Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 note: there were a total of 10 radio stations in 1995

Radios [time series]

700,000 (1993 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

170,000 (1992 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

3 (1995 est.)

Televisions [time series]

400,000 (1992 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.65 billion expenditures: $1.61 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

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

Debt - external [time series]

$1.67 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $10 million (1993)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses. Successful economic reforms implemented in 1995 are expected to bring an average growth rate of 2% over the next three years, and foreign investment and trade are flourishing. Unemployment - a main cause of the country's socio-economic problems - is high, but has decreased to its lowest point in five years. The country enjoys a healthy trade surplus of $500 million, yet its heavy dependence on oil and petrochemical prices makes its trade balance vulnerable to sudden shifts. Furthermore, Caricom, Trinidad and Tobago's main market, is saturated, provoking some countries to establish non-tariff trade barriers.

Electricity - capacity [time series]

1.253 million kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita [time series]

2,885 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

4.229 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TT$) per US$1 - 6.1791 (January 1997), 6.0051 (1996), 5.9478 (1995), 5.9249 (1994), 5.3511 (1993), 4.2500 (1992)

Exports [time series]

total value : $2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers partners: US 48%, Caricom countries 15%, Latin America 9%, EU 5% (1994)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $17.1 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 2% industry: 45% services: 53% (1995 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $13,500 (1996 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

3.1% (1996 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals partners: US 47.7%, Venezuela 10%, UK 8.3%, other EU 8% (1994)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

1% (1994 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate - consumer price index) [time series]

5.3% (1995)

Labor force [time series]

total: 404,500 by occupation: construction and utilities 13%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 11%, services 62% (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

16.1% (December 1996)

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Delaware

Climate [time series]

tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Coastline [time series]

362 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

11 00 N, 61 00 W

Irrigated land [time series]

220 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

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

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 hazards [time series]

outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

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

Constitution [time series]

1 August 1976

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

TD

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Brian J. DONNELLY 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

Diplomatic representation in the 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 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 that 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%

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 (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

31 August 1962 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

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 [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 consists of a Senate (31 seats; members appointed by the president for a maximum term of five years) and a 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 17, UNC 17, NAR 2; the UNC formed a coalition with the NAR note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 15 members serving four-year terms

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Port-of-Spain

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), A. N. R. ROBINSON; Movement for Social Transformation (MOTION), David ABDULLAH; National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), Makandal DAAGA; National Development Party (NDP), Carson CHARLES; Movement for Unity and Progress (MUP), Hulsie BHAGGAN

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$83 million (1994)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 312,628 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males: 223,418 (1997 est.)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 29% (male 167,857; female 161,196) 15-64 years: 64% (male 373,434; female 347,489) 65 years and over: 7% (male 36,300; female 44,061) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

15.37 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.87 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups [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]

19.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population : 70.36 years male: 67.92 years female: 72.88 years (1997 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-19.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population [time series]

1,130,337 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-1.18% (1997 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.13 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe and producer of cannabis TROMELIN ISLAND (possession of France)

Airports [time series]

6 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total : 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m : 2 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 8,160 km paved: 4,162 km unpaved: 3,998 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total : 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,928 GRT/5,571 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, oil tanker 1 (1996 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

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

Railways [time series]

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