Map of Trinidad and Tobago | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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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

Area
Rank: 174
Land: 5,128 km²
Water: 0 km²
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 highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas asphalt

Land use
Permanent crops: 4.29%
Other: 90.84% (2011)

Irrigated land: 36 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 3.84 km³ (2011)

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

Geography
Note: Pitch Lake on Trinidad's southwestern coast is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt


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Population: 1,223,916 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 159
Growth rate: -0.11% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 205
Below poverty line: 17% (2007 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Trinidadian Tobagonian

Ethnic groups: East Indian 35.4% African 34.2% mixed - other 15.3% mixed African/East Indian 7.7% other 1.3% unspecified 6.2% (2011 est.)

Languages: English (official) Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi) French Spanish Chinese

Religions: Protestant 32.1% (Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel 12% Baptist 6.9% Anglican 5.7% Seventh-Day Adventist 4.1% Presbyterian/Congretational 2.5 other Protestant .9) Roman Catholic 21.6% Hindu 18.2% Muslim 5% Jehovah's Witness 1.5% other 8.4% none 2.2% unspecified 11.1% (2011 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 13% (male 82,779/female 76,785)
25-54 years: 46.9% (male 298,156/female 276,205)
55-64 years: 11.1% (male 67,738/female 68,535)
65 years and over: 9.1% (male 50,107/female 65,564) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 29.8 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 13.3 %
Potential support ratio: 7.5 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 34 years
Female: 34.9 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.11% (2014 est.)
Rank: 205

Birth rate: 13.8 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 145

Death rate: 8.48 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 80

Net migration rate: -6.42 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 201

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 2.21% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: PORT-OF-SPAIN (capital) 66,000 (2011)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals industrial wastes and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 72
Male: 26.05 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 23.57 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 136
Male: 69.42 years
Female: 75.24 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 171

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 42.5% (2006)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 1.18 physicians/1000 population (2007)

Hospital bed density: 2.1 beds/1000 population (2.1)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.6% (2012 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 30
People living with hivaids: 14,300 (2012 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 93
Deaths: 500 (2012 est.)
Deaths rank: 88

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 29.3% (2008)
Rank: 31

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4.4% (2000)
Rank: 96

Education expenditures: 3.2% of GDP (2003)
Rank: 135

Literacy
Total population: 98.8%
Male: 99.2%
Female: 98.5% (2011 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 12 years
Female: 13 years (2004)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 10 39 N 61 31 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 9 regions 3 boroughs 2 cities 1 ward
Regions: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Diego Martin Mayaro/Rio Claro Penal/Debe Princes Town Sangre Grande San Juan/Laventille Siparia Tunapuna/Piarco
Borough: Arima Chaguanas Point Fortin
Cities: Port of Spain San Fernando
Ward: Tobago

Dependent areas

Independence: 31 August 1962 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 31 August (1962)

Constitution: previous 1962; latest 1976; amended many times last in 2007 (2012)

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

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister Kamla PERSAD-BISSESSAR (since 26 May 2010)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
Elections: president elected by an electoral college which consists of members of the Senate and House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 15 February 2013 (next to be held by February 2018); the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives as prime minister
Election results: Anthony CARMONA elected president unopposed by the electoral college; sworn in on 18 March 2013; percent of electoral college vote - 100%

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

Judicial branch: note - Trinidad and Tobago can file appeals beyond its Supreme Court to the Caribbean Court of Justice with final appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the parliamentary leader of the opposition; other judges appointed by the Judicial Legal Services Commission headed by the chief justice and 5 members with judicial experience; all judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement normally at age 65
Subordinate courts: Courts of Summary Criminal Jurisdiction; Petty Civil Courts; Family Court

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP AOSIS C Caricom CDB CELAC EITI (candidate country) FAO G-24 G-77 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (NGOs) ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) LAES MIGA NAM OAS OPANAL OPCW Paris Club (associate) UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 467-6,490
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 785-3,130
In the us consulate general: Miami 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
From the us telephone: [1] (868) 622-6,371 through 6,376
From the us FAX: [1] (868) 822-5,905

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 symbols: scarlet ibis (bird of Trinidad); cocrico (bird of Tobago)

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Patrick Stanislaus CASTAGNE

National heritage


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Economy overview: Trinidad and Tobago attracts considerable foreign direct investment from international businesses particularly in energy and has one of the highest per capita incomes in Latin America. Economic growth between 2000 and 2007 averaged slightly over 8% per year significantly above the regional average of about 3.7% for that same period; however GDP has slowed down since then and contracted during 2009-2011 due to depressed natural gas prices and changing markets. Growth had been fueled by investments in liquefied natural gas petrochemicals and steel with additional upstream and downstream investment planned. Trinidad and Tobago is the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas and its economy is heavily dependent upon these resources. 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. Oil production has declined over the last decade as the country focused the majority of its efforts on natural gas. The current administration has been working to arrest this decline by opening bid rounds and providing fiscal incentives for investments in on-shore and deep water acreage to boost oil reserves and production. The government keeps a close watch on the changing global gas markets and has shown flexibility in diversifying natural gas export destinations. Although Trinidad and Tobago enjoys cheap electricity from natural gas the renewable energy sector has recently garnered increased interest. The country is also a regional financial center with a well-regulated and stable financial system. Other sectors the Government of Trinidad and Tobago targeted for increased investment and projected growth include tourism agriculture information and communications technology and shipping. The economy benefits from a growing trade surplus with the US. The US is Trinidad and Tobago's leading trade partner. 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 challenging the current government's commitment to maintaining high levels of public investment. Crime and bureaucratic hurdles continue to be the biggest deterrents for attracting more foreign direct investment and business.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 122

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 155

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 70

Gross national saving:
Rank: 88

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 16.9%
Investment in fixed capital: 15.4%
Investment in inventories: -20.2%
Exports of goods and services: 94.3%
Imports of goods and services: -62.5%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 57.7%
Services: 42% (2013 est.)

Agriculture products: cocoa rice citrus coffee vegetables; poultry; sugar

Industries: petroleum and petroleum products liquefied natural gas (LNG) methanol ammonia urea steel products beverages food processing cement cotton textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 1.2% (2013 est.)
Rank: 142

Labor force: 621,000 (2013 est.)
Rank: 156
By occupation manufacturing mining and quarrying: 12.8%
By occupation construction and utilities: 20.4%
By occupation services: 62.9% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.6% (2012 est.)
Rank: 58

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 17% (2007 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Expenditures: $8.323 billion (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 82

Taxes and other revenues: 28.9% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 98

Public debt: 37.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 101

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices: 9.2% (2012 est.)
Rank: 161

Central bank discount rate: 7.25% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 38

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 7.7% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 113

Stock of narrow money: $6.221 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 92

Stock of broad money: $17.82 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 87

Stock of domestic credit: $6.059 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 106

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 63

Current account balance: $959 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 52

Exports: $12.98 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 85
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products liquefied natural gas methanol ammonia urea steel products beverages cereal and cereal products sugar cocoa coffee citrus fruit vegetables flowers
Partners: US 42.1% Chile 7.1% Argentina 6.5% Spain 4.5% (2012)

Imports: $9.065 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 104
Commodities: mineral fuels lubricants machinery transportation equipment manufactured goods food chemicals live animals
Partners: US 33.1% Brazil 8.1% Colombia 7.7% Gabon 5.5% Canada 4.4% China 4.2% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $9.897 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 76

Debt external: $4.722 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 122

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $12.44 billion (2007)
Rank: 42

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $3.829 billion (2007)
Rank: 64

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 7.998 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 99
Consumption: 7.586 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 97
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 199
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 204
Installed generating capacity: 1.605 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 113
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 48
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 183
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 202
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 91

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 119,300 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 47
Crude oil exports: 75,340 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 43
Crude oil imports: 70,260 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 51
Crude oil proven reserves: 728.3 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 44

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 132,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 65
Products consumption: 41,000 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 105
Products exports: 106,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 42
Products imports: 1598 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 185

Natural gas
Production: 40.6 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 21
Consumption: 23.32 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 32
Exports: 17.64 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 20
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 132
Proven reserves: 375.4 billion m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 36

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 52.07 million Mt (2011 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 287,000 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 119
Mobile cellular: 1.884 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 147

Telephone system
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 170 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 (2011)

Broadcast media: 5 TV networks one of which is state-owned broadcast on multiple stations; multiple cable TV subscription service providers; multiple radio networks one state-owned broadcast over about 35 stations (2007)

Internet
Country code: .tt
Hosts: 241,690 (2012)
Hosts rank: 69
Users: 593,000 (2009)
Users rank: 115

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription; Trinidad and Tobago citizenship and completion of secondary school required (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 4 (2013)
Rank: 189
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways: 1 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines: condensate 257 km; condensate/gas 11 km; gas 1567 km; oil 587 km (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Rank: 139
Paved: 4,252 km
Unpaved: 4,068 km (2001)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Rank: 130
By type: passenger 1 passenger/cargo 2 petroleum tanker 1
Registered in other countries: 2 (unknown 2) (2010)

Ports and terminals
Oil terminals: Galeota Point terminal


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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 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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