Statistical information Trinidad and Tobago 1994

Trinidad and Tobago in the World
top of pageBackground: The islands came under British control in the 19th century; independence was granted 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.
top of pageLocation: Caribbean, in the extreme southeastern Caribbean Sea, 11 km off the coast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal area total: 5,130 km²
Land: 5,130 km²
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 362 km
Maritime claimsContiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or the outer edge of continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
ElevationNatural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
Land useArable land: 14%
Permanent crops: 17%
Meadows and pastures: 2%
Forest and woodland: 44%
Other: 23%
Irrigated land: 220 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms
Geographytop of pagePopulation: 1,328,282 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 1.1% (1994 est.)
Nationality: noun:Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
Ethnic groups: black 43%, East Indian 40%, mixed 14%, white 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Languages: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish
Religions: Roman Catholic 32.2%, Hindu 24.3%, Anglican 14.4%, other Protestant 14%, Muslim 6%, none or unknown 9.1%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.1% (1994 est.)
Birth rate: 19.6 births/1000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate: 6.28 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.33 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and untreated sewage; oil pollution of beaches; land degradation
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 16.5 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 70.73 years
Male: 68.09 years
Female: 73.43 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.32 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Total population: 95%
Male: 97%
Female: 93%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form:Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
conventional short form
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Port-of-Spain
Administrative divisions: 8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**; Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria
Dependent areasIndependence: 31 August 1962 (from 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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President Noor Mohammed HASSANALI (since 18 March 1987)
Head of government: Prime Minister Patrick Augustus Mervyn MANNING (since 17 December 1991)
Legislative branch: Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (including Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Trinidad and Tobago Police Service
Senate: consists of a 31-member body appointed by the president
House of Representatives: elections last held 16 December 1991 (next to be held by December 1996); results - PNM 32%, UNC 13%, NAR 2%; seats - (36 total) PNM 21, UNC 13, NAR 2
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, Supreme Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representationFrom the us chief of mission: Ambassador Sally G. COWAL
From the us chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,036
From the us telephone: (809) 622-6,372 through 6,376, 6,176
From the us fax: (809) 628-5,462
From the us consulates general: New York
From the us embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain
Flag description
: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Trinidad and Tobago's petroleum-based economy still enjoys a high per capita income by Latin American standards, even though output and living standards are substantially below the boom years of 1973-82. The country suffers from widespread unemployment, large foreign-debt payments, and periods of low international oil prices. Seven successive years of economic contraction were followed by small gains in output in 1990-91 of 1.2% and 0.9%, in turn followed by small declines in 1992-93 of roughly 1.0%. The government has begun to make progress in its efforts to diversify exports.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: -1% (1993)
Real gdp per capita: $8,000 (1993 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 3% of GDP; highly subsidized sector; major crops - cocoa, sugarcane; sugarcane acreage is being shifted into rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry sector most important source of animal protein; must import large share of food needs
Industries: petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 2.3% (1991; accounts for 37% of GDP, including petroleum
Labor force: 463,900
By occupation constructionandutilities: 18.1%
By occupation andquarrying: 14.8%
By occupation agriculture: 10.9%
By occupation other: 56.2% (1985est.)
Unemployment rate: 18.5% (1991)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues:$1.6 billion
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers
Partners: US 47%, CARICOM 13%, Latin America 9%, EC 5% (1992)
Imports: $900 million (f.o.b. , 1993)
Commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals (1992)
Partners: US 41%, Venezuela 10%, UK 8%, other EC 8%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $2 billion (1993)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TT$) per US$1 - 5.8111 (January 1994), 5.3511 (1993), 4.2500 (fixed rate 1989-1992; note - effective 13 April 1993, the exchange rate of the TT dollar is market-determined as opposed to the prior fixed relationship to the US dollar
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 1,176,000 kW
Production: 3.48 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 2,680 kWh (1992)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: exchange rate conversion - $59 million, 1%-2% of GDP (1989 est.)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 6
Usable: 5
With permanentsurface runways: 2
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 2
With runways 1220-2439 m: 1
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 1,032 km; petroleum products 19 km; natural gas 904 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,507 GRT/21,923 DWT
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe