The Isle of Spice

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. In fact, there are more spices in Grenada per square mile than any other place in the world, no wonder its known as the ‘spice island’. Seductive aromas drift through the colourful Saturday markets and Grenada's dense forests, making Grenada a destination that truly excites the senses.

In the interior of this volcanic island are cascading rivers and waterfalls, lush rainforests, 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 harbour 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 sands, 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 is of volcanic origin and is divided by a central mountain range. It is the most southerly of the Windward Islands. Tropical rainforests, gorges and the stunning beauty of dormant volcanoes make this a fascinating and diverse landscape.

This  small nation consists of three islands: Grenada, Carriacou, and Petit Martinique. Grenada is by far the largest of the three, with a width  of twelve miles (18 km) and a length of twenty-one miles (34 km).  Its 133 sq. miles (440 sq. km.) are mountainous, volcanic terrain, reaching heights of over 2,750 feet atop Mount St. Catherine. This  topography provides Grenada with one of the loveliest and most varied environments in the Caribbean, including crater lakes as well as  a startling variety of plant and animal life. Dwarf forests high  atop Mount St. Catherine descend to the montane rainforests of middle  altitudes, which give way in turn to the dry forests of the lowlands.  Those forests shift to mangrove at the coast, giving way to stunning  white sand beaches, brilliant blue water, and exquisite coral reefs.

Grenada's smaller sister island, Carriacou,  is hilly but not mountainous. With smoother terrain, Carriacou is  an ideal destination for walking. It possesses fine sand beaches and natural harbours, as well as offering excellent views out over  the northern Grenadine islands. Petite Martinique, the third and  by far the smallest island in the state, consists of little more  than the tip of a volcanic cone poking through the water. It is only  now being developed for visitors.

For a small island, Grenada has had a turbulent history. The earliest known inhabitants were Arawak Indians, who were then displaced by Caribs some time before AD 1300. The first serious attempt at settlement by Europeans was in 1609, but the Caribs resisted fiercely and it was not until 1650 that the French were able to claim the island. It remained a French colony until taken by the British in 1783. Grenada was an important center in the slave trade between Africa and the sugar plantations of the West Indies. With the emancipation of slaves and the disintegration of the plantation system, the majority of islanders came to depend on a few local industries and their own smallholdings.

Government
Grenada is a Dominion within the British Commonwealth; the head of state is the British monarch, represented locally by a Governor. Executive power rests with the Cabinet while responsibility for legislation rests with a bicameral parliament comprising the 13-member Senate and the 15-member House of Representatives.

Economy
Grenada’s agricultural economy is centered on the production of spices. The principal exports are nutmeg, cocoa, bananas and sugar cane. There are extensive timber reserves but exploitation is being strictly controlled to prevent deforestation. The fishing industry has grown in recent years and now generates one-sixth of export earnings. There are thought to be some oil and gas deposits off the southern coast of Grenada, and attempts to locate them continue. Industry is confined to production of nutmeg oil and rum, as well as drinks, paint and paper. Tourism (particularly stopover and cruise-ship visitors) has developed gradually since the mid-1980s but the industry is now the island’s leading foreign exchange earner. This has, to some extent, eased the depressed condition of the economy which has suffered from the general low level of world commodity prices during the last 10 years or so. Grenada has also developed a sizeable financial services industry in recent years, but has fallen foul of global efforts to tighten regulation.

The other main source of income for the island has been remittances from the estimated 100,000 Grenadians working abroad, mainly in the USA, Canada and Europe. Grenada also relies on foreign aid from the USA, the UK, Canada and the EU. This has declined in recent years and the Government has been looking elsewhere (including Libya) for financial support. The UK and the USA are the island’s main trading partners. Grenada is a member of the Caribbean trade bloc, CARICOM (website: www.caricom.org), and the Organization of East Caribbean States (website: www.oecs.org).

Nightlife
Home to the vibrant calypso and reggae music, Grenada offers a good mix of local and international restaurants and bars. Many resorts provide night-time entertainment, such as discos, organized shows and cabarets. The Regal Cinema has recently been refurbished and hosts many multi-cultural events as well as showing films.