada national cricket teamforms a part of theWindward Islands cricket teamin regional domestic cricket; however, it plays as a separate entity in minor regional matches,as well as having previously playedTwenty20cricket in theStanford 20/20.
TheGrenada National Cricket Stadiumin St. George's hosts domestic and international cricket matches.Devon Smith, record holder for top runs scored in regional first class cricket competitions, was born in the small town ofHermitage.T20 World Cup winning allrounderAfy Fletcherwas also born and raised in La Fillette, St Andrews.
In April 2007, Grenada jointly hosted (along with several other Caribbean states) the2007 Cricket World Cup. The Island's prime minister was theCARICOMrepresentative on cricket and was instrumental in bringing the World Cup games to the region. After Hurricane Ivan, the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) paid for the new $40 millionnational stadiumand provided the aid of over 300 labourers to build and repair it.During the opening ceremony, the anthem of theRepublic of China(ROC,Taiwan) was accidentally played instead of the PRC's anthem, leading to the firing of top officials.
Football is also a very popular sport in Grenada.
12°06′N61°42′W﻿ / ﻿12.1°N 61.7°W﻿ /12.1; -61.7