Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

17 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.tt

Internet users [time series]

120,000 (2002)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

680,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: 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 - main lines in use) [time series]

252,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

17,411 (1997)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

4 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

425,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.54 billion expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $117.3 million (1998) (1998)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

TTD

Debt - external [time series]

$2.2 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$24 million (1999 est.)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses. A leading performer in the past 4 years has been the booming natural gas sector. Tourism is a growing sector, although not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The expected recovery of the global economy, along with anticipated higher oil prices, are plus factors for 2002. Negative factors are persistent high unemployment and the political uncertainties following the contentious selection of a new government in December 2001.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

4.792 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production [time series]

5.153 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates [time series]

Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.2466 (January 2002), 6.2332 (2001), 6.2998 (2000), 6.2989 (1999), 6.2983 (1998), 6.2517 (1997)

Exports [time series]

$4.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

US 45.9%, Caricom countries 26.1%, Latin America 9.5%, EU 5.7% (1999)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October - 30 September

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

purchasing power parity - $10.6 billion (2001 est.)

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

agriculture: 2% industry: 43% services: 55% (2000 est.)

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

purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

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

4% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$3.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

US 39.8%, Venezuela 11.9%, EU 11%, Caricom 4.8% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4.2% (2001) (2001)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

5.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force [time series]

564,000 (2000) (2000)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

construction and utilities 12%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 10%, services 64% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

21% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

11.8% (2001) (2001)

Area [time series]

total: 5,128 sq km land: 5,128 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

11 00 N, 61 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

Irrigated land [time series]

30 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 14.62% permanent crops: 9.16% other: 76.22% (1998 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]

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 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

Capital [time series]

Port-of-Spain

Constitution [time series]

1 August 1976

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain telephone: [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376 FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mackisack LOGIE chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001) 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 14 February 2003 (next to be held NA 2006); the president usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent of electoral college vote - 43%

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, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Court of Appeals the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London

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 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 7 October 2002 (next to be held by October 2007) note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15 members serving four-year terms election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

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

National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Hochoy CHARLES]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [leader NA]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Team Unity or TUN [Ramesh MAHARAJ]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]

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

Jamaat-al Musilmeen [Yasin BAKR]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

The islands came under British control in the 19th century; independence was granted in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.

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

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$90 million (1999)

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

1.4% (1999)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 347,831 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 248,324 (2002 est.)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 23% (male 136,807; female 131,177) 15-64 years: 70.2% (male 419,847; female 396,643) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 35,146; female 44,104) (2002 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

13.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate [time series]

8.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black 39.5%, East Indian (a local term - primarily immigrants from northern India) 40.3%, mixed 18.4%, white 0.6%, Chinese and other 1.2%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

1.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

530 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

7,800 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

24.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 68.59 years female: 71.25 years (2002 est.) male: 66.04 years

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% (2000) male: 95.9% (1999) female: 91.7% (1999)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-10.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population [time series]

1,163,724 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.52% (2002 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Muslim 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Airports [time series]

6 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,910 GRT/7,546 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: United States 1 (2002 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]

minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando; common carrier railway service was discontinued in 1968 (2001)

Waterways [time series]

none