Grenada

Grenada Independent island nation in the se Caribbean Sea, the most southerly of the Windward Islands, c.160km (100mi) n of Venezuela. It consists of Grenada and the smaller islands of the Southern Grenadines dependency; the capital is St George's. The country is volcanic in origin, with a ridge of mountains running n–s. It has a tropical climate with occasional hurricanes. First sighted in 1498 by Christopher Columbus, the islands were then inhabited by the Carib. In the mid-17th century, France settled Grenada. It became a permanent British possession in 1783, and a Crown Colony in 1877. It was a member of the West Indian Federation (1958–62). In 1974, it became an independent Commonwealth state. In 1979, the New Jewel movement seized power and in 1983, following a military coup, US forces invaded the island. They were withdrawn in 1985 after the re-establishment of a democratic government. The New National Party, led by Dr Keith Mitchell, won elections in 1995 and 1999. The economy is largely agricultural, based on cocoa, bananas, sugar, spices, and citrus fruits. It depends greatly on tourism. Area: 344sq km (133sq mi). Pop. (2000) 83,000.

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