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.

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N 61 00 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 5,128 km²
Rank: 173
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 lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas asphalt

Land use
Arable land: 14.62%
Permanent crops: 9.16%
Other: 76.22% (2005)

Irrigated land: 40 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 3.8 km³ (2000)

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

Population: 1,229,953 (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 154
Growth rate: -0.102% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 214
Below poverty line: 17% (2007 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Trinidadian Tobagonian
Adjective: Trinidadian Tobagonian

Ethnic groups: Indian (South Asian) 40% African 37.5% mixed 20.5% other 1.2% unspecified 0.8% (2000 census)

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

Religions: Roman Catholic 26% Hindu 22.5% Anglican 7.8% Baptist 7.2% Pentecostal 6.8% Muslim 5.8% Seventh Day Adventist 4% other Christian 5.8% other 10.8% unspecified 1.4% none 1.9% (2000 census)

Age structure
0-14 years: 19.6%
15-64 years: 72.6% (male 457,868/female 434,486)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 41,467/female 55,334) (2009 est.)

Median age
Total: 32.1 years
Male: 31.6 years
Female: 32.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.102% (2009 est.)
Rank: 214

Birth rate: 14.36 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 147

Death rate: 8.11 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 108

Net migration rate: -7.28 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 171

Urbanization
Urban population: 13% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals industrial wastes and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Marine Life Conservation Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Tropical Timber 83 Tropical Timber 94 Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 29.93 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 75
Male: 31.14 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 28.7 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.86 years
Rank: 135
Male: 67.98 years
Female: 73.82 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 167

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.5% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 44
People living with hivaids: 14,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 89
Deaths: 1900 (2003 est.)
Deaths rank: 61

Education expenditures: 4.2% of GDP (2002)
Rank: 100

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.6%
Male: 99.1%
Female: 98% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 11 years (2005)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Government type: parliamentary democracy

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)

Administrative divisions: 9 regional corporations 2 city corporations 3 borough corporations 1 ward
Regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Diego Martin Mayaro/Rio Claro Penal/Debe Princes Town Sangre Grande San Juan/Laventille Siparia Tunapuna/Piarco
City corporations: Port-of-Spain San Fernando
Borough corporations: Arima Chaguanas Point Fortin
Ward: Tobago

Independence: 31 August 1962 (from the 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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS
Head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
Elections: president elected by an electoral college which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 February 2008 (next to be held by February 2013); the president usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives
Election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS reelected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA

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 5 November 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
Election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 46% UNC 29.7%; seats by party - PNM 26 UNC 15
Note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members serving four-year terms; last election held in January 2005; seats by party - PNM 11 DAC 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Political parties and leaders: Congress of the People [Winston DOOKERAN]; Democratic Action Congress or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES] (only active in Tobago); Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Gerald YETMING] (coalition of NAR DDPT MND); Movement for National Development or MND [Garvin NICHOLAS]; National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Dr. Carson CHARLES]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]

International organization participation: ACP C Caricom CDB FAO G-24 G-77 IADB IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC ISO ITSO ITU ITUC LAES MIGA NAM OAS OPANAL OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Glenda MOREAN-PHILLIP
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 chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN
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

Economy overview: Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses and has one of the highest growth rates and per capita incomes in Latin America. Economic growth for the past seven years has averaged slightly over 8% significantly above the regional average of about 3.7% for that same period; however it has slowed down this year to about 5% and is expected to slow further with the global downturn. Growth has been fueled by investments in liquefied natural gas (LNG) petrochemicals and steel. Additional petrochemical aluminum and plastics projects are in various stages of planning. Trinidad and Tobago is the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas and its economy is heavily dependent upon these resources but it also supplies manufactured goods notably food 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. The country is also a regional financial center and tourism is a growing sector although it is not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from a growing trade surplus. The MANNING administration has benefited from fiscal surpluses fueled by the dynamic export sector; however declines in oil and gas prices have reduced government revenues which will challenge his government's commitment to maintaining high levels of public investment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 107
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 109

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 53
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.5%
Industry: 62.3%
Services: 37.2% (2008 est.)

Agriculture products: cocoa rice citrus coffee vegetables; poultry

Industries: petroleum chemicals tourism food processing cement beverage cotton textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (2008 est.)
Rank: 65

Labor force: 620,800 (2008 est.)
Rank: 148
By occupation agriculture: 3.8%
By occupation manufacturing mining and quarrying: 12.8%
By occupation construction and utilities: 20.4%
By occupation services: 62.9% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.5% (2007 est.)
Rank: 58

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

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

Budget
Revenues: $7.421 billion
Expenditures: $7.141 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt: 54.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Rank: 79

Inflation rate consumer prices: 7.9% (2007 est.)
Rank: 169

Central bank discount rate: 10% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 40

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 11.75% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 70

Stock of domestic credit: $3.73 billion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 87

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 70

Current account balance: $5.364 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 34

Exports: $13.39 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 76
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products liquefied natural gas (LNG) methanol ammonia urea steel products beverages cereal and cereal products sugar cocoa coffee citrus fruit vegetables flowers
Partners: US 44.5% Spain 7.8% Jamaica 6.9% Netherlands 6.9% Mexico 4.9% (2008)

Imports: $7.67 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 94
Commodities: mineral fuels lubricants machinery transportation equipment manufactured goods food chemicals live animals
Partners: US 26.8% Brazil 9.8% Venezuela 7.9% Colombia 6.2% China 4.1% Gabon 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.745 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 67

Debt external: $2.869 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 117

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $12.44 billion (2007)
Rank: 35

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $3.829 billion (2007)
Rank: 60

Exchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar - 6.2896 (2008 est.) 6.3275 (2007) 6.3107 (2006) 6.2842 (2005) 6.299 (2004)

Electricity
Production: 7.202 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 101
Consumption: 7.034 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 97
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 39.3 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 22
Consumption: 21.94 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 33
Exports: 17.36 billion m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 13
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 129
Proven reserves: 531.5 billion m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 31

Telephones
Main lines in use: 307,000 (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 115
Mobile cellular: 1.505 million (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 132

Telephone system
General assessment: excellent international service; good local service
Domestic: mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 175 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

Internet
Country code: .tt
Hosts: 162,849 (2009)
Hosts rank: 67
Users: 227,000 (2008)
Users rank: 132

Military expenditures: 0.3% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 169

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Airports: 6 (2009)
Rank: 175
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Pipelines: gas 659 km; oil 336 km (2008)

Roadways
Total: 8,320 km
Rank: 139
Paved: 4,252 km
Unpaved: 4,068 km (2000)

Merchant marine
Total: 9
Rank: 118
By type: passenger 2 passenger/cargo 5 petroleum tanker 2
Foreign owned: 1 (US 1)
Registered in other countries: 2 (Bahamas 1 unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Point Fortin Point Lisas Port-of-Spain

Disputes international: in April 2006 the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a decision that delimited a maritime boundary with Trinidad and Tobago and compelled Barbados to enter a fishing agreement that limited Barbadian fishermen's 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 UNCLOS 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

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