Today is the Anniversary of Grenada's independence from Britain.
In honor of the holiday the people of Grenada wear red, green and gold, and wave flags. Calypso and Soca music plays everywhere. Folk dances and military parades fill the streets.
Grenada is an island nation in the Caribbean located south of the Gulf of Mexico in the Atlantic Ocean.
Grenada is called the "Spice Island" thanks to the fact that it is a leading producer of some of the most beloved spices in the world: cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, Jamaican pepper and citrus peels. Grenada is the second largest producer of nutmeg in the world. There's even a picture of a nutmeg on the flag of Grenada
Grenada is a small country with an area of 344 square kilometers (134.6 sq mi). It has a total of about 111,000 inhabitants, as of July 2017.
 |
| Hotel in Grenada |
Not much is known about the early history of the island of Grenada . Before Christopher Columbus came to it in 1498 it was inhabited by Indians of the Caribbean tribe. Columbus gave Grenada the name "Concepción" (Spanish: Concepción), and the name Grenada was later given to it by Spanish sailors who probably came from the city of Granada in Spain. In the 18th century the name "Grenada" became the official name of the country.
The Europeans were in no hurry to settle on the island for over a hundred years after discovering it, because of the Caribbean Indian tribes who were warriors and cannibals. In 1650 the French shipping company of the cardinal Richelieu purchased the island and established a European settlement there, after many wars with the Indians and bringing an army from the island of Martinique as reinforcements. The French established the city of Fort Royal which today is the capital of the island, St. George's.
In 1762 Britain conquered the island from the French during the Seven Years' War.
Until 1782 the island's economy was based on growing sugarcane done by forced labor of slaves. In 1782, botanist Joseph Banks discovered that the soil and climatic conditions in Grenada were ideal for growing nutmeg. The demand for this nut was very large in the European and American markets and established the economic status of the island. In 1834, as part of the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire, slavery in Grenada was also outlawed.
On 7 February 1974, Grenada gained full political independence from Britain. It joined the Commonwealth of Independent States and adopted the model of the constitutional monarchy. The head of state of Grenada is the British Queen Elizabeth II.
In Grenada there is significant negative migration. 50% of its population are under 30 years old.
The origin of most of the inhabitants of Grenada is Africa. The official language of the country is English, and the other languages spoken there are Creole, French and Patua. The dominant religion in the country is Christianity.
If you want to travel in Grenada, you will need to get to Maurice Bishop International Airport or its port. The city of St. George's is one of the most picturesque and beautiful cities in the Caribbean. St. George's Harbor is a harbor with a magical and picturesque view of the city built on hills. It has a modern wharf of cruise ships, a market and a promenade with plenty of shops and restaurants. The residents are kind and welcome the tourists cordially. The beaches of Grenada are quiet, clear and clean. Grenada is a paradise for diving enthusiasts - it has coral reefs, a sunken ship and an underwater sculpture garden. The sunken ship is the "Bianca", a holiday ship that burned and sank in 196 near the coast. Today it is home to giant sea turtles, eels and barracuda.
Grenada has beautiful waterfalls, parks and lakes and an abundance of interesting birds.
February 7th is also a Send your friend a greeting card day