About Grenada

Grenada is a rolling, mountainous island, covered with fragrant spice trees and rare tropical flowers. Bordered by stunning beaches, and dotted with picturesque towns, this verdant island has long been a major source of nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and cocoa. The seductive drifts through the colorful Saturday markets and Grenada’s dense forests. In the interior of this volcanic island are cascading rivers and waterfalls, lush rain forests, and one of the most breathtakingly beautiful mountain lakes imaginable. The capital, St. George’s, is widely held to be the loveliest city in the Caribbean. Its horseshoe-shaped harbor is surrounded by a pastel rainbow of dockside warehouses and the red-tiled roofs of traditional shops and homes.

Grenada’s physical beauty is complemented by its rich history and vibrant, living cultural heritage. Local festivals, fairs, and markets remain an integral part of life on Grenada. Its centuries-old spice plantations and rum distilleries still use traditional methods, emphasizing quality rather than quantity. Although the tourist industry has become more substantial in recent years, the island’s easy rhythms and the friendly openness of its residents evoke an atmosphere that has long since vanished elsewhere.

For many visitors, of course, the measure of any island is taken by its beaches and coral reefs, and Grenada offers plenty of both. The island is ringed with miles of picture-perfect strands, including both entrancing black and sugar-fine white sand beaches. Grand Anse Beach, a smooth expanse stretching for two miles around the curve of a gentle bay, is world famous. Grenada has plenty to offer those interested in offshore pleasure as well, with easily accessible and pristine reefs off the coast of both Grenada and its sister islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique.

Location

Grenada, the pearl of the Caribbean, is located South of the Hurricane zone in the Eastern Caribbean and sits between the islands of Barbados to the Northeast and Trinidad and Tobago to its South. It is 90 Miles off the coast of Venezuela and about 1200 Miles South East of Miami, Florida, USA.

Getting There

Grenada is just 3 hours from Miami, 4 hours from New York and Toronto and 8 hours from London, all by direct air service. Port of Spain (Trinidad) is just 20 minutes flight away, Barbados just 40 minutes and South America (Venezuela) 45 minutes. The modern airport accommodates international flights including:

• British Airways and Virgin Atlantic from London
• American Airlines from Miami, Delta and Caribbean Airlines Air Canada and Caribbean Airlines from Toronto
• Newly added in 2015 a weekly Delta flight from Atlanta and weekly Jet Blue from JFK has been added
• Conviasa from Venezuela
• Liat and SVG provide regional, inter island flights SVG also handle all private jets. A VIP airport service is available upon request

History

The Arawak Indians were the first to inhabit Grenada, but they were all eventually massacred by the Carib Indians. When Columbus arrived in 1498, he encountered the Caribs, who continued to rule over the island for another 150 years. The French gained control of the island in 1672 and held on to it until 1762, when the British invaded. Black slaves were granted freedom in 1833. After more than 200 years of British rule, most recently as part of the West Indies Associated States, Grenada became independent on Feb. 7, 1974.

Grenada, otherwise known as the ‘Isle of Spice’, is anexotic island full of warm, friendly people. It is a paradise of unspoilt landscapes, undiscovered opportunities, splendour, and charisma. Grenada is part of a tri-island state, which includes neighbouring islands Carriacou and Petite Martinique. Grenada, the largest of the three, has an area of only 133 square miles, and it is the most southern of the Windward Islands. Grenada offers its inhabitants and visitors’ myriad opportunities to explore and hike its beautiful untouched landscape, and to discover the secrets it holds beneath the surface of the sea. People can dive deep, sail fast, and dock in one of the many marinas of the island. This truly is a place that can appeal to anyone, whether seeking to live a tranquil life, or one of excitement and adventure.

The people of Grenada are highly educated, and the country has a very high literacy rate. St. George’s University, located in Grenada’s capital city, comprises of over 6,000 students, and offers specialist courses in Medicine and Veterinary Science. With a full medical teaching hospital in the plans for development, Grenada is undoubtedly a much more advanced island than many of its neighbors. Its people enjoy a high standard of living and qualityof life.

Lifestyle

Grenada has one of the most pristine physical environments in the Caribbean and offers investors, tourists, migrant workers and overseas students a high quality of life, low crime, and a relatively un-spoilt natural environment. The country has significantly fewer prisoners per capita than the United States and a range of countries in the Caribbean region. Energy consumption per capita and carbon emissions is relatively low and life expectancy is approximately 68.2 years.

The physical beauty of the country is complemented by its rich history, and vibrant living cultural heritage. The island’s easy rhythms and friendly openness of its residents evoke an atmosphere that has long since vanished elsewhere. Residents are famous for their friendly and hospitable nature.

Economy

The recently concluded review of the International Monetary Fund made the following statement on Grenada: “The Grenadian authorities continue to deliver a strong track record of program implementation and results. All performance criteria for end-December 2015 were met and most structural benchmarks for the fourth review were met on time or with minor delays, with timely corrective actions taken for two unmet benchmarks.

Growth prospects and fiscal sustainability are improving as the authorities’ home grown adjustment program enters its third year. Real GDP is estimated to have expanded by 4.6 percent in 2015, with strong growth in agriculture and tourism, as well as a rebound in construction. Growth is projected to moderate to 3 percent in 2016. The fiscal performance turned Grenada’s primary balance from deficit to surplus for the first time in a decade and together with debt restructuring agreements reached with both external and domestic creditors, Grenada is making progress on fiscal and debt sustainability. The debt-to-GDP ratio declined from 107 percent in 2013 to 94 percent in 2015 and is projected to continue its downward path going forward

Principal Exports

Nutmeg, Cocoa, Mace, Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Fish, Flour, Wheat Bran, Clothing, Paints and Varnish, Paper Products, Malt, Animal Feed, Beverages.

Principal Imports

Food and Live Animals, Beverages and Tobacco, Crude Material, Fuel and Lubricants, Animal and Vegetable, Oils, Chemicals, Machinery, Transport, Equipment and Manufactured Material.

Other Key Economic Indicators

• GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.385 billion (2015 est.)
• GDP (official exchange rate): $957 million (2015 est.)
• GDP – real growth rate: 3.4% (2015 est.)
• GDP – per capita (PPP): $13,000 (2015 est.) note: data are in 2015 US dollars
• GDP – composition, by end use:
• Household consumption: 93%
• Government consumption: 15.2%
• Investment in fixed capital: 16.1%
• Exports of goods and services: 16.9%
• Imports of goods and services: -41.1% (2015 est.)
• GDP – composition, by sector of origin:
• Agriculture: 6.2%
• Industry: 14.3%
• Services: 79.5% (2015 est.)