Fast Facts About Trinidad and Tobago

An Excellent Prospect for International Investment

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago comprises the two most southerly isles of the Caribbean archipelago. A former British colony, Trinidad and Tobago gained independence on August 31, 1962 and later became a republic on August 1, 1976.

In 2009, Trinidad and Tobago was host to the Fifth Summit of the Americas in April and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November. It was the first Caribbean island state to host the Summit.

Location and Topography

Trinidad is 4,828 sq km (1,864 sq miles) in area and approximately rectangular in shape (roughly the size of Rhode Island in the USA). It is 81.25 km long by 57-73 km wide, or 50 miles by 35-45 miles. Once attached to the South American mainland, the island is situated 12 km (7 miles) northeast of the coast of Venezuela and is separated from it by the Gulf of Paria, in which there are several islets, including Chacachacare, Huevos, Monos and Gaspar Grande.

Trinidad has three mountain ranges. The highest, the Northern Range, is an extension of the Andes mountain chain, and runs along the northern coast of the island. The Central Range runs diagonally across the island, while the Southern Range runs along the southern coast. The highest point, El Cerro del Aripo, is 940 metres (3,084 ft) above sea level. About 40 per cent of all land is undeveloped forest and woodlands, although the island is going through a rapid phase of development. The capital of Trinidad is Port of Spain.

Tobago, 300 sq km (116 sq miles) in area, lies 34 km (21 miles) northeast of Trinidad. Of volcanic origin, the island is a single mountain mass, although the southwest is flat or undulating and coralline. The highest peak, the Main Ridge, reaches an elevation of about 576 metres (1,890 ft). The coastline is broken by inlets and sheltered beaches, and there are several uninhabited islets. The island is dependent on the tourism industry and one of the star attractions is the famous Buccoo Reef. The capital of Tobago is Scarborough.

Geographic Coordinates

Trinidad:
Latitude 10.5° N
Longitude 61.5° W

Tobago:
Latitude 11.5° N
Longitude 60.5° W

Approximate Flying Times to Trinidad and Tobago

Barbados 35 mins
Caracas 1hr
Houston 5 hrs 30 mins
London 8 hrs 20 mins
Miami 3 hrs 30 mins
New York 4 hrs 50 mins
Toronto 5 hrs 50 mins

Climate

Trinidad and Tobago’s climate can be described as pleasant tropical marine. Daytime temperatures average 31ºC (87ºF) and are moderated by the northeast trade winds, while nights are a cool 21ºC (69ºF). The islands have two distinct seasons: dry, from January to May, and wet, from June to December. There is a short dry period around mid-September called Petit Carême, which is an excellent off-season time to visit. Trinidad and Tobago are just outside the usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms but Tobago can experience inclement weather as a result of such weather systems.

Time Zone

Greenwich Mean Time minus four hours (GMT -4).
In US Winter: Eastern Standard Time plus one hour (EST +1).
In US Summer: Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Business Hours

Offices:
Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm

Banks (in City Centres):
Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 2 pm
Friday, 8 am to noon; and 3 pm to 5 pm
(in Shopping Centres):
10 am or 11 am to 5 pm or 6 pm

Government Offices:
Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm

Retail (City Centres):
Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm
Saturday, 8 am to 1 pm

Retail (Shopping Centres):
Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm

The Government

Trinidad and Tobago’s government is a parliamentary democracy. The head of state is the President, who is elected by an Electoral College of members of the Senate and House of Representatives for a five-year term. Executive power, however, is vested in the Prime Minister and Government following elections every five years. The local government body in Tobago is the Tobago House of Assembly and its seat is in the capital city, Scarborough.

Legal System

The legal system is based on common law and statutes. The judicial system comprises Magistrates Courts and the Supreme Court, which is made up of the High Court and the Court of Appeal. There is a separate Industrial Court that deals with most labour matters. Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Service Commission. The Attorney General is responsible for the administration of the legal and judicial system. Final appeal from Trinidad and Tobago courts is to the Privy Council in England, but consideration is being given to replacing the Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice, which was inaugurated in April 2005, with its headquarters located in Port of Spain.

Population and Labour Force

Trinidad and Tobago’s estimated population is 1.3 million. The ethnic mix consists of 40.3 per cent East Indian descent, 39.6 per cent African, 18.4 per cent Mixed, 0.6 per cent European, 1.1 per cent Chinese and Other. The average life expectancy is 70.3 years, with 68 per cent of the population between 15 and 64 years. Data from the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago for 2008 indicate that the labour force is estimated at 624,320 and the unemployment rate is 4.87 per cent.

Education

The educational system is modelled after the British system, and produces one of the highest standards of education in the Caribbean. Primary and secondary level education at most institutions is free but private school options are available for a fee. Post-secondary and tertiary education providers include the University of the West Indies, the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT), distance learning tertiary-level institutions, vocational/technical training schools and colleges, and the technology-based University of Trinidad and Tobago, into which COSTAATT and the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology have been integrated. The estimated literacy rate is over 90 per cent.

Health

Trinidad and Tobago’s health system consists of government-funded and private hospitals, well-qualified specialists, private medical practitioners, and clinics, scattered throughout the islands. Specialists trained in gynaecology, paediatrics, radiology, physiotherapy, cardiology, gastrology, urology, and orthopaedics work both in private practice and in the health care facilities. Medical services are free at the government-funded institutions and clinics, but a fee is charged at all others. Twenty-four-hour emergency services are available at several government and private medical facilities. There is also a 24-hour Emergency Air Ambulance Service. A new-government funded hospital in Tobago is under construction. In the meantime, most serious medical emergencies are dealt with in Trinidad, with state helicopter services providing the airlift.

The Economy

Trinidad and Tobago is the most diversified and industrialised economy in the English-speaking Caribbean, and has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses. There are substantial proven reserves of petroleum and natural gas, and heavy industries such as iron and steel, methanol and nitrogenous fertilisers are well developed. In the period 2004-8, real GDP growth averaged 7.1 per cent per annum, with the Services sector accounting for 51 per cent of GDP and the Petroleum sector 40.1 per cent of GDP.

Economic Policy

Trinidad and Tobago’s policy over the last 10 years has been one directed towards making the country an open, market-driven economy, fuelled by trade liberalisation, foreign investment and public sector divestment. The transportation and telecommunication links to Europe and the Americas are modern and reliable. Tourism is targeted for development and growth, and, while already well established in Tobago, is an increasingly important economic contributor in Trinidad. Infrastructure is a high priority and development plans include housing, roads and bridges, transportation (ferries and a projected light rail system), improvements to the water supply and to electricity in rural areas.

Electricity

Trinidad and Tobago has a reliable supply of electricity with rates still among the lowest in the Caribbean. The domestic and commercial supply voltage is 110/220 volts, 60 cycles. Most hotels can supply a transformer if required.

Water

The Water and Sewerage Authority, a State enterprise, is the sole provider of water services in Trinidad and Tobago. The water service is reliable in most hotels and guesthouses. The water is chlorinated, and safe to drink. Several good bottled water alternatives are available at supermarkets.

Telecommunications

Trinidad and Tobago has a modern telecommunications infrastructure with the latest in digital and fibre-optic technology. Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (TSTT) has for many years been the provider of both landline and mobile telephone services. Digicel, a rapidly growing telecommunications operator in the Caribbean, now offers mobile phone services in both islands, and FLOW (Columbus Communication) offers cable television and internet services, and recently added a landline telephone service. International Direct Distance Dialling is available nationwide and on public payphones. The International Access Code for Trinidad and Tobago is 1, followed by the Country Code 868 and the seven-digit local number. International phone cards are sold in many local shops, pharmacies and at TSTT offices. With broad coverage throughout the islands, mobile phones are an easy and available option. Internet and email services are easy to find at hotels and cybercafés.

Post/Courier Services

Regular mail, express mail and courier delivery are reliable, and available from local provider TTPost at excellent rates. Also available are thematic, colourful local stamps for collectors and connoisseurs alike. International courier services are efficient and readily available.

Media

Daily press includes: Trinidad Express, Trinidad Guardian and Newsday. Bi-weekly: TNT Mirror. Weeklies include: Tobago News, Catholic News, Bomb, Blast, Show Time, The Probe, Punch and the NewspaperDirect international newspaper delivery service. Local television stations: CCN TV6 (channels 6 and 18); CNMG (channel 9); National Carnival Commission NCC (channel 4).

Local programming via cable television: Cable News Channel CNC (channel 3); Gayelle Television (channel 7); IETV (channel 16); Parliament (channel 11).

There are about thirty radio stations operating on the FM band and two on the AM band (530 AM and 730 AM), serving up a variety of music, news and community information. Popular FM stations include the TBC Network (95.1, Vibe CT 105, 106); the CL Network (90.5, 104, 97.1); Heartbeat 103.5; Caribbean New Media Group (Talk 91.1, Next 99.1, Sweet 100.1); Power 102; Boom Champions 94.1; Issac 98.1 (Inspirational); 96.1 WEFM; Citadel (I95.5, Red 96.7); Radio Tambrin 92.7 (Tobago); Radio Trinbago 94.7; Shakti 97.5; WMJX 100.5; and Heritage 101.7.

Roads

Trinidad and Tobago has an extensive transportation network of paved roads, which underwent major improvements in 2000. Highways link the north and south of the island (Uriah Butler Highway, Solomon Hochoy Highway), and the east and west (Churchill-Roosevelt Highway); however, traffic is extremely heavy at peak hours when a high number of vehicles head into the capital city and environs. Driving is on the left-hand side.

Airports

The new Piarco International Airport was opened in May 2001 and is located about 45 minutes from the capital city, Port of Spain. It plays an important role as a vital hub for international air traffic in the Caribbean. There are non-stop daily scheduled flights to and from major international cities. Trinidad and Tobago’s national airline, newly branded Caribbean Airlines, serves Toronto, New York, Miami, Jamaica, Sint Maarten, Antigua, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname and London Gatwick via codeshare agreement with British Airways. International and regional airlines that fly to Trinidad and Tobago include American Airlines, Air Canada, British Airways, Caribbean Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, LIAT, Virgin Atlantic, and several charter flight companies. International flights are also available direct from Tobago’s Crown Point International Airport.

Major Airlines

American Airlines (868) 821-6000
Air Canada (868) 669-4065
British Airways 1 (800) 247 9297
Caribbean Airlines (868) 625-7200
Continental Airlines (868) 624-2764
Delta Airlines (868) 624-8952
LIAT (868) 627-6274
Virgin Atlantic (868) 631-7470

Seaports

The main seaports are located in Port of Spain and Point Lisas. The Port of Spain port handles dry and general cargo, break bulk, containers and passenger traffic. The Point Lisas port, mainly a bulk port for industrial commerce, also handles container and general cargo traffic. There are two fast ferries (T&T Express and T&T Spirit) and one conventional ferry (Warrior Spirit) travelling the Trinidad–Tobago route daily. A ferry service also now connects Port of Spain and San Fernando.

Immigration, Work Permits and Visas

Visitors to Trinidad and Tobago must possess valid passports and return or ongoing tickets for successful entry. Most Commonwealth countries do not require visas for entry, except Australia, New Zealand, India, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka and Tanzania, Cameroon, Fiji Islands, Mozambique, Tonga, Uganda and South Africa. For the period October 31 to December 1, 2009, nationals of these countries travelling to Trinidad and Tobago to participate in the Caribbean Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will be exempted from the usual visa requirements. A visa exemption request must be sent to the National Secretariat for CHOGM 2009 at chogm2009@opm.gov.tt. Visitors from several other countries are allowed to enter Trinidad and Tobago for periods of up to three months without a visa. Potential visitors should seek advice from their travel agents or the Trinidad and Tobago representatives nearest to them. Work permits are required for business stays beyond 30 days. Visa extensions can be obtained from the Immigration Office at 67 Frederick Street, while work permits can be obtained from the Ministry of National Security, 18 Knox Street, Port of Spain.

Money and Exchange Rate

The currency of Trinidad and Tobago is the dollar (TT$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of TT$100, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in denominations of 25, 10, 5 and 1 cent. The exchange rate, as of July 2009, is approximately US$1.00 to TT$6.30.

Culture

The festivals, music, customs, cuisine, religions and races of Trinidad and Tobago reflect a rich and unique cultural diversity. Influences originate locally with the indigenous Caribs and Arawaks, and abroad from Europe to Africa and Asia. The nation has a passionate and colourful history spanning five centuries – the result of several European interests clamouring for colonial rights to the islands. Nowadays, Trinidad and Tobago is well known for its Carnival, a festival bursting with vivid colour, exquisite costumes and pulsating steelpan and soca rhythms.

Sporting Activities

A variety of land and waterborne activities mark the calendar year. Have your choice of track and field, cricket, football, cycling, boating, fishing, sailing, go-karting, rally racing and hiking, golf and tennis, adventure races and hashing.