Map of Trinidad and Tobago | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: 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.


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Location: Caribbean islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N 61 00 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 362 km

Maritime claims

Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Elevation

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas asphalt

Land use

Irrigated land: 220 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

Geography


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Population: 1,175,523 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: -0.49% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: 21% (1992 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups: black 39.5% East Indian (a local term - primarily immigrants from northern India) 40.3% mixed 18.4% white 0.6% Chinese and other 1.2%

Languages: English (official) Hindi French Spanish Chinese

Religions: Roman Catholic 29.4% Hindu 23.8% Anglican 10.9% Muslim 5.8% Presbyterian 3.4% other 26.7%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -0.49% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 13.84 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 8.84 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -9.92 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals industrial wastes and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 25.76 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

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 areas

Independence: 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 participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; members appointed by the president for a maximum term of five years) and the House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals judges are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders: Movement for Social Transformation or MOTION [David ABDULLAH]; Movement for Unity and Progress or MUP [Hulsie BHAGGAN]; National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [leader NA]; National Development Party or NDP [Carson CHARLES]; National Joint Action Committee or NJAC [Makandal DAAGA]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]

International organization participation: ACP C Caricom CCC CDB ECLAC FAO G-24 G-77 IADB IBRD ICAO ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Intelsat Interpol IOC ISO ITU LAES NAM OAS OPANAL OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNU UPU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTrO

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses. Successful economic reforms were implemented in 1995 and foreign investment and trade are flourishing. Persistently high unemployment remains one of the chief challenges of the government. The petrochemical sector has spurred growth in other related sectors reinforcing the government's commitment to economic diversification. Tourism is growing especially in the pleasure boat sector.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,500 (1999 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: cocoa sugarcane rice citrus coffee vegetables; poultry

Industries: petroleum chemicals tourism food processing cement beverage cotton textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 7.5% (1995)

Labor force: 558,700 (1998)
By occupation construction and utilities: 12.4%
By occupation manufacturing mining and quarrying: 14%
By occupation agriculture: 9.5%
By occupation services: 64.1% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 14.2% (1998)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 21% (1992 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.5% (1999 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $2.4 billion (f.o.b. 1998)
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products chemicals steel products fertilizer sugar cocoa coffee citrus flowers
Partners: US 36.9% Caricom countries 29.4% Central and South America 9.7% EU 6.3% (1998)

Imports: $3 billion (c.i.f. 1998)
Commodities: machinery transportation equipment manufactured goods food live animals
Partners: US 44.7% Latin America 18.9% EU 13.7% Japan 4.8% (1998)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $2.2 billion (1997 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TT$) per US$1 - 6.2697 (January 2000) 6.2963 (1999) 6.2983 (1998) 6.2517 (1997) 6.0051 (1996) 5.9478 (1995)


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Electricity
Production: 4.763 billion kWh (1998)
Consumption: 4.43 billion kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 209,000 (1995)
Mobile cellular: 5,615 (1995)

Telephone system: excellent international service; good local service

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: 5 (1999)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $83 million (FY94)
Percent of gdp: NA%

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 6 (1999 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines: crude oil 1032 km; petroleum products 19 km; natural gas 904 km

Railways: minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando; railway service was discontinued in 1968

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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