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Trinidad and Tobago

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Central & South American
Countries; Countries

   Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

   Flag of Trinidad and Tobago Coat of Arms of Trinidad and Tobago
   Flag                        Coat of Arms
   Motto: Together we aspire, together we achieve
   Anthem: Forged From The Love of Liberty
   Location of Trinidad and Tobago
   Capital Port of Spain
   10°40′N 61°31′W
   Largest town Chaguanas
   Official languages English
   Government
   President
   Prime Minister George Maxwell Richards
   Patrick Manning
   Area
    - Total 5,128 km² ( 172nd)
   1,979 sq mi
    - Water (%) Negligible
   Population
    - July 2005 estimate 1,305,000 ( 152nd)
    - Density 207.8/km² ( 47th)
   538.6/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP) 2005 estimate
    - Total 18.352 Billion ( 113th)
    - Per capita $14,258 ( 48th)
   HDI  (2003) 0.801 (high) ( 57th)
   Currency Trinidad and Tobago dollar ( TTD)
   Time zone ( UTC-4)
    - Summer ( DST) ( UTC n/a)
   Internet TLD .tt
   Calling code + 1-868

   The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the
   southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American nation of
   Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. It also shares
   maritime boundaries with Barbados to the northeast and Guyana to the
   southeast. The country covers an area of 5,128 square kilometres
   (1,979  sq mi) and consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago,
   and 21 smaller islands. Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the
   main islands; Tobago is much smaller, comprising about 6% of the total
   area and 4% of the population.

   Originally settled by Amerindians of South American origin at least
   7,000 years ago, Trinidad and Tobago was occupied by Arawakan- and
   Cariban-speaking peoples at the time of European contact in 1498. A
   history of slavery and indentureship has left the country with a
   mixture of African, Indian, mixed-race, European, Middle Eastern and
   Chinese people. All these groups have left an imprint on the national
   culture. Trinidad and Tobago became independent nation in 1962 and a
   republic in 1976.

   Officially Trinidadians or Tobagonians, people from Trinidad and Tobago
   the people are often informally referred to as Trinbagonians or Trinis.
   Unlike most of the English-speaking Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago is a
   primarily industrialised country whose economy is based on petroleum
   and petrochemicals. Trinidad and Tobago is famous for its pre- Lenten
   Carnival and as the birthplace of steelpan, calypso and limbo.

   The capital city Port of Spain, is currently a leading candidate (along
   with Miami) to serve as the headquarters of the Permanent Secretariat
   of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA-ALCA).

History

   Both Trinidad and Tobago were originally settled by Amerindians of
   South American origin. Trinidad was first settled by pre-agricultural
   Archaic people at least 7,000 years ago, making it the earliest-settled
   part of the Caribbean. Ceramic-using agriculturalists settled Trinidad
   around 250 BCE and then moved further up the Lesser Antillean chain. At
   the time of European contact Trinidad was occupied by various Arawakan-
   and Cariban-speaking tribes including the Nepoya, Suppoya and Yao,
   while Tobago was occupied by the Island Caribs and Galibi. The
   Amerindian name for Trinidad was Kairi or Iere which is usually
   translated as The Land of the Hummingbird, although others have
   reported that it simply meant island. Christopher Columbus encountered
   the island of Trinidad on July 31, 1498 and named it after the Holy
   Trinity. Columbus reported seeing Tobago, which he named Bella Forma,
   but did not land on the island. The name Tobago is probably derived
   from tobacco.

   The Spanish established a presence in Trinidad, but due to a lack of
   settlers, eventually allowed any Roman Catholic European to settle on
   the island, leading to substantial immigration from France and
   elsewhere. Meanwhile, Tobago changed hands between British, French,
   Dutch and Courlanders. Britain consolidated its hold on both islands
   during the Napoleonic Wars, and they were combined into the colony of
   Trinidad and Tobago in 1899. As a result of these colonial struggles
   Amerindian, Spanish, French and English place names are all common in
   the country. African slaves and Chinese, Portuguese, Indian, and free
   African indentured labourers arrived to supply labour in the nineteenth
   and early twentieth century. Emigration from Barbados and the other
   Lesser Antilles, Venezuela, Syria, and Lebanon also impacted on the
   ethnic make-up of the country.

   Although originally a sugar colony, cacao dominated the economy in the
   late nineteenth and early twentieth century. After the collapse of the
   cacao crop (due to disease and the Great Depression) petroleum
   increasingly came to dominate the economy. The Depression and the rise
   of the oil economy led to changes in the social structure.

   The presence of American military bases in Chaguaramas and Cumuto in
   Trinidad during World War II profoundly changed the character of
   society. In the post-war period, the wave of decolonisation that swept
   the British Empire led to the formation of the West Indies Federation
   in 1958 as a vehicle for independence. Chaguaramas was the proposed
   site for the federal capital. The Federation dissolved after the
   withdrawal of Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago elected for independence
   in 1962.

   In 1976 the country severed its links with the British monarchy and
   became a republic within the Commonwealth.

   In 1990, 114 members of the Jamaat al Muslimeen, led by Yasin Abu Bakr,
   stormed the Red House (the seat of Parliament), and Trinidad and Tobago
   Television, the only television station in the country at the time, and
   held the country's government hostage for six days before surrendering
   (see Jamaat al Muslimeen coup attempt).

   Petroleum, petrochemicals and natural gas continue to be the backbone
   of the economy. Tourism is the mainstay of the economy of Tobago, and
   the island remains a favorite destination for many European tourists.
   Trinidad and Tobago is one of the most prosperous nations in the
   Caribbean, although less so than it was during the " oil boom" between
   1973 and 1983. Recently, economic turmoil has caused an increase in
   violence and political instability.

Politics

   Trinidad and Tobago is a liberal democracy with a two-party system and
   a bicameral parliamentary system based on the Westminster System. The
   Head of State of Trinidad and Tobago is the President, currently
   Professor Emeritus George Maxwell Richards. The Head of Government is
   the Prime Minister. The President is elected by an Electoral College
   consisting of the full membership of both houses of Parliament. The
   Prime Minister is appointed by the President. The President is required
   to appoint the leader of the party who in his opinion has the most
   support of the members of the House of Representatives to this post;
   this has generally been the leader of the party which won the most
   seats in the previous election (except in the case of the 2001 General
   Elections).

   The Parliament consists of two chambers, the Senate (31 seats) and the
   House of Representatives (36 seats, will increase to 41 seats after the
   next election). The members of the Senate are appointed by the
   president. Sixteen Government Senators are appointed on the advice of
   the Prime Minister, six Opposition Senators are appointed on the advice
   of the Leader of the Opposition and nine Independent Senators are
   appointed by the President to represent other sectors of civil society.
   The 36 members of the House of Representatives are elected by the
   people for a maximum term of five years.

   Since December 24, 2001, the governing party has been the People's
   National Movement led by Patrick Manning; the Opposition party is the
   United National Congress led by Kamla Persad-Bissessar ( Leader of the
   Opposition).

   Trinidad and Tobago is a leading member of the Caribbean Community
   (CARICOM) and the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). It is also
   the Seat of the Caribbean Court of Justice, which was inaugurated on
   16th April 2005.

Geography

   Map of Trinidad and Tobago
   Enlarge
   Map of Trinidad and Tobago

   Trinidad and Tobago are southeasterly islands of the Antilles or West
   Indies, situated between 10° 2' and 11° 12' N latitude and 60° 30' and
   61° 56' W longitude. At the closest point, Trinidad is just 11
   kilometres (7  miles) off the Venezuelan coast. Covering an area of
   5,128 square kilometres (1,979 sq mi), the country consists of the two
   main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and 21 smaller islands – including
   Chacachacare, Monos, Huevos, Gaspar Grande (or Gasparee), Little
   Tobago, and St. Giles Island. Trinidad is 4,768 square kilometres
   (1,841 sq mi) in area (comprising 93.0% of the country's total area)
   with an average length of 80 kilometres (50 mi) and an average width of
   59 kilometres (37 mi). Tobago has an area of about 300 square
   kilometres (115 sq mi), or 5.8% of the country's area, is 41 kilometres
   (25.5 mi) long and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) at its greatest width.

   The terrain of the islands is a mixture of mountains and plains. The
   highest point in the country is found on the Northern Range at El Cerro
   del Aripo which is situated at 940  metres (3,085  ft) above sea level.
   The climate is tropical. There are two seasons annually: the dry season
   for the first six months of the year, and the wet season in the second
   half of the year. Winds are predominantlly from the northeast and are
   dominated by the northeast trade winds. Unlike most of the other
   Caribbean islands, Trinidad and Tobago have frequently escaped the
   wrath of major devastating hurricanes including Hurricane Ivan, the
   most powerful storm to pass close to the islands in recent history in
   September 2004.

   As the majority of the population live in Trinidad, this is the
   location of most major towns and cities. There are three major
   municipalities in Trinidad: Port of Spain, the capital, San Fernando,
   and Chaguanas. Of these three, Chaguanas is the fastest growing. The
   largest town in Tobago is Scarborough.

   Trinidad is made up of a variety of soil types, the majority being fine
   sands and heavy clays. The alluvial valleys of the Northern Range and
   the soils of the East-West Corridor being the most fertile.

   The Northern Range consists mainly of Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous
   rocks, mostly andesites and schists. The Northern Lowlands ( East-West
   Corridor and Caroni Plains) consist of Pleistocene or younger soft
   sands and clays with superficial gravel terraces and river and swamp
   alluvia. South of this, the Central Range is a folded anticlinal uplift
   consisting of Cretaceous and Eocene rocks, with Miocene formations
   along the southern and eastern flanks. The Naparima Plains and the
   Nariva Swamp form the southern shoulder of this uplift. The Southern
   Lowlands consist of Miocene and Pliocene sands, clays, and gravels.
   These overlie oil and natural gas deposits, especially north of the Los
   Bajos Fault. The Southern Range forms the third anticlinal uplift. It
   consists of several chains of hills, most famous being the Trinity
   Hills. The rocks consist of sandstones, shales and siltstones and clays
   formed in the Miocene and uplifted in the Pleistocene. Oil sands and
   mud volcanoes are especially common in this area.

   Although it is located just off-shore from South America, Trinidad and
   Tobago is often considered to be part of the North American continent
   by virtue of its being a Caribbean country. See Bicontinental
   countries.

Economy

   Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment
   site for international businesses. A leading performer the past four
   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 economy benefits from low inflation and a trade
   surplus. The year 2002 was marked by solid growth in the oil sector,
   offset in part by domestic political uncertainty. The three major banks
   are Republic Bank Limited, Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Limited
   and First Citizens Bank. The 2002 to 2006 period has been marked with
   striking economic trends , high inflation fueled by massive government
   spending on construction programs and massive growth due to high oil
   prices. The total GDP has doubled during this period and now stands
   near 90 billion US dollars. It is feared that, high inflation and a
   bubble economy created by high oil prices may lead to a crash if the
   bubble were to burst, fall in oil prices or natural disaster.

Demographics

   Of the country's 1.3 million inhabitants (as of 2005), most (96%)
   reside on the island of Trinidad with most of the remainder (4%) on
   Tobago. The ethnic composition of Trinidad and Tobago reflects a
   history of conquest and immigration. Two major ethnic groups -
   Indo-Trinidadians and Afro-Trinidadians - account for almost 80% of the
   population, while people of Mixed-race, Euro-Trinidadian/ European,
   Sino-Trinidadian/ Chinese and Arab-Trinidadian/Syrian-Lebanese descent
   make up most of the rest of the population. According to the 1990
   census, Indo-Trinidadians make up 40.3% of the population,
   Afro-Trinidadians 39.5%, Mixed-race people 18.4%, Euro-Trinidadian 0.6%
   and Chinese, Syrians and others 1.2%. Euro-Trinidadians, especially
   those descendant of the former plantocracy, are often referred to as
   French Creoles, even if they are descended from Spanish, British, or
   German settlers. The mixed-race Cocoa Payols are descendant of the
   original Spanish settlers and later immigrants from Venezuela. The
   Trinidadian Portuguese population includes both whites and mixed
   people. The small Amerindian population is largely mixed-race. The
   Carib population, which is descendant of the indigenous inhabitants, is
   primarily organised around the Santa Rosa Carib Community.

   Emigration from Trinidad and Tobago, as with other Caribbean nations,
   has historically been high; most emigrants go to the United States,
   Canada and Britain. Emigration has continued, albeit at a lower rate,
   even as the birth rate sharply dropped to levels typical of
   industrialised countries. Largely because of this phenomenon, as of
   2006, Trinidad and Tobago has the lowest population growth rate in the
   world (-0.87%).

   English is the country's only official language, but Bhojpuri, locally
   known as Hindi, is also spoken by a few Indo-Trinidadians and widely
   used in popular music such as chutney and chutney soca. The main spoken
   language, Trinidadian English is either classified as a dialect or
   variety of English or as an English Creole ( Trinidadian Creole
   English). The major spoken language in Tobago is Tobagonian Creole
   English. Both languages contain elements from a number and variety of
   African languages; Trinidadian English, however, is also largely
   influenced by French and French Creole and by Bhojpuri/Hindi. The
   creole languages and other vernaculars are normally spoken in informal
   situations, and there is not yet a formalized system of writing (other
   than as in standard English). Short-term visitors need not be concerned
   about learning Creole, as virtually everyone speaks English. Although
   Patois (a variety of French Creole) was once the most widely spoken
   language on the island (and also on the Venezuelan Paria coast), it is
   now rarely heard.

   Due to Trinidad's location on the coast of South America, the country
   has been slowly redeveloping a connection with the Spanish-speaking
   peoples, but has been impeded by the fact that in 2004, only 1,500
   inhabitants spoke Spanish.2. ^  In 2004 the government initiated the
   Spanish as a First Foreign Language (SAFFL) initiative , with a public
   launch in March 2005. Government regulations now require Spanish to be
   taught to all beginning at the primary school level, while thirty
   percent of public employees are to be linguistically competent within
   five years. Venezuelans often come to Trinidad and Tobago to learn
   English, and many English schools have expanded to feature both English
   and Spanish.

Religion

   Many different religions are present in Trinidad and Tobago. The
   largest two are the Roman Catholics (26%) and Hindus (22%); the
   Anglicans (8%), Muslims (6%), Seventh-day Adventists (4%),
   Presbyterians and Methodists are among the smaller faiths. Two
   Afro-Caribbean syncretic faiths, the Shouter or Spiritual Baptists and
   the Orisha faith (formerly called Shangos, a less than complimentary
   term) are among the fastest growing religious groups, as are a host of
   American-style evangelical and fundamentalist churches usually lumped
   as " Pentecostal" by most Trinidadians (although this designation is
   often inaccurate).

Human rights

   According to reports of Amnesty International, tortures and unfair
   trials are perpetrated in Trinidad and Tobago. There are several cases
   known of incorrect application of death penalty.

   The Cat o' nine tails is still used to flog prisoners - occasionally
   even women and boys under 16 - apparently in breech of the provisions
   of the "Corporal Punishment (Offenders over Sixteen) Act" of 1953. On
   11 March, 2005 the Government of Trinidad & Tobago was ordered by the
   Inter-American Court of Human Rights to pay US$ 50,000 for "moral
   damages" to a prisoner who had received 15 strokes of the "Cat" plus
   expenses for his medical and psychological care. It is unclear whether
   the Court's decisions were met.

   Homosexuality is prohibited and punished with imprisonment; under
   Article 8 (18/1) of the Immigration Act, homosexuals are not allowed to
   enter the country.

Culture

   The Chaconia (Warszewiczia coccinea) flower is the national flower of
   Trinidad and Tobago.
   Enlarge
   The Chaconia (Warszewiczia coccinea) flower is the national flower of
   Trinidad and Tobago.

   Trinidad and Tobago is famous for its pre- Lenten Carnival. It is also
   the birthplace of calypso music and the steelpan, which is widely
   claimed to be the only acoustic musical instrument invented during the
   20th century. The diverse cultural and religious background allows for
   many festivities and ceremonies throughout the year. Other indigenous
   art forms include soca (a derivate of calypso), Parang
   (Venezuelan-influenced Christmas music), chutney, and pichakaree
   (musical forms which blend the music of the Caribbean and India) and
   the famous Limbo dance.

   The artistic scene is vibrant. Trinidad and Tobago claims two Nobel
   Prize-winning authors, V. S. Naipaul and St. Lucian-born Derek Walcott.
   Mas' designer Peter Minshall is renowned not only for his Carnival
   costumes, but also for his role in opening ceremonies of the Barcelona
   Olympics, the 1994 Football World Cup, the 1996 Summer Olympics and the
   2002 Winter Olympics, for which he won an Emmy Award.

Sports

   Cricket: Trinidad and Tobago plays both one day international and Test
   cricket as a member of the West Indies team. The national team plays at
   the first-class level in regional competitions. Double world record
   holder for the most runs scored in a Test and First class innings Brian
   Lara is from Trinidad and Tobago.

   Football: The national football team qualified for the 2006 FIFA World
   Cup by beating Bahrain in Manama on 16 November 2005, making them the
   smallest country ever (in terms of population) to qualify. This was
   their first successful qualification and brought their ranking to 51st
   in the World. The team, coached by Dutchman Leo Beenhakker, drew their
   first group game - against Sweden in Dortmund - 0-0, but lost the
   second game to England on late goals 0-2. Because Scotland did not
   qualify for the 2006 world cup, the Tartan Army supported Trinidad and
   Tobago and made their own song (primarily about player Jason Scotland)
   because they played England, Scotland's arch rival. They were
   eliminated after losing 2-0 to Paraguay in the last game of the Group
   Stage. Trinidad and Tobago was host to 2001 FIFA U-17 World
   Championship.

   Olympic Games:

   Hasely Crawford won the first and only Olympic gold medal for Trinidad
   and Tobago in the men's 100 m dash in the 1976 Summer Olympics. Nine
   different athletes from Trinidad and Tobago have won twelve medals at
   the Olympics, beginning with a silver medal in weightlifting, won by
   Rodney Wilkes in 1948 , and most recently a bronze medal with by George
   Bovell III in 2004. Ato Boldon has won the most medals for Trinidad and
   Tobago with 4.

   The card-game All-Fours is sometimes described as the "Unofficial
   national sport".

Holidays

   The following holidays are observed in Trinidad and Tobago.

                          Date English Name Remarks
                          January 1 New Year's Day
       Variable Carnival Monday and Tuesday immediately preceding Ash
    Wednesday. Even though many businesses and schools close for Carnival
         Monday and Tuesday, they are not official public holidays.
    Variable Eid-ul-Fitr End of Ramadan. It is the only public holiday in
    Trinidad and Tobago that recognizes Islam. Even though it is not the
    most important holiday on the Islamic calendar it is the most widely
           and publicly celebrated Muslim holiday in the country.
                Variable Easter Good Friday and Easter Monday
   March 30 Spiritual Baptist/Shouter Liberation Day First country in the
   world to recognize the Spiritual Baptist faith with a national holiday
                           Variable Corpus Christi
    May 30 Indian Arrival Day The first country in the world to recognise
                         East-Indian Indentureship.
   June 19 Labour Day Marks the labour uprising on 19th June 1937 which is
   generally recognised as the start of the modern trade union movement in
                            Trinidad and Tobago.
      August 1 Emancipation Day First country in the world to recognise
                         emancipation from slavery.
                         August 31 Independence Day
                          September 24 Republic Day
                       October 12 Chinese Arrival Day
   Variable Divali The Hindu festival of lights and the only holiday given
                     in recognition of the Hindu faith.
                            December 25 Christmas
                           December 26 Boxing Day

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