Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

109,000 telephones; excellent international service via tropospheric scatter links to Barbados and Guyana; good local service local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station; linked to Barbados and Guyana by tropospheric scatter system

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 5 televisions: NA

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $83 million, 1.5% of GDP (1994) TROMELIN ISLAND (possession of France)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 347,841; males fit for military service 249,904 (1995 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 3% of GDP; major crops - cocoa, sugarcane; sugarcane acreage is being shifted into rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry sector most important source of animal protein; must import large share of food needs

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.6 billion expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $158 million (1993 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

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

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $373 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $518 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 1,150,000 kW production: 3.9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,740 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TT$) per US$1 - 5.8758 (January 1995), 5.9160 (1994), 5.3511 (1993), 4.2500 (fixed rate 1989-1992); note - effective 13 April 1993, the exchange rate of the TT dollar is market-determined as opposed to the prior fixed relationship to the US dollar

Exports [time series]

$1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers partners: US 44%, CARICOM 15%, Latin America 9%, EC 5% (1993)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2 billion (1994)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$996 million (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals partners: US 43%, Venezuela 10%, UK 8%, other EC 8% (1993)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 1% (1994 est.); accounts for 39% of GDP, including petroleum

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

10.1% (1994 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power parity - $15 billion (1994 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$11,280 (1994 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

3% (1994 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Trinidad and Tobago's petroleum-based economy still enjoys a high per capita income by Latin American standards, even though output and living standards are substantially below the boom years of 1973-82. The country suffers from widespread unemployment, large foreign-debt payments, and periods of low international oil prices. The government has begun to make progress in its efforts to diversify exports and to liberalize its trade regime, making 1994 the first year of substantial growth since the early 1980s.

Unemployment rate [time series]

18.1% (1994 )

Area [time series]

total area: 5,130 sq km land area: 5,130 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Delaware

Climate [time series]

tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Coastline [time series]

362 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion natural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

220 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 14% permanent crops: 17% meadows and pastures: 2% forest and woodland: 44% other: 23%

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

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 resources [time series]

petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Terrain [time series]

mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Port-of-Spain

Constitution [time series]

1 August 1976

Digraph [time series]

TD

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Corinne Averille McKNIGHT chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Noor Mohammed HASSANALI (since 18 March 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Patrick Augustus Mervyn MANNING (since 17 December 1991) cabinet: Cabinet; responsible to parliament

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 785-3130 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (809) 628-5462

Flag [time series]

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

Legislative branch (House of Representatives) [time series]

elections last held 16 December 1991 (next to be held by December 1996); results - PNM 32%, UNC 13%, NAR 2%; seats - (36 total) PNM 21, UNC 13, NAR 2

Independence [time series]

31 August 1962 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal, Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

People's National Movement (PNM), Patrick MANNING; United National Congress (UNC), Basdeo PANDAY; National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), Selby WILSON; Movement for Social Transformation (MOTION), David ABDULLAH; National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), Makandal DAAGA; Republican Party, Nello MITCHELL; National Development Party (NDP), Carson CHARLES; Movement for Unity and Progress (MUP), Hulsie BHAGGAN

Legislative branch (Senate) [time series]

consists of a 31-member body appointed by the president

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Brian DONNELLY (since September 1994) embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain telephone: [1] (809) 622-6372 through 6376, 6176

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 31% (female 191,627; male 198,225) 15-64 years: 64% (female 399,726; male 407,495) 65 years and over: 5% (female 40,577; male 33,509) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

16.62 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.88 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

black 43%, East Indian (a local term - primarily immigrants from northern India) 40%, mixed 14%, white 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

18.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

463,900 by occupation: construction and utilities 18.1%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14.8%, agriculture 10.9%, other 56.2% (1985 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 70.14 years male: 67.75 years female: 72.6 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 97% male: 98% female: 96%

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-8.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

1,271,159 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.12% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.01 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Airports [time series]

total: 6 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 8,000 km paved: 4,000 km unpaved: improved earth 1,000 km; unimproved earth 3,000 km

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,507 GRT/21,923 DWT

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

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

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

note: minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando