Grenada: Geography and Environment

Grenada is the southernmost of the Windward Islands in the eastern Caribbean, lying north of Trinidad and Tobago and south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The main island is of volcanic origin and is dominated by a rugged, forested interior that rises to Mount Saint Catherine, its highest point at roughly 840 meters. The country also includes the smaller islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, which together with the main island make up the state of Grenada.

The interior is defined by steep ridges, deep valleys, and the Grand Etang crater lake, a volcanic feature surrounded by rainforest near the center of the island. Coastal areas give way to beaches and sheltered bays, particularly along the southwestern coast around Saint George's. The climate is tropical, with a wet season from June to December that coincides with the Atlantic hurricane season, and Grenada is well known internationally for its nutmeg and spice cultivation, which has earned it the nickname the Spice Isle.

Environmental priorities center on rebuilding and protecting forest cover, much of which was devastated when Hurricane Ivan struck the island directly in 2004, destroying an estimated 90 percent of homes and stripping large areas of tree cover. Reforestation and watershed protection have been ongoing priorities since then, alongside efforts to protect coral reefs and marine areas that support both fisheries and tourism. Sustaining the nutmeg and spice industry, which remains vulnerable to storms and crop disease, is also an ongoing concern for the country's agricultural resilience.