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

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Background: First colonized by the Spanish, Trinidad and Tobago came under British control in the early 19th century. The emancipation of enslaved people in 1834 disrupted the twin islands' sugar industry. Contract workers arriving from India between 1845 and 1917 augmented the labor force, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export that remains the country's dominant industry. Trinidad and Tobago attained independence in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean, thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. The government is struggling to reverse a surge 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: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 5,128 km²
Land: 5,128 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware
Country comparison total: 0 km

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 362 km

Maritime claims
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, measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Elevation
Highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 83 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Land use
Agricultural land: 10.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 4.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 1.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 44% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 45.4% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 70 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 240 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 130 million cubic meters (202 est.)
Agricultural: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 3.84 billion m³ (2020 est.)

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
Distribution: population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half
Total: 1,408,966
Male: 708,260
Female: 700,706 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.1% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 20% (2014 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
Adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian
Note: Trinbagonian is used on occasion to describe a citizen of the country without specifying the island of origin

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

Languages: English (official), Trinidadian Creole English, Tobagonian Creole English, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Trinidadian Creole French, Spanish, Chinese

Religions: Protestant 32.1% (Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel 12%, Baptist 6.9%, Anglican 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.1%, Presbyterian/Congregational 2.5%, other Protestant 0.9%), 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
0-14 years: 18.7% (male 134,508/female 129,180)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 481,606/female 465,150)
65 years and over: 14.1% (2024 est.) (male 92,146/female 106,376)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 43.7
Youth dependency ratio: 29.3
Elderly dependency ratio: 16.8
Potential support ratio: 7.4 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 38.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 38 years
Female: 39 years

Population growth rate: 0.1% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 10.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half

Urbanization
Urban population: 53.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 545,000 PORT-OF-SPAIN (capital) (2023)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; widespread pollution of waterways and coastal areas; illegal dumping; deforestation; soil erosion; fisheries and wildlife depletion
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 10.26 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 43.87 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 1.35 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 27 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 17.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 13 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 74.6 years
Female: 78.4 years

Total fertility rate: 1.63 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: NA

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 3 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 99.9% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 18.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 5.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 2.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 2.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 4.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99%
Male: 99.2%
Female: 98.7% (2015)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 10.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 9.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 11.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago
Etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the larger island 'La Isla de la Trinidad' (The Island of the Trinity) on 31 July 1498 on his third voyage; the tobacco grown and smoked by the natives of the smaller island or its elongated cigar shape may account for the 'tobago' name, which is spelled 'tobaco' in Spanish

Government type: parliamentary republic

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)
Etymology: the name dates to the period of Spanish colonial rule (16th to late 18th centuries) when the city was referred to as 'Puerto de Espana'; the name was anglicized following the British capture of Trinidad in 1797

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
History: previous 1962; latest 1976
Amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, such as human rights and freedoms or citizenship, requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses and assent of the president; passage of amendments, such as the powers and authorities of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, and the procedure for amending the constitution, requires at least three-quarters majority vote by the House membership, two-thirds majority vote by the Senate membership, and assent of the president; amended many times, last in 2007

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
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Christine KANGALOO (since 20 March 2023)
Head of government: Prime Minister Keith ROWLEY (since 9 September 2015)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among members of Parliament
Elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college of selected Senate and House of Representatives members for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 January 2023 (next to be held by February 2,028); the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives as prime minister
Election results: 2023: Christine KANGALOO elected president by the electoral college on 20 January 2023; electoral college vote Christine KANGALOO (PNM) 48, Israel KHAN (UNC) 22; 2018: Paula-Mae WEEKES (independent) elected president; ran unopposed and was elected without a vote; she was Trinidad and Tabago's first female head of state

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the president, and 6 by the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms;), House of Representatives (42 seats; 41 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and the house speaker - usually designated from outside Parliament; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last appointments on 28 August 2020 (next appointments in August 2025), House of Representatives - last held on 10 August 2020 (next to be held in 2025)
Elections results: Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - PNM 16, UNC 6, independent 9; composition - men 19, women 13, percentage women 40.6%, House of Representatives - percent by party - NA; seats by party - PNM 23, UNC 19; composition - men 30, women 12, percentage women 28.6%; total Parliament percentage women 33.8%
Note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly (19 seats; 15 assemblymen directly elected by simple majority vote and 4 appointed councilors - 3 on the advice of the chief secretary and 1 on the advice of the minority leader; members serve 4-year terms)

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of the Judicature (consists of a chief justice for both the Court of Appeal with 12 judges and the High Court with 24 judges)
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 serve 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: People's National Movement or PNM, United National Congress or UNC, Tobago People’s Party or Tobago

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Venessa RAMHIT-RAMROOP (since 3 March 2024)
In the us chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,036-1975
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 467-6,490
In the us fax: [1] (202) 785-3,130
In the us email address and website: embdcinfo@foreign.gov.tt; [link]
In the us consulates general: Miami, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Candace A. BOND (since 8 December 2022)
From the us embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port of Spain
From the us mailing address: 3,410 Port of Spain Place, Washington DC 20,521-3,410
From the us telephone: (868) 622-6,371
From the us fax: (868) 822-5,905
From the us email address and website: ptspas@state.gov; [link]

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), Chaconia flower; national colors: red, white, black

National anthem
Name: 'Forged From the Love of Liberty'
Lyrics/music: Patrick Stanislaus CASTAGNE
Note: adopted 1962; song originally created to serve as an anthem for the West Indies Federation; adopted by Trinidad and Tobago following the Federation's dissolution in 1962

National heritage


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Economy overview: high-income Caribbean economy; major hydrocarbon exporter; key tourism and finance sectors; high inflation and growing public debt; long foreign currency access delays; large foreign reserves and sovereign wealth fund

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $43.681 billion (2023 est.); $42.781 billion (2022 est.); $42.157 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 2.1% (2023 est.); 1.48% (2022 est.); -1.04% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $28,500 (2023 est.); $27,900 (2022 est.); $27,600 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 78.9% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 16.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 19.8% (2021 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 45.4% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -48.7% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.1% (2022 est.)
Industry: 48.9% (2022 est.)
Services: 47.8% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: chicken, fruits, coconuts, citrus fruits, plantains, maize, eggs, oranges, tomatoes, bananas (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.18% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 681,000 (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 4.21% (2023 est.); 4.38% (2022 est.); 4.45% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 10.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 9.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 11.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 20% (2014 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $5.698 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $7.822 billion (2019 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 16.55% (of GDP) (2019 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 41.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.05% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.63% (2023 est.); 5.83% (2022 est.); 2.06% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

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: $5.382 billion (2022 est.); $2.695 billion (2021 est.); -$1.356 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $17.584 billion (2022 est.); $11.542 billion (2021 est.); $6.44 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 35%, Belgium 6%, Morocco 5%, Spain 4%, Brazil 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: ammonia, natural gas, crude petroleum, acyclic alcohols, fertilizers (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $10.694 billion (2022 est.); $8.636 billion (2021 est.); $6.785 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 40%, China 9%, Italy 7%, Brazil 4%, Canada 3% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, iron ore, cars, plastic products, excavation machinery (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.256 billion (2023 est.); $6.832 billion (2022 est.); $6.88 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 2.522 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 8.981 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 427.688 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 100 metric tons (2021 est.)
Imports: 200 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 73,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 32,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 242.982 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 26.772 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 15.913 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Exports: 10.878 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 298.063 billion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 35.415 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 4.257 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 31.158 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 326,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1.999 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 131 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.); 1% of GDP (2021 est.); 1% of GDP (2020 est.); 1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF): Trinidad and Tobago Regiment (Army/Land Forces), Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard, Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force Reserves; Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) (2024)
Note: the Ministry of National Security oversees both the TTDF and the TTPS

Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (some age variations between services, reserves); no conscription (2024)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 19
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,525,130 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 41.14 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 9Y

Airports: 3 (2024)

Heliports

Pipelines: 257 km condensate, 11 km condensate/gas, 1,567 km gas, 587 km oil (2013)

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 36,218 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2023)

Illicit drugs: a transit point for drugs destined for Europe, North America, and the rest of the Caribbean; drug trafficking organizations use the country’s proximity to Venezuela, its porous borders, vulnerabilities at ports of entry, a limited law enforcement capacity and resources, and corruption