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 struggling to reverse a surge in violent crime.

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

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 362 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguouszone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf:

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.)
Forest: 44% (2018 est.)
Other: 45.4% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 70 km² (2012)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 237.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Industrial: 128.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 16.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 3.84 billion cubic meters (2017 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

Population
Distribution: population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half: 1,405,646 (2022 est.)
Growth rate: 0.14% (2022 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.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 19.01% (male 116,953/female 112,805)
15-24 years: 11.28% (male 70,986/female 65,389)
25-54 years: 43.77% (male 276,970/female 252,108)
55-64 years: 13.83% (male 83,650/female 83,585)
65 years and over: 12.11% (male 64,092/female 82,251) (2020 est.)

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: 37.8 years
Male: 37.3 years
Female: 38.3 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.14% (2022 est.)

Birth rate: 10.79 births/1000 population (2022 est.)

Death rate: 8.38 deaths/1000 population (2022 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.01 migrant(s)/1000 population (2022 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: 22.04 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 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
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 67 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 15.83 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 17.97 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 13.61 deaths/1000 live births (2022 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.94 years
Male: 74.02 years
Female: 77.93 years (2022 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.63 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Current health expenditure: 7% of GDP (2019)

Physicians density: 4.48 physicians/1000 population (2019)

Hospital bed density: 3 beds/1000 population (2017)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 1% (2021 est.)

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.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4.9% (2011)

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)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 8.7%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 8.9%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 8.4% (2016 est.)

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

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 descentonly: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Paula-Mae WEEKES (since 19 March 2018)
Head of government: Prime Minister Keith ROWLEY (since 9 September 2015)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among members of Parliament
Elections and 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 19 January 2018 (next to be held by February 2023); the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives as prime minister
Election results: Paula-Mae WEEKES (independent) elected president; ran unopposed and was elected without a vote; she is Trinidad and Tobago'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)
Election results: Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition as of May 2020 - men 18, women 13, percent of women 41.9%
House of Representatives - percent by party - NA; seats by party - PNM 22, UNC 19; composition - as of May 2022 - men 31, women 11, percent of women 26.2%; note - overall Parliament percent of women 32.9%
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: Congress of the People or COP [Kirt SINNETTE]
People's National Movement or PNM [Keith ROWLEY]
Progressive Democratic Patriots or PDP (Tobago) [Watson DUKE]
United National Congress or UNC [Kamla PERSAD-BISSESSAR]

International organization participation: ACP, 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 Anthony Wayne Jerome PHILLIPS-SPENCER, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) (since 27 June 2016)
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:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Shante MOORE (since 20 January 2021)
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:

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 and 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

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 78.9% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 16.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 8.2% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.6% (2017 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: 0.4% (2017 est.)
Industry: 47.8% (2017 est.)
Services: 51.7% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: poultry, fruit, coconuts, citrus fruit, milk, plantains, maize, oranges, eggs, gourds

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

Industrial production growth rate: -4.3% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 629,400 (2017 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 3.1%
By occupation industry: 11.5%
By occupation services: 85.4% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 8.7%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 8.9%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 8.4% (2016 est.)

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

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

Budget
Revenues: $5.581 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $7.446 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: $-8.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 24.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt:

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

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices:

Current account balance:

Exports:
Partners: United States 33%, Guyana 9%, Spain 6%, China 6% (2019)
Commodities: natural gas, industrial alcohols, crude petroleum, ammonia, iron products, refined petroleum (2019)

Imports:
Partners: United States 40%, Guyana 19%, China 6% (2019)
Commodities: refined petroleum, excavation machinery, shipping containers, iron, cars (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Installed generating capacity: 2.123 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 8,213,020,000 kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
Transmission distribution losses: 424 million kWh (2019 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Coal
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 81,000 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 35,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 22,100 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 64,700 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 243 million barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum
Products production: 134,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports: 106,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 30,886,691,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)
Consumption: 16,247,415,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)
Exports: 14,662,269,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Proven reserves: 298.063 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 39.652 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 10,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 4.631 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 35.011 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 323,905 (2020)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2020 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 2,163,730 (2019)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 155.11 (2019)

Broadcast media: 6 free-to-air TV networks, 2 of which are state-owned; 24 subscription providers (cable and satellite); over 36 radio frequencies (2019)

Internet
Country code: .tt
Users total: 1,074,126 (2019 est.)
Users percent of population: 77% (2019 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 376,771 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2020 est.)

Military expenditures:

Military and security forces: Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF): Army/Land Forces (Trinidad and Tobago Regiment), Coast Guard, Air Guard, Defense Force Reserves; Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) (2022)
Note: the Ministry of National Security oversees defense, immigration, and the police

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 (2022)
Note: as of 2017, women comprised about 14% of the active duty military

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
Total: 4 (2021)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2021)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2021)

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

Merchant marine
Total: 105
By type: general cargo 1, other 104 (2021)

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port of Spain, Scarborough
Oil terminals: Galeota Point terminal
Lng terminals export: Port Fortin

Disputes international: Trinidad and Tobago-Barbados: 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 EEZ

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 28,500 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2021)

Illicit drugs: a transit point for illegal drugs destined for Europe, North America, and the rest of the Caribbean; drug trafficking organizations use proximity to Venezuela, porous borders, vulnerabilities at ports of entry, limited law enforcement capacity and resources, and law enforcement corruption to traffic illicit drugs;  marijuana the only locally-produced illicit drug