location

Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad & Tobago together make up a two-island Republic and are the two most southerly Caribbean islands. Trinidad is situated seven miles off the coast of Venezuela and Tobago is located 20 miles northeast of Trinidad.

CLIMATE
Tropical with frequent heavy showers during the rainy season (June – December). High temperatures during the summer months (26 degrees C – 34 degrees C).

TIME
GMT –4 hours

POPULATION
1,320,000

AREA
Trinidad and Tobago has a total land area of 5128km² (Trinidad: 4828km²;Tobago: 300km²).

LANGUAGE
English is the only official language.

CURRENCY
Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (TT$). The TT$ is linked to the US$ at a rate of TT$6.3 (floating) to US$1.

GDP
US$6 BILLION (US$4,549 PER CAPITA)

INFLATION
4.2%

HOURS OF BUSINESS
Commercial business hours are from 0800 – 1600hrs;
Government offices are open from 0800 – 1600hrs.

UNEMPLOYMENT
10.6%

MAIN AIRPORTS
Trinidad: Piarco International Airport
Tobago: Crown Point International Airport

MAJOR TRADING PARTNERS
US, UK, Canada, Brazil, Venezuela, EU, Jamaica

GOVERNMENT
Trinidad’s 31-member senate - the upper House of Parliament – is appointed by the President, who is elected by a joint sitting of Parliament. The 36-member House of Representatives is elected for five years by universal adult suffrage. The President appoints a Prime Minister who commands a majority in the House.

The Prime Minister in turn appoints a cabinet, which is responsible to the House. Since 1980, Tobago has enjoyed full internal self-government. Tobago’s House of Assembly comprises 15 members, 12 elected by the population and three chosen by the majority political party.