LocationSouthern Caribbean, off Venezuelan coast.
AreaTotal: 5128 sq km (1980 sq miles).
Trinidad: 4828 sq km (1864 sq miles).
Tobago: 300 sq km (116 sq miles).
Population1.3 million (UN, 2005).
Population Density253.5 per sq km.
CapitalPort of Spain.
Population: 49,031 (2000).
GovernmentRepublic. Gained independence from the UK in 1962.
Recent history: In the election of December 2000, the Asian United National Congress (UNC) came out on top with
a small majority, under the leadership of Basdeo Panday. Panday continued as Prime Minister but his Government was brought down by a serious corruption scandal (the UNC has been persistently dogged by such allegations) after less than a year. At the December 2001 poll, the UNC and Patrick Manning’s People’s National Movement (PNM) were tied on 18 seats each. After 12 months of almost paralyzed Government, the country went to the polls once again, in October 2002. This time, the PNM, with Patrick Manning still at the helm, was returned with a small working majority.
The President is the constitutional Head of State. Executive power is vested in a Prime Minister and a Cabinet drawn from the largest parties in the bicameral Parliament. This comprises the Senate, with 31 appointed members, and the House of Representatives, with 36 members elected by universal adult suffrage. Since 1980, Tobago has had its own 15-seat House of Assembly, with 12 members elected and three selected by the ruling party. Tobago was granted full internal self-Government by the national Government in January 1987.
LanguageThe official language is English. French, Spanish, Hindi and Chinese are also spoken.
Religion30 per cent Roman Catholic, 29 per cent other Christian denominations, 24 per cent Hindu, 11 per cent Anglican, and 6 per cent Muslim.
TimeGMT - 4.
Electricity110/220 volts AC, 60Hz. US pattern twin plus earth plugs are standard, though variations may be found.
Head of GovernmentPrime Minister Patrick Manning since 2002.
Head of StatePresident Maxwell Richards since 2003.
TelephoneIDD is available. Country code: 1 868. There are no area codes. In Tobago, international telephone calls can be made from the TSTT building on Wilson Road in Scarborough. Many public phone booths take phonecards which can be bought from local shops and the TSTT building.
Mobile TelephoneRoaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. Coverage is available in most of Trinidad & Tobago.
InternetThere are numerous Internet cafes on the islands.
MediaThe former public broadcaster NBN, which operated two TV and four radio stations, closed in January 2005 after more than 40 years on the air. A new state-owned company, the Caribbean News Media Network, is expected to launch. Privately-run
TV6 dominates the ratings in Trinidad and Tobago.
PostThe main post office is on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. Airmail to Western Europe takes up to two weeks; incoming mail can take much longer. The main post office in Tobago is in Market Square, Scarborough.
Press English-language dailies include
Newsday,
The Trinidad Guardian and
Trinidad & Tobago Express. As well as these dailies and numerous weekly publications such as
The Bomb and
The Punch, Tobago has its own weekly paper,
Tobago News.
RadioTrinidad Broadcasting Company operates
Radio Trinidad,
Sangeet 106.1 FM and several other stations;
Radio 90.5 broadcasts Indian music;
Ebony 104 broadcasts Creole music and culture; Other stations include
WEFM and
i95.5 FM.
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.
2007
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
30 Mar Spiritual Baptist Shouters’ Liberation Day.
6 Apr Good Friday.
9 Apr Easter Monday.
30 May Indian Arrival Day.
7 Jun Corpus Christi.
19 Jun Labor Day.
1 Aug Emancipation Day.
31 Aug Independence Day.
24 Sep Republic Day.
13 Oct Eid ul Fitr.
9 Nov Divali.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
30 Mar Spiritual Baptist Shouters’ Liberation Day.
21 Mar Good Friday.
24 Mar Easter Monday.
22 May Corpus Christi.
30 May Indian Arrival Day.
19 Jun Labor Day.
1 Aug Emancipation Day.
31 Aug Independence Day.
24 Sep Republic Day.
2 Oct Eid ul Fitr.
28 Oct Divali.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
NoteHindu festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and variations may occur. Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. The actual dates are determined one to two weeks beforehand. When a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday will be observed on the Monday following immediately. When two public holidays fall on the same date the following date is also given as a public holiday (website:
www.gov.tt/events/publicholidays.asp).
Contact Information:High Commission of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago in the UK42 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8NT, UK
Tel: (020) 7245 9351.
Website:
www.immigration.gov.ttOpening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; Mon-Fri 1000-1400 (visa applications).
Trinidad & Tobago Tourism Office in the UKAlbany House, Albany Crescent, Claygate, Surrey KT10 0PF, UK
Tel: 0800 804 8787.
Website:
www.visittnt.com Caribbean Tourism Organization in the UK22 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1BP, UK
Tel: (020) 8948 0057.
Website:
www.doitcaribbean.comEmbassy of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago in the USA1708 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: (202) 467 6490.
E-mail:
info@ttembwash.com
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