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Introduction - Trinidad and Tobago
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 - Trinidad and Tobago
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:
Current Weather
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 - Trinidad and Tobago
Population:
1,228,691 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.5% (male 122,431/female 116,998)
15-64 years: 72.4% (male 456,784/female 432,503)
65 years and over: 8.1% (male 42,864/female 57,111) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 32.6 years
male: 32.1 years
female: 33.1 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.094% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
Birth rate:
14.37 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Death rate:
8.21 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Net migration rate:
-7.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Urbanization:
urban population: 13% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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 (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 28.9 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 75
male: 30.12 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 27.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.09 years
country comparison to the world: 136
male: 68.23 years
female: 74.02 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.72 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.5% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
14,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,900 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
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: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (2002)
country comparison to the world: 98
People - note:
in 2007, the government of Trinidad and Tobago estimated the population to be
1.3 million
Government - Trinidad and Tobago
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:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme
Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ 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 the World 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 BAKR]
International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, 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 Glenda MOREAN-PHILLIP
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
Economy - Trinidad and Tobago
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, it has slowed down since then and contracted about
3.5% in 2009. 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 MANNING
administration has benefited from fiscal surpluses fueled by the dynamic export
sector; however, declines in oil and gas prices have reduced government revenues
which will challenge his government's commitment to maintaining high levels of
public investment.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$28.41 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
$29.44 billion (2008 est.)
$28.44 billion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$23.27 billion (2009 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-3.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
3.5% (2008 est.)
5.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$23,100 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
$23,900 (2008 est.)
$23,100 (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.5%
industry: 59.2%
services: 40.3% (2009 est.)
Labor force:
629,000 (2009 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:
5.8% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
4.6% (2008 est.)
Population below poverty line:
17% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
11.4% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Budget:
revenues: $6.036 billion
expenditures: $7.513 billion (2009 est.)
Public debt:
26% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
27.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
12% (2008 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10.75% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 41
10% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.44% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 75
11.75% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$3.047 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 82
$2.646 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$6.795 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 73
$5.707 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$3.423 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 93
$3.73 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$11.15 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 66
$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:
-5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Electricity - production:
7.202 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
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: 45
Oil - consumption:
43,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
Oil - exports:
248,300 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
Oil - imports:
92,480 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
Oil - proved reserves:
728.3 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
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:
531.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
Current account balance:
$1.76 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
$8.294 billion (2008 est.)
Exports:
$9.175 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
$18.69 billion (2008 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:
$6.974 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
$9.845 billion (2008 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:
$9.246 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
$9.496 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.079 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
$3.289 billion (31 December 2008 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: 61
Exchange rates:
Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar - 6.2993 (2009), 6.2896 (2008),
6.3275 (2007), 6.3107 (2006), 6.2842 (2005)
Communications - Trinidad and Tobago
Telephones - main lines in use:
307,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 115
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.505 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 134
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent international service; good local service
domestic: mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 175 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
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 28, shortwave 0 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
6 (2005)
Internet country code:
.tt
Internet hosts:
162,849 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 67
Internet users:
227,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 132
Transportation - Trinidad and Tobago
Airports:
6 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 171
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 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 659 km; oil 336 km (2009)
Roadways:
total: 8,320 km
country comparison to the world: 139
paved: 4,252 km
unpaved: 4,068 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 9
country comparison to the world: 115
by type: passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned: 1 (US 1)
registered in other countries: 2 (Bahamas 1, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain
Military - Trinidad and Tobago
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 (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 347,044
females age 16-49: 323,847 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 273,361
females age 16-49: 266,535 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 8,572
female: 7,966 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.3% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 170
Transnational Issues - Trinidad and Tobago
Disputes - international:
in April 2006, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a decision that
delimited a maritime boundary with Trinidad and Tobago and compelled Barbados to
enter a fishing agreement that limited Barbadian fishermen's 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
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