An Introduction to Trinidad and Tobago
The country of Trinidad and Tobago covers the two named islands and numerous smaller ones. Trinidad, which makes up 94% of the country's total area and 96% of its population, was first settled by Amerindian people at least 7,000 years ago, making it the earliest-settled part of the Caribbean; and was then a Spanish colony for three centuries until becoming in 1797 'a British crown colony, with a French-speaking population and Spanish laws'. Tobago meanwhile passed through many different hands until it was ceded to Britain in 1802 and linked to its larger neighbour in 1889. See full country profile.Latest Research News from Latin America
GOVERNMENT: Constitutional Republic
AREA: 5,128 sq km
POPULATION: 1,227,505 (July 2011 est.)
MAJOR LANGUAGE: Official language: English. Also spoken: Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese
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Trade and Industry in Trinidad and Tobago
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The country of Trinidad and Tobago covers the two named islands and numerous smaller ones. Trinidad, which makes up 94% of the country's total area and 96% of its population, was first settled by Amerindian people at least 7,000 years ago, making it the earliest-settled part of the Caribbean; and was then a Spanish colony for three centuries until becoming in 1797 'a British crown colony, with a French-speaking population and Spanish laws'. Tobago meanwhile passed through many different hands until it was ceded to Britain in 1802 and linked to its larger neighbour in 1889.
The country obtained independence in 1962, becoming a republic in 1976.One of the wealthiest and most developed nations in the Caribbean, it is listed in the world top 40 high income countries. Oil and most recently liquefied natural gas (LNG) account for about 40% of GDP and 80% of exports, 'though only 5% of employment. In November 2011, the OECD removed it from its list of Developing Countries.
GDP: $26.9bn (PPP - 2011 est.) - $19,739 per c'pita
Religions Various Christian 65.7%; Hindus (25.6%); Muslims (6.6%) (2000 census); others / none 2.2%.
Currency: Trinidad and Tobago dollar. 6.55 TTD = $US 1
Telephone Code: +1 868
Research Industry
The country is surely ripe for an MR association but it's not on our radar as yet...Wealthy Trinidad and Tobago controls 25% of the world's natural gas and some 70% of US LNG (liquified natural gas) imports, and since 2003 has entered a second oil boom. Attempts to diversify the economy include promotion of the export of sugar, and of tourism; and the country's growth as a regional financial centre.
Aside from oil and gas products, the country exports steel and ammonia, cereals, cocoa, coffee, fruit and vegetables, and flowers. The US takes more than 40% of the total of $16.92 billion (2011). Imports of $10.47bn the same year came from a wide variety of countries led by the US (27.8%), Russia (11.5%) and Brazil (7.8%).
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