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Grenada (continued) Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Albert O. XAVIER; Chancery at 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 265-2561; there is a Grenadian Consulate General in New York; US—Chargé d'Affaires James F. COOPER; Embassy at Ross Point Inn, Saint George's (mailing address is P. O. Box 54, Saint George's); telephone [440] 1731 or 1734

Flag: a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side) with a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow five-pointed stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative divisions

Economy

Overview: The economy is essentially agricultural and centers on the traditional production of spices and tropical plants. Agriculture accounts for about 20% of GDP and 90% of exports and employs 24% of the labor force. Tourism is the leading foreign exchange earner, followed by agricultural exports. Manufacturing remains relatively undeveloped, but with a more favorable private investment climate since 1983, it is expected to grow. Despite an impressive average annual growth rate for the economy of 5.5% during the period 1984-88, unemployment remains high at about 26%.

GDP: $129.7 million, per capita $1,535; real growth rate 5% (1988)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.0% (1989 est.)

Unemployment rate: 26% (1988)

Budget: revenues $74.2 million; expenditures $82.3 million, including capital expenditures of $27.8 million (1989 est.)

Exports: $31.8 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities—nutmeg 35%, cocoa beans 15%, bananas 13%, mace 7%, textiles; partners—US 4%, UK, FRG, Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago

Imports: $92.6 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.); commodities—machinery 24%, food 22%, manufactured goods 19%, petroleum 8%; partners—US 32%, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada

External debt: $108 million (1989 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 5.8% (1989 est.)

Electricity: 11,400 kW capacity; 24 million kWh produced, 280 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: food and beverage, textile, light assembly operations, tourism, construction

Agriculture: accounts for 20% of GDP and 90% of exports; bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, and mace account for two-thirds of total crop production; world's second-largest producer and fourth-largest exporter of nutmeg and mace; small-size farms predominate, growing a variety of citrus fruits, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, and vegetables

Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY84-88), $60 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $61 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $32 million

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (plural—dollars); 1 EC dollar (ECS) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (ECS) per US$1—2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Highways: 1,000 km total; 600 km paved, 300 km otherwise improved; 100 km unimproved

Ports: Saint George's

Civil air: no major transport aircraft

Airports: 3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications: automatic, island-wide telephone system with 5,650 telephones; new SHF links to Trinidad and Tobago and St. Vincent; VHF and UHF links to Trinidad and Carriacou; stations—1 AM, no FM, 1 TV

Defense Forces

Branches: Royal Grenada Police Force

Military manpower: NA

Defense expenditures: NA  Guadeloupe (overseas department of France)



Geography

Total area: 1,780 km²; land area: 1,760 km²

Comparative area: 10 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 14 km with Netherlands Antilles

Coastline: 306 km

Maritime claims:
 * Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation
 * Extended economic zone: 200 nm
 * Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: subtropical tempered by trade winds; relatively high humidity

Terrain: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grand-Terre is low limestone formation

Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches, and climate that foster tourism

Land use: 18% arable land; 5% permanent crops; 13% meadows and pastures; 40% forest and woodland; 24% other; includes 1% irrigated

Environment: subject to hurricanes (June to October); La Soufrière is an active volcano

Note: located 500 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea

People

Population: 342,175 (July 1990), growth rate 0.8% (1990)

Birth rate: 20 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: -6 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 17 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 77 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (1990)  122