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North & Central America and Caribbean
Trinidad and Tobago |
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Last reviewed: 09 July 2008 |
Country information
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO TODAY
Country Facts
Area: 5,128 sq km; 1,980 sq miles
Population: 1,056,608 (July 2007 est.)
Capital City: Port of Spain (population 300,000)
People: Trinidad and Tobago's people are mainly of African or East Indian descent. Virtually all speak English. Small percentages also speak Hindi, French patois, and several other dialects. Trinidad has two major cultural traditions: Creole and East Indian. Creole is a mixture of African elements with Spanish, French, and English colonial culture. Trinidad's East Indian culture came to the island with indentured servants brought to fill a labour shortage created by the emancipation of the African slaves in 1833. Most remained on the land, and they still dominate the agricultural sector, but many have become prominent in business and the professions. East Indians retain many traditions, including the celebration of Hindu and Muslim religious festivals.
Languages: English (official), Spanish
Religion(s): (approximately) Roman Catholic 30%, Hindu 24%, Anglican 11%, Muslim 6%, Presbyterian 4%, other 25%
Currency: Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (TTD): approximately 12.53 TTD to one UK pound (October 2007).
Major Political Parties: United National Congress (UNC); People's National Movement (PNM); National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR); Congress of the People (COP); Democratic National Alliance (DNA).
Government: Trinidad and Tobago is a unitary state, with a parliamentary democracy modelled after that of the UK.
Head of State: Professor George Maxwell RICHARDS
Prime Minister/Premier: Patrick MANNING
Foreign Minister: Paua GOPEE-SCOON
DID YOU KNOW...?
- Pitch Lake, in southwest Trinidad, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt. The lake has occasionally yielded fossils of prehistoric animals.
- The highest point in Trinidad and Tobago is 'El Cerro del Aripo'. At about 940 metres it is located in Trinidad.
- The islands are home to more than 400 species of birds, 600 species of butterflies, 50 kinds of reptiles and 100 types of mammals, including red howler monkeys, anteaters, agouti and armadillos.
Crime
Transhipment of illegal drugs, money-laundering and high levels of violent crime are all problems that Trinidad and Tobago faces. It also has a high level of domestic violence. The prison population is high.
The death penalty remains on the statute books but the law now allows for different categories of murder, removing the automatic death sentence for murder. The last executions were held in 1999 but a number of prisoners remain on death row.
Country information
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Travel Advice: Trinidad and Tobago
Useful Links
Contacts
Address:
42 Belgrave Square
London SW1X 8NT
Telephone:
Fax:
(020) 7823 1065
Email: tthc.info@btconnect.net
Office hours:
Mon–Fri: 0900–1700