Grenada is one of a group of islands known as the Windward Islands. Other islands in the group include Martinique, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The highest point in Grenada is Mount Saint Catherine (840 m).

Lake Antoine, Grand Etang Lake and Levera Pond all formed in craters of extinct volcanoes.

Petroglyphs, along the riverbank in the village of Mount Rich, were carved by Amerindians, early migrants to Grenada.

Christopher Columbus, in the service of Spain, was the first European to sight the islands of Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique.

Grenada was named after the Spanish city of Grenada.

Grenada is also known as the Spice Islands as it is an important world supplier of nutmeg, mace and other spices.

The capital, St. George's, originally called Fort Royale, was founded in 1705 by the French.

The English named St. George's after the British king, George III.

In 1783 Grenada was ceded to the Great Britain.

The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act (1807) prohibited the slave trade within the British Empire. (Slaves in the British colonies did not gain their freedom until the 1830s. The 1833 Abolition of Slavery Act began the process leading to emancipation).

Grenada became independent in 1974.

In 1983 coup leaders in Grenada were ousted by forces from the US and six Caribbean countries.

Grenada maintained its links with the United Kingdom through membership of the Commonwealth.

St George's University was founded as a School of Medicine in 1977.

In September 2004 much of Grenada was devastated by Hurricane Ivan. The Prime Minister declared a national disaster.

Hurricane Emily followed Ivan in 2005.