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Grenada

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Central & South American
Countries; Countries

   Grenada

   Flag of Grenada Coat of arms of Grenada
   Flag            Coat of arms
   Motto: Ever Conscious of God We Aspire, 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
   12°3′N 61°45′W
   Official languages English
   Government Constitutional monarchy with
   Westminster-style parliament
    - Queen Queen Elizabeth II
    - Governor General Sir Daniel Williams
    - Prime Minister Keith Mitchell
   Independence
    - From the UK February 7, 1974
   Area
    - Total 344 km² ( 203rd)
   132.8 sq mi
    - Water (%) 1.6
   Population
    - July 2005 estimate 103,000 ( 193rd)
    - Density 259.5/km² ( 45th)
   672.2/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP) 2002 est. estimate
    - Total $440 million ( 210th)
    - Per capita $5,000 (2002 est.) ( 134th)
   HDI  (2003) 0.787 (medium) ( 66th)
   Currency East Caribbean Dollar ( XCD)
   Time zone ( UTC-4)
    - Summer ( DST) ( UTC-4)
   Internet TLD .gd
   Calling code + 1-473

   Grenada 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.

History 1498-1877

   The recorded history of Grenada begins in 1498, when Christopher
   Columbus first sighted the island and gave it the alias 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 Camerhogue. 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
   Camerhogue 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 defence 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. Eric Gairy's government
   became increasingly authoritarian and dictatorial, prompting a coup
   d'état in March 1979 by the charismatic and popular left-wing leader of
   the New Jewel Movement, Maurice Bishop. Bishop's failure to allow
   elections, coupled with his Marxist-Leninist socialism and cooperation
   with communist Cuba did not sit well with the country's neighbours,
   including Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Dominica and the United
   States. During this time Cuba began helping to build an airstrip that
   had commercial and potentially military uses.

   A power struggle developed between Bishop and a majority of the ruling
   People's Revolutionary Government (PRG), including the co-founder of
   the NJM, Bernard Coard. This led to Bishop's house arrest; he and many
   others were eventually executed at Fort George on October 19, 1983
   during a hardline PRA coup which brought a new pro-Soviet/Cuban
   government under General Hudson Austin to power. At the time of the
   coup there were about 50 Cuban military advisors and 700 armed
   construction workers on the island.

   Six days later, the island was invaded by forces from the United States
   purportedly 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. Although 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.

   The forces quickly captured the ringleaders and hundreds of Cuban
   advisors (most of whom were labourers working on the construction of a
   major airport for the island). Grenada is more than 1,000 miles further
   away from the US mainland compared to Cuba, but was felt to be a
   substantial threat to the US. A publicised tactical concern of the
   United States was the safe recovery of U.S. nationals enrolled at St.
   George's University, although no official has ever been able to provide
   any evidence that any U.S. citizens were being mistreated or were
   unable to leave the country if they wanted. In fact, upon finding out
   that U.S. ships were headed for the island, Cuban and Grenadian
   officials sent urgent messages to Washington insuring the safety of all
   U.S. citizens in the country. The U.S. government actually acknowledged
   that Grenada had offered it "an opportunity to evacuate American
   citizens," and that "U.S. students in Grenada were, for the most part,
   unwilling to leave or be evacuated." Political scientist Stephen Shalom
   later said that the invasion was carried out "not to save U.S.
   nationals, who would have been far safer without U.S. intervention, but
   so that Washington might make clear that it ruled the Caribbean and
   that it was prepared to engage in a paroxysm of violence to enforce its
   will." Some argue that the island of Grenada could have become a corner
   of a triangle comprised also of Cuba and Nicaragua, both also declared
   enemies of U.S. interests at that time, but this was never used as a
   reason to invade by the U.S. government. Some claim these three
   countries could have militarily controlled the deep water passages,
   thereby controlling the movement of oil from Venezuela and Trinidad and
   Tobago (supplies then considered vital by US military planners). But
   this rationale was not asserted as a justification of armed invasion.

   After the invasion, United States gave $48.4 million in economic
   assistance to Grenada in 1984, and the CIA secretly spent $650,000 to
   aid a pro-American candidate in that year's election.

   Seventeen members of the PRG and the PRA (army) were convicted via a
   Court set up and financed by the USA. Fourteen were sentenced to death,
   eventually commuted to life imprisonment after an international
   campaign. Another 3 were sentenced to 45 years in prison. These 17 have
   become known as the Grenada 17, and are the subject of an ongoing
   international campaign for their release. In October 2003 Amnesty
   International issued a Report which stated that their arrest and trial
   had been a miscarriage of justice. The 17 have protested their
   innocence consistently since 1983. The campaign for "justice" for the
   17 is the subject of a 60 minute documentary "Prisoners of the Cold
   War" (UK, 2006, www.silvercityfilms.co.uk), which explores the idea
   that the continued confinement of the 17 reflects the post-traumatic
   state of the island as a whole. Hence the 17 remain frozen as
   "prisoners" of the Cold War.

21st 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 49 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 her climate and the
   resilience of her people combined with much needed help from her
   neighbours, 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 will jointly host (along with several other
   Caribbean nations) the 2007 Cricket World Cup. The national stadium has
   been upgraded and repaired since the hurricane, with the aid of over
   300 Chinese labourers supplied by the China in a bid to win influence
   in the region.

Politics

   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 (13 members) and a House of
   Representatives (15 members). The senators are appointed by the
   government and the opposition, while the representatives are elected by
   the population for 5-year terms. With 49.9% of the votes and 8 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 45.1% of the votes and 7 seats.

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

Administrative Divisions

   Administratively, Grenada is divided into six parishes:
     * Saint Andrew
     * Saint David
     * Saint George
     * Saint John
     * Saint Mark
     * Saint Patrick

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

Geography

   Map of Grenada

   The island Grenada itself is the largest island; smaller Grenadines are
   Carriacou, Petit Martinique, Rhonde 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. Largest settlement on the
   other islands is Hillsborough on Carriacou.

   The islands are of volcanic origin 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 3 hurricanes in 50 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 39 deaths and Hurricane Emily on July 14,
   2005 causing serious damge in Carriacou and in the north of Grenada
   which had been relatively lightly affected by hurricane Ivan.

Economy

   Mace within nutmeg fruit
   Mace within nutmeg fruit

   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 sometimes called spice island. Cinnamon, cloves, ginger,
   mace, and especially nutmeg, providing 20% of the world supply, are all
   important exports. There is a nutmeg on the nation's flag.

   The red lacy material in the photo is mace. It is found between the
   nutmeg fruit and the nut itself.

Demographics

   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 the
   Indian indentured emigration to St. Lucia and Grenada which started in
   1855 with the rest of a mixture of African, Indian, and European
   descent.

   Grenada, like many of the Caribbean islands is subject to a large
   amount of migration, with a large amount of young people wanting to
   leave the island to seek life elsewhere. With fewer than 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 and
   Yorkshire. This means that probably around a third of those born in
   Grenada still live there.

   The official language, English, is spoken by virtually everyone. 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

   Although French influence on Grenadian culture is much less visible
   than in other Caribbean islands, surnames and place names in French
   remain 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 Puree, Goat and
   Chicken curry 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. The
   islanders' African heritage plays an influential role in many aspects
   of Grenada's culture.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenada"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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