Trinidad & Tobago
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.
Official Name
Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
GEOGRAPHY
Total Land Area
Trinidad: 4,768 square km (1,980 miles)
Tobago: 298 square km (1,864 miles)
Capital City
Port of Spain
Main Industrial Locations
San Fernando, Point Lisas, Point Fortin
Form Of Government
Parliamentary Democracy
PEOPLE AND SOCIETY
Official Language
English
Monetary Unit
Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (TT$6.40 = US$1.00)
Population
1,222,363 (July 2015 est.)
Population Growth Rate
-0.13% 92015 est.)
Urbanization
Urban Population: 8.4%
Sex Ratio
1.03 males/female
Unemployment
4% (2014 est.)
ECONOMY
GDP
Purchasing Power Parity: US$43.42 billion (2014 est.)
Official Exchange Rate: US$28.79 billion (2014 est.)
Real Growth Rate: 1.1% (2014 est.)
Per Capita (PPP): $32,100 (2014 est.)
Inflation
7% (2014 est.)
Foreign Exchange Reserves
US$10.99 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
External Debt
US$4.924 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Export Partners
United States 31.8%, Argentina: 9.6%, Brazil: 8.0% Chile: 5.0%, Spain: 4.4% (2013)
Important Export Products:
Oil, fuels: 60%
Chemical Products: 17%
Finished Goods: 12%
TRANSPORTATION
Motor Vehicles
Total 367,996 registered vehicles (2004)
Motorcycles: 3,679
Private vehicles: 256,785
Rented: 9,185
Hired: 33,407
Goods: 64,501
Omnibus: 439
Roadways (2001 est.)
Total: 8,320 km
Paved: 4,252 km
Unpaved: 4,068 km