Grenada & Carriacou / History, Population, Politics

History

Unlikely many Caribbean islands, Grenada does not bear the name it was given by Christopher Columbus when he sighted it on his third voyage to the New World in 1498. The explorer christened it Concepción but it is thought that Spanish sailors preferred to call the island after the Andalucian city of Granada.

Grenada's proximity to South America meant it was soon settled by Amerindians, including the peaceful Arawaks who arrived around 200 and then later the aggressive Caribs who proved a formidable deterrent to European settlement. By 1650 the French had established a foothold at St George's and they controlled the island up until 1762 when it fell to British forces. By this time Grenada had over 100 sugar mills worked by African slaves, with cotton, cocoa and nutmeg production introduced by its new colonial rulers.

Slavery was outlawed on the island in 1834 and the island gained regional stature by being the seat of the government of the British Windward Islands from 1885 until 1958. Independence came in 1974 and five years later the island hit the headlines when a bloodless left-wing coup saw the establishment of a People's Revolutionary Government that was only ousted after US troops invaded in 1983. Democratic elections were held the following year, and the island has since developed a growing economy based on tourism and the cultivation of spices. Following the onslaught of Hurricane Ivan, which wrought immense devastation in 2004, Grenada has steadily rebuilt itself to become one of the most attractive and uncommercialised holiday destinations in the Caribbean.

Population

The population of Grenada is around 104,000 including some 6,000 islanders living on Carriacou and Petit Martinique. The Grenadians are predominantly of African origin but there is also a sizeable East Indian community along with many others of European and mixed descent. Most people live in and around the capital, St George's. English is the widely spoken official language but you will also hear a French patois in use.

Politics

Grenada is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state, who is represented on the island by a Governor-General. It has been a member of the Commonwealth since 1974 and is governed by a 13-member Senate and a 15-member House of Representatives. The current Prime Minister, Hon. Tillman Thomas, is head of the National Democratic Congress party which has been in power since 2008 - the next elections are due to take place by September 2013.