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Caribbean Islands Geography
Grenada and its largely uninhabited outlying territories are
the most southerly of the Windward Islands (see fig. 1). The
Grenadine Islands chain consists of some 600 islets; those south of
the Martinique Channel belong to Grenada, while those north of the
channel are part of the nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Located about 160 kilometers north of Venezuela, at approximately
12° north latitude and 61° west longitude, Grenada and its
territories occupy a total area of 433 square kilometers. Grenada,
known as the Spice Isle because of its production of nutmeg and
mace, is the largest at 310 square kilometers, or about the size of
Detroit. The island is oval in shape and framed by a jagged
southern coastline; its maximum width is thirty-four kilometers,
and its maximum length is nineteen kilometers. St. George's, the
capital and the nation's most important harbor, is favorably
situated near a lagoon on the southwestern coast. Of all the
islands belonging to Grenada, only two are of consequence:
Carriacou, with a population of a few thousand, and its neighbor
Petit Martinique, roughly 40 kilometers northeast of Grenada and
populated by some 700 inhabitants (see fig. 12).
Part of the volcanic chain in the Lesser Antilles arc, Grenada
and its possessions generally vary in elevation from under 300
meters to over 600 meters above sea level. Grenada is more rugged
and densely foliated than its outlying possessions, but other
geographical conditions are more similar. Grenada's landmass rises
from a narrow, coastal plain in a generally north-south trending
axis of ridges and narrow valleys. Mount St. Catherine is the
highest peak at 840 meters.
Although many of the rocks and soils are of volcanic origin,
the volcanic cones dotting Grenada are long dormant. Some of the
drainage features on Grenada remain from its volcanic past. There
are a few crater lakes, the largest of which is Grand Etang. The
swift upper reaches of rivers, which occasionally overflow and
cause flooding and landslides, generally cut deeply into the conic
slopes. By contrast, many of the water courses in the lowlands tend
to be sluggish and meandering.
The abundance of water is primarily caused by the tropical, wet
climate. Yearly precipitation, largely generated by the warm and
moisture-laden northeasterly trade winds, varies from more than 350
centimeters on the windward mountainsides to less than 150
centimeters in the lowlands. The greatest monthly totals are
recorded throughout Grenada from June through November, the months
when tropical storms and hurricanes are most likely to occur.
Rainfall is less pronounced from December through May, when the
equatorial low-pressure system moves south. Similarly, the highest
humidities, usually close to 80 percent, are recorded during the
rainy months, and values from 68 to 78 percent are registered
during the drier period. Temperatures averaging 29°C are
constant
throughout the year, however, with slightly higher readings in the
lowlands. Nevertheless, diurnal ranges within a 24-hour period are
appreciable: between 26°C and 32°C during the day and
between 19°C
and 24°C at night.
Data as of November 1987
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