Trinidad and Tobago

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 10, shortwave 0

Radios

700,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone system

excellent international service; good local service domestic: NA international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana

Telephones

170,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1997)

Televisions

400,000 (1992 est.)

Agriculture--products

cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry

Budget

revenues: $1.59 billion expenditures: $1.54 billion, including capital expenditures of $165.8 million (1997)

Currency

1 Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TT$) = 100 cents

Debt--external

$2.8 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient

$121.4 million (1995)

Economy--overview

Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses. Successful economic reforms were implemented in 1995, and foreign investment and trade are flourishing. Unemployment--a main cause of the country's socioeconomic problems--is high, but has decreased to its lowest point in six years. An investment boom in the energy sector led to a surge in imports in 1997. The resulting trade deficit is expected to return to a surplus once construction is completed and the plants come on line. The petrochemical sector has spurred growth in other related sectors, reinforcing the government's commitment to economic diversification. Tourism is a major foreign exchange earner, with 260,000 arrivals in 1995, 80% from Europe.

Electricity--consumption

4 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--production

4 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates

Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TT$) per US$1--6.2761 (January 1999), 6.2840 (1998), 6.2517 (1997), 6.0051 (1996), 5.9478 (1995), 5.9249 (1994)

Exports

$2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities

petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers

Exports--partners

US 39.7%, Caricom countries 24.5%, Latin America 10.3%, EU 8.2% (1997)

Fiscal year

1 October-30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity--$8.85 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector

agriculture: 2.2% industry: 44% services: 53.8% (1997 est.)

GDP--per capita

purchasing power parity?$8,000 (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate

4.3% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports--commodities

machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals

Imports--partners

US 52.2%, Latin America 16.5%, EU 13.8%, Japan 3.6% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate

7.5% (1995)

Industries

petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.7% (1997)

Labor force

541,000 (1997 est.)

Labor force--by occupation

construction and utilities 12.4%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 9.5%, services 64.1% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line

21% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

14% (June 1998)

Area

total: 5,130 sq km land: 5,130 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative

slightly smaller than Delaware

Climate

tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Coastline

362 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Environment--current issues

water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion

Environment--international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

11 00 N, 61 00 W

Irrigated land

220 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 15% permanent crops: 9% permanent pastures: 2% forests and woodland: 46% other: 28% (1993 est.)

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Terrain

mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Administrative divisions

8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**; Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria

Capital

Port-of-Spain

Constitution

1 August 1976

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Data code

TD

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Edward E. SHUMAKER, III embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael A. ARNEAUD chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Arthur Napoleon Raymond ROBINSON (since 19 March 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Basdeo PANDAY (since 9 November 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five-year term; election last held NA February 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister appointed from among the members of Parliament; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives is usually appointed prime minister election results: Arthur Napoleon Raymond ROBINSON elected president; percent of electoral college vote--69%

Flag description

red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

31 August 1962 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister); Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister)

Legal system

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; members appointed by the president for a maximum term of five years) and the House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives--last held 6 November 1995 (next to be held by December 2000) election results: House of Representatives--percent of vote--PNM 52%, UNC 42.2%, NAR 5.2%; seats by party--PNM 15, UNC 19, NAR 1, independent 1; note--the UNC formed a coalition with the NAR note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15 members serving four-year terms

National holiday

Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Political parties and leaders

People's National Movement or PNM

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Trinidad and Tobago Police Service

Military expenditures--dollar figure

$83 million (1994)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower--availability

males age 15-49: 312,870 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service

males age 15-49: 223,200 (1999 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27% (male 150,862; female 144,589) 15-64 years: 66% (male 377,894; female 346,375) 65 years and over: 7% (male 37,001; female 45,375) (1999 est.)

Birth rate

14.46 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate

8.14 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups

black 40%, East Indian (a local term--primarily immigrants from northern India) 40.3%, mixed 14%, white 1%, Chinese 1%, other 3.7%

Infant mortality rate

18.56 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages

English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.66 years male: 68.19 years female: 73.19 years (1999 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 98.8% female: 97% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s) adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Net migration rate

-19.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population

1,102,096 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate

-1.35% (1999 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 32.2%, Hindu 24.3%, Anglican 14.4%, other Protestant 14%, Muslim 6%, none or unknown 9.1%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.06 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Disputes--international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis

Airports

6 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways

total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways

total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Highways

total: 8,320 km paved: 4,252 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,336 GRT/2,567 DWT (1998 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 1,032 km; petroleum products 19 km; natural gas 904 km

Ports and harbors

Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora

Railways

minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando; railway service was discontinued in 1968