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Central America and the Caribbean
Page last updated: July 24, 2024
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.
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
11 00 N, 61 00 W
Central America and the Caribbean
Total : 5,128 km²
Land: 5,128 km²
Water: 0 km²
Slightly smaller than Delaware
Area comparison map:
Total: 0 km
362 km
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
Tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 83 m
Petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
Agricultural land: 10.6% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 4.9% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 1.4% (2018 est.)
Forest: 44% (2018 est.)
Other: 45.4% (2018 est.)
70 km² (2012)
Population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half
Outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms
Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt
Total: 1,408,966
Male: 708,260
Female: 700,706 (2024 est.)
Comparison rankings: female 155; male 157; total 157
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
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.)
English (official), Trinidadian Creole English, Tobagonian Creole English, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Trinidadian Creole French, Spanish, Chinese
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.)
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)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 43.7
Youth dependency ratio: 29.3
Elderly dependency ratio: 16.8
Potential support ratio: 7.4 (2021 est.)
Total: 38.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 38 years
Female: 39 years
0.1% (2024 est.)
10.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half
Urban population: 53.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
545,000 PORT-OF-SPAIN (capital) (2023)
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.)
27 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
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
Total population: 76.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 74.6 years
Female: 78.4 years
1.63 children born/woman (2024 est.)
0.8 (2024 est.)
NA
Improved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 100% of population
Unimproved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
7.3% of GDP (2020)
4.48 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
3 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Improved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 99.9% of population
Unimproved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)
18.6% (2016)
Total: 5.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer: 2.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 2.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
48.6% (2023 est.)
4.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99%
Male: 99.2%
Female: 98.7% (2015)
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
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
Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Agricultural land: 10.6% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 4.9% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 1.4% (2018 est.)
Forest: 44% (2018 est.)
Other: 45.4% (2018 est.)
Urban population: 53.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
0.05% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
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.)
Municipal solid waste generated annually: 727,874 tons (2010 est.)
Municipal: 240 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 130 million cubic meters (202 est.)
Agricultural: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
3.84 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
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
Parliamentary republic
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
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
31 August 1962 (from the UK)
Independence Day, 31 August (1962)
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
English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years
18 years of age; universal
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 2028); 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
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 - 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)
Highest court(s): 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
People's National Movement or PNM [Keith ROWLEY]
United National Congress or UNC [Kamla PERSAD-BISSESSAR]
Tobago People’s Party or Tobago [Farley AUGUSTINE]
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
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
Scarlet ibis (bird of Trinidad), cocrico (bird of Tobago), Chaconia flower; national colors: red, white, black
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
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
$43.681 billion (2023 est.)
$42.781 billion (2022 est.)
$42.157 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars
2.1% (2023 est.)
1.48% (2022 est.)
-1.04% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
$28,500 (2023 est.)
$27,900 (2022 est.)
$27,600 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars
$28.14 billion (2023 est.)
Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
4.63% (2023 est.)
5.83% (2022 est.)
2.06% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Moody's rating: Ba1 (2017)
Standard & Poors rating: BBB- (2020)
Note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agriculture: 0.4% (2017 est.)
Industry: 47.8% (2017 est.)
Services: 51.7% (2017 est.)
Comparison rankings: services 170; industry 14; agriculture 211
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.)
Chicken, fruits, coconuts, citrus fruits, plantains, maize, eggs, oranges, tomatoes, bananas (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, food processing, cement, cotton textiles
3.18% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
681,000 (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
4.21% (2023 est.)
4.38% (2022 est.)
4.45% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment
Total: 12.7% (2021 est.)
Male: 12.8%
Female: 12.6%
20% (2014 est.)
0.63% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.68% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.96% of GDP (2021 est.)
Note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Revenues: $4.939 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $7.528 billion (2020 est.)
-8.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
41.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
37% of GDP (2016 est.)
16.55% (of GDP) (2019 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
$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
$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
US 35%, Belgium 6%, Morocco 5%, Spain 4%, Brazil 4% (2022)
Note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Ammonia, natural gas, crude petroleum, acyclic alcohols, fertilizers (2022)
Note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
$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
US 40%, China 9%, Italy 7%, Brazil 4%, Canada 3% (2022)
Note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Refined petroleum, iron ore, cars, plastic products, excavation machinery (2022)
Note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
$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
$8.238 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$8.746 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
6.75 (2023 est.)
6.754 (2022 est.)
6.759 (2021 est.)
6.751 (2020 est.)
6.754 (2019 est.)
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.)
Comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 76; consumption 108; installed generating capacity 114
Fossil fuels: 99.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Consumption: 100 metric tons (2021 est.)
Imports: 200 metric tons (2022 est.)
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.)
Production: 26.772 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Consumption: 15.913 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Exports: 10.878 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 298.063 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
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.)
Total subscriptions: 326,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2022 est.)
Total subscriptions: 1.999 million (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 131 (2022 est.)
General assessment: excellent international service; good local service; broadband access; expanded FttP (Fiber to the Home) markets; LTE launch; regulatory development; major growth in mobile telephony and data segments which attacks operation investment in fiber infrastructure; moves to end roaming charges (2020)
Domestic: fixed-line is 21 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity 131 per 100 persons (2022)
International: country code - 1-868; landing points for the EC Link, ECFS, Southern Caribbean Fiber, SG-SCS and Americas II submarine cable systems provide connectivity to US, parts of the Caribbean and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana (2020)
6 free-to-air TV networks, 2 of which are state-owned; 24 subscription providers (cable and satellite); over 36 radio frequencies (2019)
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Total: 1.185 million (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 79% (2021 est.)
Total: 376,771 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2020 est.)
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
9Y
3 (2024)
257 km condensate, 11 km condensate/gas, 1,567 km gas, 587 km oil (2013)
Total: 102 (2023)
By type: general cargo 1, other 101
Total ports: 10 (2024)
Large: 0
Medium: 1
Small: 4
Very small: 5
Ports with oil terminals: 8
Key ports: Galeota Point Terminal, Point Lisas Industrial Port, Point Lisas Port, Pointe-a-Pierre, Port of Spain
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) (2024)
Note: the Ministry of National Security oversees both the TTDF and the TTPS
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.)
Approximately 5,000 TTDF personnel (2023)
The TTDF's ground force inventory includes only light weapons, while the Coast Guard and Air Guard field mostly secondhand equipment from a mix of countries, including Australia, China, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US (2023)
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (some age variations between services, reserves); no conscription (2023)
Note: as of 2019, women comprised about 14% of the active duty military
The Police Service maintains internal security; the TTDF's primary responsibilities are conducting border and maritime security, assisting civil authorities in times of crisis or disaster, providing search and rescue services, and supporting law enforcement, particularly in countering gang-related crime and trafficking of narcotics and other illicit goods; the Coast Guard is responsible for maritime border security in places with no official ports of entry (2023)
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)
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