Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

President: Maxwell Richards (2003)

Prime Minister: Patrick Manning (2001)

Total area: 1,981 sq mi (5,131 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 1,065,842 (growth rate: –0.9%); birth rate: 12.9/1000; infant mortality rate: 25.1/1000; life expectancy: 66.8; density per sq mi: 538

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Port-of-Spain, 263,800 (metro. area), 45,300 (city proper)

Monetary unit: Trinidad and Tobago dollar

Languages: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese

Ethnicity/race: Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000)

Religions: Roman Catholic 26%, Anglican 8%, Baptist 7%, Pentecostal 7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4%, other Christian 6%, Hindu 22%, Islam 6%, none 2%

Literacy rate: 99% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $13.92 billion; per capita $12,900. Real growth rate: 7%. Inflation: 6.8%. Unemployment: 8%. Arable land: 15%. Agriculture: cocoa, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry. Labor force: 620,000; construction and utilities 12.4%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 9.5%, services 64.1% (1997 est.). Industries: petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles. Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt. Exports: $9.161 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers. Imports: $6.011 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals. Major trading partners: U.S., Jamaica, France, Venezuela, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Italy (2004).

Member of Commonwealth of Nations

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 252,000 (1999); mobile cellular: 17,411 (1997). Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998). Radios: 680,000 (1997). Television broadcast stations: 4 (1997). Televisions: 425,000 (1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17 (2000). Internet users: 120,000 (2002).

Transportation: Railways: minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando; railway service was discontinued in 1968 (2001). Highways: total: 8,320 km; paved: 4,252 km; unpaved: 4,068 km (1999 est.). Ports and harbors: Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora. Airports: 6 (2002).

International disputes: none.

 

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