Trinidad and Tobago Tourism - Travel to Trinidad and Tobago

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Capital	Port-of-Spain
Government	parliamentary democracy
Currency	Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)
Area	total: 5,128 sq km land: 5,128 sq km water: 0 sq km
Population	1,163,724 (July 2002 est.)
Language	English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese
Religion	Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Muslim 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%

The Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago make up a Central American country between the eastern Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, to the northeast of Venezuela.

Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt.

Regions in Trinidad and Tobago

Travel to Trinidad and Tobago - Trinidad and Tobago Tourism

Map of Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad
- Counties:
- Caroni
- Mayaro
- Nariva
- Saint Andrew
- Saint David
- Saint George
- Saint Patrick
- Victoria
Tobago

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Climate in Trinidad and Tobago

Tropical; rainy season (June to December). Lies outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms.

Terrain

Mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

History of Trinidad and Tobago

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.

Independence: 31 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Constitution: 1 August 1976

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Trinidad and Tobago Talk

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

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The rest of this article is an import from the CIA World Factbook 2002. It's a starting point for creating a real aTRAVELdirectory country article according to our country article template. Please plunge forward and edit it.

Geography in Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 61 00 W
Area: total land: 5,128 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware
Coastline: 362 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 NM
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
Land use: arable land: 14.62%
permanent crops: 9.16%
other: 76.22% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)
Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

People in Trinidad and Tobago

Population: 1,163,724 (July 2002 est.)
Nationality: noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian
Ethnic groups: black 39.5%, East Indian (a local term - primarily immigrants from northern India) 40.3%, mixed 18.4%, white 0.6%, Chinese and other 1.2%
Religions: Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Muslim 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%

Government in Trinidad and Tobago

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 on the advice of 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); High Court of Justice; Court of Appeals the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mackisack LOGIE
chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130
telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN
embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain
mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain
telephone: [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376
FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462

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

Economy in Trinidad and Tobago

Economy - overview: Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses. A leading performer in the past 4 years has been the booming natural gas sector. Tourism is a growing sector, although not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The expected recovery of the global economy, along with anticipated higher oil prices, are plus factors for 2002. Negative factors are persistent high unemployment and the political uncertainties following the contentious selection of a new government in December 2001.

Labor force - by occupation: construction and utilities 12%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 10%, services 64% (1997 est.)
Industries: petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles
Agriculture - products: cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry
Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers
Imports - commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals
Currency: Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)
Currency code: TTD
Exchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.2466 (January 2002), 6.2332 (2001), 6.2998 (2000), 6.2989 (1999), 6.2983 (1998), 6.2517 (1997)
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 252,000 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 17,411 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: excellent international service; good local service
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 680,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1997)
Televisions: 425,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .tt
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17 (2000)
Internet users: 120,000 (2002)

Transportation in Trinidad and Tobago

Railways: minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando; common carrier railway service was discontinued in 1968 (2001)
Highways: total: 8,320 km
paved: 4,252 km
unpaved: 4,068 km (1996)
Airports: 6 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military

Military branches: Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (including Ground Force, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Trinidad and Tobago Police Service

Transnational Issues in Trinidad and Tobago

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