Greenland as a colony. In 1979 Denmark
gave Greenland the power to govern
itself. But Denmark kept control of
Greenland’s foreign relations.
#More to explore
Denmark • Eskimo • Glacier • Vikings
Green
Revolution
Every year millions of people get sick or
even die because they do not have
enough to eat. Beginning in the 1940s
scientists and governments started a
movement called the Green Revolution
to try to end this worldwide hunger. Its
main goal was to end food shortages by
improving agriculture, or farming.
Methods
The Green Revolution introduced new
methods for growing, harvesting, and
processing such crops as wheat, rice,
corn, and potatoes. It brought modern
machines and other technology to farming.
As a result, farmers were able to
produce more and better food.
Farmers in Mexico, India, Kenya, and
many other countries began to grow
new plant varieties created by scientists.
They got larger crops as a result. Farmers
also learned how to treat their crops
with pesticides and fertilizers. These
chemicals protected the plants from
insect pests, weeds, and disease. Complex
systems of irrigation, or watering,
also came into use. New machinery for
plowing the soil and harvesting crops
made farm work easier to do.
Mixed Results
Farmers still use the methods of the
Green Revolution. One positive result of
the movement was that many poor
countries became able to grow enough
food to feed their own people. This lowered
the risk of famine, or a severe shortage
of food.
However, the Green Revolution was not
a complete success. Many of the
pesticides and fertilizers were harmful
to humans and polluted the land and
water. Also, farmers had to buy the new
seeds from other countries instead of
using seeds from their own land.
Finally, even though the movement
produced more food, that food did not
always reach the people who needed it.
#More to explore
Agriculture • Famine
U.S. scientist Norman Borlaug (standing at
left) helped to start the Green Revolution.
He explains new ways of growing wheat to
farm leaders from all over the world.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Green Revolution 159
Grenada
Grenada is a small island country in the
eastern Caribbean Sea. Called the Isle of
Spice, Grenada is known for growing
nutmeg and other spices. The capital is
Saint George’s.
Geography
Grenada’s territory includes the southern
Grenadine Islands, which lie to the
northwest of Grenada. (The northern
Grenadines are part of the country of
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.) A
ridge of mountains runs down the center
of the island. Grenada has yearround
warm weather and a long rainy
season.
Plants and Animals
Rain forests of teak, mahogany, and
other trees cover the mountains. Other
plants include wild orchids and bamboo.
Mona monkeys, agoutis (rabbit-sized
rodents), mongooses, iguanas, land
crabs, and rare leatherback turtles live on
Grenada.
People
The majority of the population has
black African or mixed African and
European roots. There are also small
groups of South Asians and whites.
English is the main language. Most
people are Christians, mainly Roman
Catholics.
Economy
Grenada’s economy depends on exports
of nutmeg, fish, and cocoa. Grenada also
grows sugarcane, coconuts, bananas, and
other fruits and spices. Tourism is a very
important industry.
History
The Arawak and later the Carib Indians
were the earliest settlers of Grenada. In
the 1600s the French took over the
island and killed nearly all the Carib.
The British captured Grenada in the
1700s. They brought slaves from Africa
to work on sugarcane and spice plantations.
The slaves were freed in 1833.
In 1974 Britain granted independence
to Grenada. A dictator ruled until 1979,
when a Communist party took over. In
1983 U.S. troops invaded Grenada and
overthrew the Communist government.
Grenada held democratic elections in
1984. In 2004 the island was seriously
damaged by Hurricane Ivan.
..More to explore
Saint George’s • Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines
Facts About
GRENADA
Population
(2008 estimate)
108,000
Area
133 sq mi (344
sq km)
Capital
Saint George’s
Form of
government
Constitutional
monarchy
Major cities
Saint George’s,
Gouyave, Grenville,
Victoria
160 Grenada BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Gretzky,Wayne
Wayne Gretzky played ice hockey in the
National Hockey League (NHL). Many
people think he was the best player in
the history of the game. When he retired
he held more than 60 NHL records. His
nickname was the Great One.
Wayne Douglas Gretzky was born on
January 26, 1961, in Brantford,
Ontario. He started playing hockey at a
very young age. At age 6 he played
against 10- and 11-year-olds. In 1978
Gretzky became the youngest player ever
in professional hockey when he joined
theWorld Hockey Association (WHA).
Gretzky first played in the NHL in the
1979–80 season. As center and team
captain, he led the Edmonton Oilers to
four Stanley Cup championships.
Gretzky was named the league’s most
valuable player eight years in a row, from
the 1979–80 through 1986–87 seasons.
After the 1987–88 season Gretzky was
traded to the Los Angeles Kings. In the
1989–90 season he broke Gordie
Howe’s NHL career record of 1,850
