Trinidad and Tobago

parliamentary republic

name: Port of Spain geographic coordinates: 10 39 N, 61 31 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: translation of the name the Spanish gave the town in 1595, Puerto de Espa a; the name was anglicized after the British captured Trinidad in 1797

chief of state: President Christine KANGALOO (since 20 March 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Kamla Susheila PERSAD-BISSESSAR (since 1 May 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among members of Parliament election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by an electoral college of selected Senate and House of Representatives members for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives as prime minister most recent election date: 20 January 2023 election results: 2023: Christine KANGALOO elected president by the electoral college on 20 January 2023; electoral college vote Christine KANGALOO (PNM) 48, Israel KHAN (UNC) 22 2018: Paula-Mae WEEKES (independent) elected president; ran unopposed and was elected without a vote; she was Trinidad and Tabago's first female head of state expected date of next election: by February 2028

legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly (19 seats; 15 assemblymen directly elected by simple majority vote and 4 appointed councilors - 3 on the advice of the chief secretary and 1 on the advice of the minority leader; members serve 4-year terms)

highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Judicature (consists of a chief justice for both the Court of Appeal with 12 judges and the High Court with 24 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the parliamentary leader of the opposition; other judges appointed by the Judicial Legal Services Commission, headed by the chief justice and 5 members with judicial experience; all judges serve for life with mandatory retirement normally at age 65 subordinate courts: Courts of Summary Criminal Jurisdiction; Petty Civil Courts; Family Court note: Trinidad and Tobago can file appeals beyond its Supreme Court to the Caribbean Court of Justice, with final appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

history: previous 1962; latest 1976 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, such as human rights and freedoms or citizenship, requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses and assent of the president; passage of amendments, such as the powers and authorities of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, and the procedure for amending the constitution, requires at least three-quarters majority vote by the House membership, two-thirds majority vote by the Senate membership, and assent of the president

ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

0.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF): Trinidad and Tobago Regiment (Army/Land Forces), Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard, Defense Force Reserves (2026) note: the Ministry of Homeland Security oversees both the TTDF and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS)

generally 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)

the primary responsibilities of the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF) are conducting border and maritime security, assisting civil authorities in times of crisis or disaster, providing search and rescue services, securing ports, and supporting civil law enforcement, particularly in countering gang-related crime and trafficking of narcotics and other illicit goods; the Police Service maintains internal security (2025)

$43.362 billion (2024 est.) $42.658 billion (2023 est.) $42.058 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$31,700 (2024 est.) $31,200 (2023 est.) $30,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

1.7% (2024 est.) 1.4% (2023 est.) 1.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

0.5% (2024 est.) 4.6% (2023 est.) 5.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

37% of GDP (2016 est.)

$11.087 billion (2024 est.) $11.545 billion (2023 est.) $17.584 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$10.19 billion (2024 est.) $9.219 billion (2023 est.) $10.968 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

4.6% (2024 est.) 4.3% (2023 est.) 4.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $5.698 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $7.822 billion (2019 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, food processing, cement, cotton textiles

chicken, fruits, coconuts, citrus fruits, maize, oranges, plantains, eggs, taro, mangoes/guavas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 1,410,170 (2025 est.) male: 708,677 female: 701,493

0.08% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 18.7% (male 134,508/female 129,180) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 481,606/female 465,150) 65 years and over: 14.1% (2024 est.) (male 92,146/female 106,376)

10.33 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-0.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 76.5 years (2024 est.) male: 74.6 years female: 78.4 years

urban population: 53.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

East Indian 35.4%, African descent 34.2%, mixed - other 15.3%, mixed - African/East Indian 7.7%, other 1.3%, unspecified 6.2% (2011 est.)

English (official), Trinidadian Creole English, Tobagonian Creole English, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Trinidadian Creole French, Spanish, Chinese

Protestant 32.1% (Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel 12%, Baptist 6.9%, Anglican 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.1%, Presbyterian/Congregational 2.5%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 21.6%, Hindu 18.2%, Muslim 5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 8.4%, none 2.2%, unspecified 11.1% (2011 est.)

female: 93.8% (2022 est.)

petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Tren de Aragua (TdA)

refugees: 24,134 (2024 est.)

3 (2025)

total: 102 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, other 101

total subscriptions: 1.79 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 85% (2023 est.)