The Spice Isle
Grenada is known as “the Spice Isle” — the island is one of the world’s top producers of nutmeg (~20% of global supply — second only to Indonesia), along with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cocoa. Nutmeg is so central that it appears on the national flag. A nutmeg tree takes 7-9 years to produce; Hurricane Ivan in 2004 destroyed about 90% of the country’s nutmeg trees and the industry has been slow to recover.
Grenada became a Cold War flashpoint in 1983 when the US invaded (“Operation Urgent Fury”) following a Marxist-Leninist coup by the People’s Revolutionary Army. Prime Minister Maurice Bishop was killed by hard-line rivals on 19 October 1983; US forces landed on 25 October 1983, overthrew the new regime within days, and restored parliamentary democracy. The invasion was controversial internationally (UN General Assembly condemned it) but broadly popular on the island.
The country is actually an archipelago — Grenada plus Carriacou and Petite Martinique — totalling 344 km². Grand Anse beach is world-famous; Underwater Sculpture Park off Moliniere Bay (world’s first underwater sculpture park, 2006) attracts divers. Grenada is among the southernmost Caribbean islands, just outside the main hurricane belt most years.
A Brief History
Arawak, then Carib peoples. French (1649-1762) then British colony. Independence 1974. Marxist-Leninist revolution 1979. Bishop killed, US invasion 1983. Parliamentary democracy since.
Geography and Climate
Grenada covers 344 km² across main island plus Carriacou and Petite Martinique. Volcanic, mountainous. Climate: tropical.
Culture, Language and Religion
English is official; Grenadian Creole spoken. Religion: approximately 50% Catholic, 35% Protestant.
The Economy
Grenada has an upper-middle-income economy (~$1.4 billion GDP). Tourism, nutmeg, cocoa.
Travel Guide
Entry: Visa-free for most Western nationalities.
Surprising Facts
- Grenada produces ~20% of the world’s nutmeg — 2nd after Indonesia.
- The US invaded Grenada in 1983 — “Operation Urgent Fury” — in response to a Marxist coup.
- Nutmeg appears on the national flag — the only country to feature a food on its flag.
- Grenada’s Underwater Sculpture Park (2006) was the world’s first.
- Grenada is one of the southernmost Caribbean islands — usually south of the hurricane belt.
- Grand Anse beach is consistently ranked among the world’s top beaches.
Sources and References
See the frontmatter for cited sources.