Trinidad and Tobago
 

Area: 1,980 sq mi (5,128 sq km)

Population (2004 est.): 1,096,585 (growth rate: –0.7%); birth rate: 12.8/1000; infant mortality rate: 24.6/1000; life expectancy: 69.3; density per sq mi: 554

Capital: Port-of-Spain

Monetary unit: Trinidad and Tobago dollar

Languages: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese

Ethnicity/race: East Indian (a local term—primarily immigrants from northern India) 40.3%, black 39.5%, mixed 18.4%, white 0.6%, Chinese and other 1.2%

Religions: Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Islam 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%

Literacy rate: 99% (2003 est.)

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt. Exports: $4.9 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.): petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers. Imports: $3.917 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.): machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals. Major trading partners: U.S., Jamaica, France, Côte d'Ivoire, UK, Japan, Brazil.

Member of Commonwealth of Nations

Symbolism of Flag

The red represents the warmth of the sun and of the population; black symbolizes fortitude and wealth and white is for purity, hope, and the waves.

Geography

Trinidad and Tobago lie in the Caribbean Sea off the northeast coast of Venezuela. Trinidad, the larger at 1,864 sq mi (4,828 sq km), is mainly flat and rolling, with mountains in the north that reach a height of 3,085 ft (940 m) at Mount Aripo. Tobago, at just 116 sq mi (300 sq km), is heavily forested with hardwood trees.

Government

Parliamentary democracy.

National Anthem

Forged from the Love of Liberty,
In the fires of Hope and Prayer,
With boundless Faith in Our Destiny,
We solemnly declare,
Side by side we stand
Islands of the blue Caribbean Sea,
This Our Native Land,
We pledge our lives to Thee,
Here every creed and race find an equal place,
And may God - Bless Our Nation,
Here every creed and race find an equal place,
And may God - Bless Our Nation.