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.
Population
1,228,691 (July 2010 est.)
Country comparison to the world:155
Nationality
Noun:Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
Adjective:Trinidadian, Tobagonian
Ethnic groups
Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000 census)
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)
Languages
English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), French, Spanish, Chinese
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 (since 17 March 2003)
Head of government:Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001)
Cabinet:Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
(For more information visit the World Leaders website)
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]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]
International organization participation
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission:Ambassador Glenda MOREAN-PHILLIP
Chancery:1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
Telephone:[1] (202) 467-6490
FAX:[1] (202) 785-3130
Consulate(s) general:Miami, New York
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) 822-5905
Flag description
red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side
