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.

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 362 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, asphalt

Land use: 14% arable land; 17% permanent crops; 2% meadows and pastures; 44% forest and woodland; 23% other; includes 4% irrigated

Geography
Note: located 11 km from Venezuela geoad0.gif" border="0" geoad1

Population: 1,244,160 (July 1989), growth rate 2.0% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s; adjective - Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Ethnic groups: 43% black, 40% East Indian, 14% mixed, 1% white, 1% Chinese, 1% other

Languages: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish

Religions: 36.2% Roman Catholic, 23.0% Hindu, 13.1% Protestant, 6.0% Muslim, 21.7% unknown

Birth rate: 27 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: - 1 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Environment
Current issues: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

Infant mortality rate: 15 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 73 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 3.2 children born/woman (1989)

Literacy: 98%

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

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

Independence: 31 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Constitution: 31 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: universal over age 18

Legislative branch: Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force, Trinidad and Tobago Police Service

International organization participation: CARICOM, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, International Coffee Agreement, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB - Inter-American Development Bank, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, IWC - International Wheat Council, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador J. R. P. DUMAS; Chancery at 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,036; telephone (202) 467-6,490; Trinidad and Tobago has a Consulate General in New York; US - Ambassador Charles A. GARGANO; Embassy at 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain (mailing address is P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain; telephone Õ809å 622-6,372 or 6,376, 6,176

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

Economy overview: Trinidad and Tobago's petroleum-based economy has been in decline since 1982. During the first half of the 1980s, the petroleum sector accounted for nearly 80% of export earnings, 40% of government revenues, and almost 25% of GDP. In recent years, however, the economy has suffered because of the sharp fall in the price of oil. The government, in response to the revenue loss, pursued a series of austerity measures that pushed the unemployment rate to 21.6% in 1987. Agriculture employs only about 10% of the labor force and produces less than 3% of GDP. Since this sector is small, it has been unable to absorb the large numbers of the unemployed.

Agriculture products: sugar, cocoa, coffee, rice, citrus, bananas; largely dependent upon imports of food

Industries: petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 5.2%, excluding oil refining (1986)

Labor force: 463,900; 18.1% construction and utilities; 14.8% manufacturing, mining, and quarrying; 10.9% agriculture; 47.9% other services (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate: 21.6% (1987)

Budget: revenues $1.4 billion; expenditures $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $430 million (1988 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: includes reexports - petroleum and petroleum products 70%, fertilizer, chemicals 15%, steel products, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus (1987)
Partners: US 61%, EC 15%, CARICOM 9%, Latin America 7%, Canada 3% (1986)

Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: raw materials 41%, capital goods 30%, consumer goods 29% (1986)
Partners: US 42%, EC 21%, Japan 10%, Canada 6%, Latin America 6%, CARICOM 4% (1986)

Debt external: $2.02 billion (December 1987)

Exchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TT$) per US$1 - 4.2500 (January 1989), 3.8438 (1988), 3.6000 (1987), 3.6000 (1986), 2.4500 (1985)

Electricity
Capacity: 1,176,000 kW capacity; 3,312 million kWh produced, 2,720 kWh per capita (1988)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: NA

Airports: 6 total, 5 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Pipelines: 1,032 km crude oil; 19 km refined products; 904 km natural gas