Form of Government: Republic
Area: 5 127 sq km
Population: 1 366 725 inhab. (estimate 2020)
Density: 266.57 inhab./sq km
Coordinates: lat. 12° - 10° N; long. 62° - 60° W
Capital: Port of Spain (capital) 37 074 inhab. (2011); Port of Spain 544 417 inhab. (2018), urban agglomeration
Currency: Trinidad and Tobago dollar (100 cents)
Human development index: 0.796 (rank: 67)
President: Paula-Mae Weekes (independent), elected 19 January 2018, in office since 19 March 2018
Prime Minister: Keith Rowley (PNM), since 9 September 2015
House of Representatives: seats based on the elections of 10 August 2020: PNM (People’s National Movement, conservative), 22; UNC (United National Congress, social democrat), 19
Internet: www.cso.gov.tt (Central Statistical Office)
Member of Caricom, Commonwealth, OAS, UN, WTO
Trinidad and Tobago

International license plate code TT
International dialling code 001868
Travel vaccinations requirement yellow fever (recommended for some areas of Trinidad; it is also required if traveling from a country with risk of transmission)
Electricity (Voltage) 115
Driving side left
Internet code .tt
GMT -4
DST not applied
Annual average temperature (°C) Port of Spain 25.8
Average temperature in January/July (°C) Port of Spain 24/26
Daily sunshine hours in June/December (average) Port of Spain 7/7
Annual average precipitation (mm) Port of Spain 1390
Days of rainfall (annual average) Port of Spain 173
Geography.
Trinidad and Tobago are two islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Venezuela, Trinidad, the larger of the two, is mostly flat and covered by forests.
The small island of Tobago is more mountainous.
The climate is sub-equatorial.
Government
A former British colony in the West Indies Federation (1958-61), Trinidad and Tobago has been an independent state since 1962 and was proclaimed a republic on 1 August 1976. Since 1995 the government has alternated between the UNC (the party representing the descendants of Indian immigrants) and the PNM (the party representing the descendants of African slaves), already leading the country since independence. The President of the Republic is elected by Parliament for a five-year term. Legislative power is exercised in the two chambers of Parliament: the House of Representatives (41 elected members) and the Senate (31 members, including 9 members appointed by the President, 16 by the majority and 6 by the opposition), in office for 5 years. Tobago has its own parliamentary assembly and has some administrative autonomy.
Administrative division
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Chaguanas | 83 516 | inhab. | 2011 |
San Fernando | 48 838 | inhab. | 2011 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Port of Spain | 544 417 | inhab. | 2018 |
Population
Population by age and gender (% - 2020) | ||||||||
| ||||||||
MALE | AGE | FEMALE |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Birth rate | 12.578 | ‰ | 2019 |
Death rate | 8.5 | ‰ | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Indian | 35.4 | % | 2011 |
black | 34.2 | % | 2011 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Protestant | 26.2 | % | 2011 |
Catholic | 21.6 | % | 2011 |
DESCRIPTION |
---|
English |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
0-14 years | 18.7 | % | 2020 |
15-29 years | 17.4 | % | 2020 |
Economy
Largely reliant on hydrocarbons, which account for most of its exports and feed a sovereign wealth fund, the country has attempted to diversify its economy by focusing on tourism, telecommunications and financial activities.
Fruit (pineapple, coconut) is the main trading crop. Bananas, taro and cassava are the main subsistence crops.
The most important sector is hydrocarbons: two oil pipelines take crude oil from the wells at Tabaquite and in the south-west of Trinidad to Claxton Bay and Point Fortin, where there is also natural gas liquefaction plant. The Pitch Lake at La Brea is a large natural deposit of asphalt.
Electricity production is based on gas-powered thermo-electric plants. Industry includes petrochemical works (Pointe-à-Pierre, Point Fortin and La Brea), chemical facilities, sugar refineries, a cement plant (Claxton Bay), beer, rum and non-alcoholic drink factories and cigarette manufacturing plants. Angostura bitters, made from the bark of the Angostura trifoliata, is a typical production.
There is a stock exchange in Port of Spain. Tourism activities are mostly centred on the Island of Tobago (tourists come largely from the USA).
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Agricultural prod. index (2004-06=100) | 96.01 | index | 2016 |
Agricultural prod. index (2014-16=100) | 104.31 | index | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Active population | 637 047 | units | 2020 |
Active population, Females | 42.5 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Unemployment rate | 6.7 | % | 2020 |
Unemployment rate, Females | 44.8 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expenses | 46 910.3 | M LCU | 2019 |
Revenues | 45 586.3 | M LCU | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
agriculture | 3$ | % | 2019 |
industry | 26.7 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
agriculture | 1.04 | % | 2019 |
industry | 40.818 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Currency in circulation | 8.412 | BN LCU | 2020 |
International reserves | 7 071.773 | M US$ | 2020 |
Agriculture
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
arable land | 9.162 | % | 2018 |
forests | 44.645 | % | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cereals, total | 6$ | 1000 t | 2019 |
maize | 5$ | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cassava | 2.355 | 1000 t | 2019 |
roots and tubers, total | 9.482 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cabbages | 0.628 | 1000 t | 2019 |
cauliflowers | 0.16 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
coconuts | 15.039 | 1000 t | 2019 |
copra | 1$ | 1000 t | 2006 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cocoa | 0.228 | 1000 t | 2019 |
coffee | 0.023 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
sugar cane | 810 | 1000 t | 2009 |
tobacco | 0.206 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
fruits, total | 72.744 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
citrus fruits | 15.299 | 1000 t | 2019 |
citrus fruits, nes | 7.54 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
avocados | 0.661 | 1000 t | 2019 |
bananas | 2.249 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
maize | 3$ | 1000 ha | 2019 |
rice | 2$ | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cassava | 0.414 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
sweet potatoes | 0.314 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cabbages | 0.09 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
cauliflowers | 0.023 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
coconuts | 1.917 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cocoa | 2.834 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
coffee | 0.157 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
sugar cane | 15$ | 1000 ha | 2009 |
tobacco | 0.15 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
citrus fruits | 2.965 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
citrus fruits, nes | 0.658 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
avocados | 0.123 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
bananas | 0.781 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
Forests-Livestock-Fishing
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
timber | 196 970 | m³ | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cattle | 35.292 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
cattle and buffaloes | 41.41 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
buffaloes | 6.118 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
pigs | 20.071 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
sheep | 13.617 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
goats | 8.226 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
asses | 2.354 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
asses and mules | 4.402 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
birds | 38 438 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
honey | 0.057 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
condensed milk | 516 | t | 2018 |
eggs | 3.55 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
crustaceans and molluscs | 847.482 | t | 2019 |
freshwater fishes | 53$ | t | 2019 |
Minerals
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
natural gas | 29 465.3 | M m³ | 2020 |
oil, crude | 2 816.5 | 1000 t | 2020 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
asphalt, natural | 16.2 | 1000 t | 2010 |
Energy
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
- thermal | 8 666.8 | M kWh | 2018 |
non-renewable electricity generation | 99.942 | % | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
- thermal | 2 046 | 1000 kW | 2018 |
- other renew. | 8.01 | 1000 kW | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
total net generation | 8 671.8 | M kWh | 2018 |
total installed capacity | 2 054.01 | 1000 kW | 2018 |
Industry
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
pig iron | 1 540 | 1000 t | 2018 |
steel, crude | 36$ | 1000 t | 2017 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
bitumen | 11$ | 1000 t | 2018 |
petrol | 1 368 | 1000 t | 2014 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
ammonia | 4 300 | 1000 t | 2020 |
fertilizers | 6 104 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
beer of barley | 56.9 | 1000 t | 2018 |
coconut oil | 0.978 | 1000 t | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cigarettes - t | 5.2 | 1000 t | 2008 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
other paper | 15$ | 1000 t | 2019 |
paper | 15$ | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cement | 678.3 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
chemicals production | 396.7 | M US$ | 2006 |
food, beverages and tobacco production | 113.9 | M US$ | 2006 |
Trade
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
fuels | 48.866 | % of goods exports | 2015 |
manufactures | 43.607 | % of goods exports | 2015 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
United States | 4 962 | M US$ | 2009 |
Jamaica | 476 | M US$ | 2009 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
United States | 2 159 | M US$ | 2009 |
Colombia | 690 | M US$ | 2009 |
Tourism
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expenditures | 133 | M US$ | 2019 |
Number of arrivals | 389 000 | units | 2019 |
Communications
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Civil aviation, km flown | 26 500 000 | km flown | 2006 |
Civil aviation, passengers carried | 2 583.6 | 1000 units | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Broadband subscribers | 243.259 | per 1000 pop. | 2019 |
Computers | 132.1 | per 1000 pop. | 2008 |
Social and welfare
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expected years of schooling | 12.3 | years | 2007 |
Graduates | 3 176 | units | 2004 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Students, primary level | 131 350 | units | 2010 |
Students, secondary level | 95 275 | units | 2008 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Social protection spending | 24.605 | % of total expenses | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Hospital beds | 3.02 | per 1000 pop. | 2017 |
Physicians | 4.17 | per 1000 pop. | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
HIV | 0.7 | % of adults | 2019 |
HIV, total | 2.6 | % | 2005 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Research and development spending | 0.084 | % of GDP | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking | 100 | % | 2019 |
Access to electricity | 100 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
food, non-alcoholic beverages | 18$ | % | 2003 |
housing, energy | 26.2 | % | 2003 |