Introduction

Background: |  |

`
First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came under British control in the early 19th century. The islands' sugar industry was hurt by the emancipation of the slaves in 1834. Manpower was replaced with the importation of contract laborers from India between 1845 and 1917, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export. Independence was attained in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing. The government is coping with a rise in violent crime.
`

Geography

Location: |  |
`Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela`
Geographic coordinates: |  |
`11 00 N, 61 00 W`
Map references: |  |
`Central America and the Caribbean`
Area: |  |
`total: 5,128 sq km country comparison to the world: 173 land: 5,128 sq km water: 0 sq km`
Area - comparative: |  |
`slightly smaller than Delaware`
Land boundaries: |  |
`0 km`
Coastline: |  |
`362 km`
Maritime claims: |  |
`measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin`
Climate: |  |
`tropical; rainy season (June to December)`
Terrain: |  |
`mostly plains with some hills and low mountains`
Elevation extremes: |  |
`lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m`
Natural resources: |  |
`petroleum, natural gas, asphalt`
Land use: |  |
`arable land: 14.62% permanent crops: 9.16% other: 76.22% (2005)`
Irrigated land: |  |
`40 sq km (2003)`
Total renewable water resources: |  |
`3.8 cu km (2000)`
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic / industrial / agricultural): |  |
`total: 0.31 cu km/yr (68%/26%/6%) per capita: 237 cu m/yr (2000)`
Natural hazards: |  |
`outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms`
Environment - current issues: |  |
`water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion`
Environment - international agreements: |  |
`party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements`
Geography - note: |  |
`Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt`

People

Population: |  |
`1,227,505 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 155`
Age structure: |  |
`0-14 years: 19.5% (male 122,044/female 116,859) 15-64 years: 72.1% (male 455,148/female 429,990) 65 years and over: 8.4% (male 44,439/female 59,025) (2011 est.)`
Median age: |  |
`total: 33.1 years male: 32.6 years female: 33.6 years (2011 est.)`
Population growth rate: |  |
`-0.087% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 205`
Birth rate: |  |
`14.35 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 143`
Death rate: |  |
`8.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 90`
Net migration rate: |  |
`-6.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 202`
Urbanization: |  |
`urban population: 14% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)`
Major cities - population: |  |
`PORT-OF-SPAIN (capital) 57,000 (2009)`
Sex ratio: |  |
`at birth: 1.028 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2011 est.)`
Infant mortality rate: |  |
`total: 27.69 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 73 male: 28.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)`
Life expectancy at birth: |  |
`total population: 71.37 years country comparison to the world: 135 male: 68.51 years female: 74.3 years (2011 est.)`
Total fertility rate: |  |
`1.72 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 166`
HIV / AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |  |
`1.5% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35`
HIV / AIDS - people living with HIV / AIDS: |  |
`15,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86`
HIV / AIDS - deaths: |  |
`fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79`
Drinking water source: |  |
`improved: urban: 98% of population rural: 93% of population total: 34% of population unimproved: urban: 2% of population rural: 7% of population total: 6% of population (2008)`
Sanitation facility access: |  |
`improved: urban: 92% of population rural: 92% of population total: 92% of population unimproved: urban: 8% of population rural: 8% of population total: 8% of population (2008)`
Nationality: |  |
`noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s) adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian`
Ethnic groups: |  |
`Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000 census)`
Religions: |  |
`Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Muslim 5.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other Christian 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000 census)`
Languages: |  |
`English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), French, Spanish, Chinese`
Literacy: |  |
`definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.6% male: 99.1% female: 98% (2003 est.)`
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): |  |
`total: 12 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2007)`
Education expenditures: |  |
`NA`
People - note: |  |
`in 2007, the government of Trinidad and Tobago estimated the population to be 1.3 million`

Government

Country name: |  |
`conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago`
Government type: |  |
`parliamentary democracy`
Capital: |  |
`name: Port-of-Spain geographic coordinates: 10 39 N, 61 31 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)`
Administrative divisions: |  |
`9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3 borough corporations, 1 ward regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco city corporations: Port-of-Spain, San Fernando borough corporations: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin ward: Tobago`
Independence: |  |
`31 August 1962 (from the UK)`
National holiday: |  |
`Independence Day, 31 August (1962)`
Constitution: |  |
`1 August 1976`
Legal system: |  |
`English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court`
International law organization participation: |  |
`has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction`
Suffrage: |  |
`18 years of age; universal`
Executive branch: |  |

`
chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Kamla PERSAD-BISSESSAR (since 26 May 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
(For more information visit theWorld Leaders website )
elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 February 2008 (next to be held by February 2013); the president usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives
election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS reelected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA
`

Legislative branch: |  |

`
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President, 6 by the opposition party to serve a maximum term of five years) and the House of Representatives (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held on 24 May 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - NA; seats by party - UNC 21, PNM 12, COP 6, TOP 2
note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members serving four-year terms; last election held in January 2005; seats by party - PNM 11, DAC 1
`

Judicial branch: |  |

`
Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)
`

Political parties and leaders: |  |

`
Congress of the People or COP [Winston DOOKERAN]; Democratic Action Congress or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES] (only active in Tobago); Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Gerald YETMING] (coalition of NAR, DDPT, MND); Movement for National Development or MND [Garvin NICHOLAS]; National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Dr. Carson CHARLES]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Tobago Organization of the People or TOP [Ashworth JACK]; United National Congress or UNC [Kamla PERSAD-BISSESSAR]
`

Political pressure groups and leaders: |  |
`Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin ABU BAKR]`
International organization participation: |  |
`ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO`
Diplomatic representation in the US: |  |
`chief of mission: Ambassador Neil PARSAN chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490 FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York`
Diplomatic representation from the US: |  |
`chief of mission: Ambassador Beatrice W. WELTERS embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain telephone: [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376 FAX: [1] (868) 822-5905`
Flag description: |  |

`
red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side; the colors represent the elements of earth, water, and fire; black stands for the wealth of the land and the dedication of the people; white symbolizes the sea surrounding the islands, the purity of the country's aspirations, and equality; red symbolizes the warmth and energy of the sun, the vitality of the land, and the courage and friendliness of its people
`

National anthem: |  |
`name: "Forged From the Love of Liberty" lyrics/music: Patrick Stanislaus CASTAGNE note: adopted 1962; the song was originally created to serve as an anthem for the West Indies Federation; it was adopted by Trinidad and Tobago following the Federation's dissolution in 1962`

Economy

Economy - overview: |  |

`
Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses and has one of the highest growth rates and per capita incomes in Latin America. Economic growth between 2000 and 2007 averaged slightly over 8%, significantly above the regional average of about 3.7% for that same period; however, GDP has slowed down since then and contracted about 3.5% in 2009, before rising more than 2% in 2010. Growth has been fueled by investments in liquefied natural gas (LNG), petrochemicals, and steel. Additional petrochemical, aluminum, and plastics projects are in various stages of planning. Trinidad and Tobago is the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas, and its economy is heavily dependent upon these resources but it also supplies manufactured goods, notably food products and beverages, as well as cement to the Caribbean region. Oil and gas account for about 40% of GDP and 80% of exports, but only 5% of employment. The country is also a regional financial center, and tourism is a growing sector, although it is not as important domestically as it is to many other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from a growing trade surplus. The previous MANNING administration benefited from fiscal surpluses fueled by the dynamic export sector; however, declines in oil and gas prices have reduced government revenues which will challenge the new government's commitment to maintaining high levels of public investment.
`

GDP (purchasing power parity): |  |
`$26.1 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $26.09 billion (2009 est.) $27.05 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars`
GDP (official exchange rate): |  |
`$20.59 billion (2010 est.)`
GDP - real growth rate: |  |
`0% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 -3.5% (2009 est.) 2.4% (2008 est.)`
GDP - per capita (PPP): |  |
`$21,200 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $21,200 (2009 est.) $22,000 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars`
GDP - composition by sector: |  |
`agriculture: 0.5% industry: 59.4% services: 40.1% (2010 est.)`
Labor force: |  |
`631,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 153`
Labor force - by occupation: |  |
`agriculture: 3.8% manufacturing, mining, and quarrying: 12.8% construction and utilities: 20.4% services: 62.9% (2007 est.)`
Unemployment rate: |  |
`6.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 5.8% (2009 est.)`
Population below poverty line: |  |
`17% (2007 est.)`
Household income or consumption by percentage share: |  |
`lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%`
Investment (gross fixed): |  |
`11.6% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 146`
Budget: |  |
`revenues: $6.614 billion expenditures: $7.24 billion (2010 est.)`
Public debt: |  |
`26.4% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 29% of GDP (2009 est.)`
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |  |
`11.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 200 7% (2009 est.)`
Central bank discount rate: |  |
`7.25% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 39 10.75% (31 December 2008)`
Commercial bank prime lending rate: |  |
`11.94% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 12.44% (31 December 2008 est.)`
Stock of narrow money: |  |
`$3.734 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 $3.407 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Stock of broad money: |  |
`$12.47 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $11.35 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Stock of domestic credit: |  |
`$2.924 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $2.823 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Market value of publicly traded shares: |  |
`$11.15 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 65 $12.16 billion (31 December 2008) $15.61 billion (31 December 2007)`
Agriculture - products: |  |
`cocoa, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry`
Industries: |  |
`petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, food processing, cement, cotton textiles`
Industrial production growth rate: |  |
`2.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 121`
Electricity - production: |  |
`7.202 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 100`
Electricity - consumption: |  |
`7.034 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99`
Electricity - exports: |  |
`0 kWh (2008 est.)`
Electricity - imports: |  |
`0 kWh (2008 est.)`
Oil - production: |  |
`151,600 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 46`
Oil - consumption: |  |
`43,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 99`
Oil - exports: |  |
`248,300 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48`
Oil - imports: |  |
`92,480 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64`
Oil - proved reserves: |  |
`728.3 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 44`
Natural gas - production: |  |
`39.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21`
Natural gas - consumption: |  |
`21.94 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32`
Natural gas - exports: |  |
`17.36 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13`
Natural gas - imports: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122`
Natural gas - proved reserves: |  |
`436.1 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 34`
Current account balance: |  |
`$3.363 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $1.702 billion (2009 est.)`
Exports: |  |
`$12.06 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 $9.312 billion (2009 est.)`
Exports - commodities: |  |
`petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, cereal and cereal products, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus fruit, vegetables, flowers`
Exports - partners: |  |
`US 38.53%, Jamaica 8.86%, Spain 6.88%, Mexico 6.23% (2009)`
Imports: |  |
`$8.234 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 $7.161 billion (2009 est.)`
Imports - commodities: |  |
`mineral fuels, lubricants, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals, live animals`
Imports - partners: |  |
`US 30.87%, Colombia 7.1%, Venezuela 7.01%, Russia 6.64%, Brazil 5.53%, China 4.19% (2009)`
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |  |
`$9.659 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $9.246 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Debt - external: |  |
`$4.303 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $3.895 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |  |
`$102 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $12.44 billion (2007)`
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |  |
`$3.829 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 62`
Exchange rates: |  |
`Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar - 6.3337 (2010) 6.3099 (2009) 6.2896 (2008) 6.3275 (2007) 6.3107 (2006)`

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: |  |
`314,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 112`
Telephones - mobile cellular: |  |
`1.97 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 133`
Telephone system: |  |
`general assessment: excellent international service; good local service domestic: mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 185 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 1-868; submarine cable systems provide connectivity to US and parts of the Caribbean and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana`
Broadcast media: |  |
`5 TV networks each broadcasting on multiple stations; one of the networks is state-owned; multiple cable TV subscription service providers; multiple radio networks, one state-owned, broadcast over about 35 stations (2007)`
Internet country code: |  |
`.tt`
Internet hosts: |  |
`168,876 (2010) country comparison to the world: 68`
Internet users: |  |
`593,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 115`

Transportation

Airports: |  |
`6 (2010) country comparison to the world: 172`
Airports - with paved runways: |  |
`total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)`
Airports - with unpaved runways: |  |
`total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2010)`
Pipelines: |  |
`gas 671 km; oil 334 km (2010)`
Roadways: |  |
`total: 8,320 km country comparison to the world: 140 paved: 4,252 km unpaved: 4,068 km (2000)`
Merchant marine: |  |
`total: 6 country comparison to the world: 128 by type: passenger 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 2 (Bahamas 1, unknown 1) (2010)`
Ports and terminals: |  |
`Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain, Scarborough`

Military

Military branches: |  |
`Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF): Trinidad and Tobago Army, Coast Guard, Air Guard, Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (2010)`
Military service age and obligation: |  |
`18 years of age for voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription (2010)`
Manpower available for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 341,764 females age 16-49: 317,899 (2010 est.)`
Manpower fit for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 269,824 females age 16-49: 261,735 (2010 est.)`
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: |  |
`male: 8,164 female: 7,503 (2010 est.)`
Military expenditures: |  |
`0.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 168`

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: |  |

`
Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago abide by the April 2006 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration under UNCLOS challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; Guyana has also expressed its intention to include itself in the arbitration as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela maritime boundary may extend into its waters as well
`

Illicit drugs: |  |
`transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis`

PAGE LAST UPDATED ON MAY 26, 2011