Useful Notes / Grenada

"In conclusion, Grenada is like a split French/English-influenced island that smells really good, dabbled in Communism at one point, and dances to calypso."

—Geography Now

A little country in the Caribbean comprised of a (relatively) big island of volcanic origin named Grenada and some smaller accompanying islands.

The main thing many might know about this country is Operation Urgent Fury (an invasion of The United States because of fears of the growing influence of the USSR and Cuba), a nasty piece of work which is best to just not mention to avoid Flame Wars. As a direct result of the invasion, the country has no standing army (though, frankly, few of the small Caribbean countries have one).

Grenada has some interesting variety in its agricultural output. To date, it is also the world's top producer of nutmeg. As a nod to this, even the country's flag features a stylized nutmeg (seen on its left side).

The country is a member of The Commonwealth of Nations, which of course means their favorite sport is cricket. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, the Grenadan sprinter Kirani James earned the nation's first golden medal, in the "Men's 400 Meters" discipline. This makes Grenada one of the first small Caribbean nations to earn a golden medal at the Summer Olympics.

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Notable Grenadians:

• Malcolm X's mother, Louise Little, was born in Grenada, but moved to Canada when she was ten.
• Noted writer and civil rights activist Audre Lorde was born to a Grenadian mixed-race mother who could pass for white, and there was some opposition when she decided to marry Lorde's father, a considerably darker-skinned man from Barbados.
• British actor Eamonn Walker has Grenadian and Trinidadian ancestry.
• Steve McQueen (not to be confused with the 1960s American actor or his grandson) was born to a Grenadian immigrant father. Best known for directing 12 Years a Slave, which won an Oscar, a BAFTA, and an Emmy.
• Noel Clarke is of paternal Grenadian descent.
• Wyatt Cenac's father was a Grenadian immigrant who was killed when he was five, after which he was raised by his American mother.
• British singer Estelle Fanta Swaray was born to a Grenadian father in London.
• Amanda Seales was born in the U.S. to a Grenadian mother.
• Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is of paternal Grenadian descent and has publicly identified himself as black (though he is actually mixed-race, since his mother is white).
• Naomi Ackie is a third-generation British Grenadian.

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The Grenadian flag

In recognition of Grenada's black majority, the Ethiopian variant of the Pan-African colors is used, with their own symbolism: red for courage and vitality, yellow for wisdom and warmth, and green for vegetation and agriculture. The six stars on the upper and lower edges stand for Grenada's parishes — Saints Andrew, David, George, John, Mark and Patrick — while the central star symbolizes the capital, St. George's. At center-left is a clove of nutmeg, one of Grenada's leading exports.

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The Grenadian national anthem

Hail! Grenada, land of ours,

We pledge ourselves to thee,

Heads, hearts and hands in unity

To reach our destiny.

Ever conscious of God,

Being proud of our heritage,

May we with faith and courage

Aspire, build, advance

As one people, one family.

God bless our nation.

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Government

• Unitary two-party parliamentary constitutional monarchy
  • Monarch: Charles III
  • Governor-General: Cécile La Grenade
  • Prime Minister: Dickon Mitchell

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Miscellaneous

• Capital and largest city: St. George's
• Population: 111,454
• Area: 348.5 sq km (134.6 sq mi) (184th)
• Currency: East Caribbean dollar ($) (XCD)
• ISO-3166-1 Code: GD
• Country calling code: 1 (area code 473)
• Highest point: Mount Saint Catherine (840 m/2,756 ft) (169th)
• Lowest point: Caribbean Sea (7,686 m/25,217 ft) (-)