Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
27 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
404,000 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
6 free-to-air TV networks, 2 of which are state-owned; 24 subscription providers (cable and satellite); over 36 radio frequencies (2019)
Communications: Internet country code
.tt
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
82.16% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
21 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
311,000 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
119 (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
1.79 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
chicken, fruits, coconuts, citrus fruits, maize, oranges, plantains, eggs, taro, mangoes/guavas (2023)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$7.822 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$5.698 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
$5.571 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
$4.155 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
$2.057 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$776.4 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
$1.409 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
$1.626 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
$1.020 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
-$1.356 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
$2.629 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
$4.967 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
$2.948 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
$1.117 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
6.7501 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
6.4426 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
6.4091 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
6.3774 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
6.6690 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
6.7795 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
6.7708 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
6.7543 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
6.7511 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
6.7585 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
6.7541 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
6.7503 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
6.7501 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
natural gas, alcohols, ammonia, crude petroleum, iron reductions (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$17.584 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$11.545 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$11.087 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
45.4% (2017 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
16.4% (2017 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
78.9% (2017 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-48.7% (2017 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
19.8% (2021 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
0% (2021 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
0.8% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
35% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
59.9% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$36,329 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$26.429 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$49.710 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
railway cargo containers, refined petroleum, cars, iron ore, excavation machinery (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$10.968 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$9.219 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$10.19 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
-4.7% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
4.66% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
3.07% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
1.88% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
1.02% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
1.00% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
0.60% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
2.06% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
5.83% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
4.63% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
0.53% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
649,900 (2024 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
37% of GDP (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$43.087 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$40.254 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$38.223 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$38.643 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$39.986 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$36.534 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$41.686 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$42.058 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$42.658 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$43.362 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
-0.41% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
-7.54% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
-4.87% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
-0.95% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
0.47% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-8.79% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
-0.72% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
0.86% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
1.47% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
1.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$32,027 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$29,825 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$28,232 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$28,484 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$29,316 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$26,731 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$30,482 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$32,979 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$34,623 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$145.1 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$144.8 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$155.2 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$194.4 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$234.0 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
0.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
0.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$9.927 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$9.465 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$8.370 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$7.575 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$6.929 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$6.954 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$6.880 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$6.832 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$6.256 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$5.601 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
16.7% (of GDP) (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
3.52% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
4.21% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
4.45% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
4.38% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
3.36% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
3.32% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
12% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
10.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
11.1% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: consumption
6 metric tons (2022 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
2,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
99.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
9.001 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
2.139 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
492 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: consumption
15.316 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: exports
10.737 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: production
25.994 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: proven reserves
298.063 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: crude oil estimated reserves
242.982 million barrels (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
26,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
72,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
6,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from consumed natural gas
29.989 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
3.634 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
33.629 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Environment: Environmental issues
water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; widespread pollution of waterways and coastal areas; illegal dumping; deforestation; soil erosion; fisheries and wildlife depletion
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
10.5% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 4.9% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 4.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 1.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
44.2% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
45.2% (2023 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: agriculture
4.1 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: energy
160.3 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: other
6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: waste
59.1 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
10.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
3.84 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
16.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
128.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
237.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
53.96% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
727,900 tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
16.2% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Delaware
Geography: Area: land
5,128 sq km
Geography: Area: water
0 sq km
Geography: Coastline
362 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
El Cerro del Aripo 940 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Caribbean Sea 0 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
83 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
11 00 N, 61 00 W
Geography: Geography - note
Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt
Geography: Irrigated land
70 sq km (2012)
Geography: Land boundaries: total
0 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
10.5% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 4.9% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 4.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 1.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
44.2% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
45.2% (2023 est.)
Geography: Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Geography: Maritime claims: contiguous zone
24 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: continental shelf
200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms
Geography: Population distribution
population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half
Geography: Terrain
mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Government: Administrative divisions
9 regions, 3 boroughs, 2 cities, 1 ward regions: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco borough: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin cities: Port of Spain, San Fernando ward: Tobago
Government: Capital: etymology
translation of the name the Spanish gave the town in 1595, Puerto de España; the name was anglicized after the British captured Trinidad in 1797
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
10 39 N, 61 31 W
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
yes
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
yes
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
yes
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
8 years
Government: Constitution: amendment process
proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, such as human rights and freedoms or citizenship, requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses and assent of the president; passage of amendments, such as the powers and authorities of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, and the procedure for amending the constitution, requires at least three-quarters majority vote by the House membership, two-thirds majority vote by the Senate membership, and assent of the president
Government: Constitution: history
previous 1962; latest 1976
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Trinidad and Tobago
Government: Country name: etymology
explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the larger island "La Isla de la Trinidad" (The Island of the Trinity) in 1498, possibly because of the three mountain peaks on the island; COLUMBUS may have gotten the name Tobago, spelled "tobaco" in Spanish, from the tobacco grown and smoked locally, or from its elongated cigar shape
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Jenifer NEIDHART de ORTIZ (since January 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
ptspas@state.gov https://tt.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
15 Queen's Park West, Port of Spain
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
(868) 822-5905
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
3410 Port of Spain Place, Washington DC 20521-3410
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
(868) 622-6371
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036-1975
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Venessa RAMHIT-RAMROOP (since 4 June 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general
Miami, New York
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
embdcinfo@foreign.gov.tt https://foreign.gov.tt/missions-consuls/tt-missions-abroad/diplomatic-missions/embassy-washington-dc-us/
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 785-3130
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 467-6490
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Cabinet appointed from among members of Parliament
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
President Christine KANGALOO (since 20 March 2023)
Government: Executive branch: election results
2023: Christine KANGALOO elected president by the electoral college on 20 January 2023; electoral college vote Christine KANGALOO (PNM) 48, Israel KHAN (UNC) 22 2018: Paula-Mae WEEKES (independent) elected president; ran unopposed and was elected without a vote; she was Trinidad and Tabago's first female head of state
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
president indirectly elected by an electoral college of selected Senate and House of Representatives members for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives as prime minister
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
by February 2028
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Prime Minister Kamla Susheila PERSAD-BISSESSAR (since 1 May 2025)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
20 January 2023
Government: Flag
description: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper left to the lower right meaning: the colors represent the elements of earth, water, and fire; black also stands for the wealth of the land and the dedication of the people; white for the sea, the purity of the country's aspirations, and equality; red for the sun, the vitality of the land, and the people's courage and friendliness
Government: International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Government: International organization participation
ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Government: Judicial branch: highest court(s)
Supreme Court of the Judicature (consists of a chief justice for both the Court of Appeal with 12 judges and the High Court with 24 judges)
Government: Judicial branch: judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the parliamentary leader of the opposition; other judges appointed by the Judicial Legal Services Commission, headed by the chief justice and 5 members with judicial experience; all judges serve for life with mandatory retirement normally at age 65
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
Courts of Summary Criminal Jurisdiction; Petty Civil Courts; Family Court
Government: Legal system
English common law; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name
House of Representatives
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: electoral system
plurality/majority
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: expected date of next election
April 2030
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: most recent election date
4/28/2025
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: number of seats
42 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: parties elected and seats per party
United National Congress (UNC) (26); People's National Movement (PNM) (13); Other (2)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: percentage of women in chamber
23.8%
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: term in office
5 years
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name
Senate
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: expected date of next election
May 2030
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: most recent election date
5/23/2025
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: number of seats
31 (all appointed)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: percentage of women in chamber
25.8%
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: term in office
5 years
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
bicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
Parliament
Government: National anthem(s): history
adopted 1962; song originally written as an anthem for the West Indies Federation; Trinidad and Tobago adopted it when the Federation dissolved
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Patrick Stanislaus CASTAGNE
Government: National coat of arms
designed in 1962, the coat of arms shows the scarlet ibis (national bird of Trinidad) and the cocrico (national bird of Tobago); they support a shield displaying two hummingbirds, because Trinidad is home to 18 species of the bird and is called the “Land of Hummingbirds;” three gold ships on a backdrop of national colors represent Christopher Columbus, who visited the islands; the three peaks in the lower left refer to Trinidad being named after the Holy Trinity and also represent a famous mountain; the image of a gold ship's wheel in front of a coconut palm was also used on the Great Seals of British Colonial Tobago; the gold helmet represents Queen Elizabeth II of England (ruler of the country at the time), and the national motto promotes harmony in diversity
Government: National color(s)
red, white, black
Government: National holiday
Independence Day, 31 August (1962)
Government: National symbol(s)
scarlet ibis (bird of Trinidad), cocrico (bird of Tobago), chaconia flower
Government: Political parties
People's National Movement or PNM United National Congress or UNC Tobago People’s Party or Tobago
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Introduction: Background
First colonized by the Spanish, Trinidad and Tobago came under British control in the early 19th century. The emancipation of enslaved people in 1834 disrupted the twin islands' sugar industry. Contract workers arriving from India between 1845 and 1917 augmented the labor force, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export that remains the country's dominant industry. Trinidad and Tobago attained independence in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean, thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. The government is struggling to reverse a surge in violent crime.
Military and Security: Military - note
the primary responsibilities of the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF) are conducting border and maritime security, assisting civil authorities in times of crisis or disaster, providing search and rescue services, securing ports, and supporting civil law enforcement, particularly in countering gang-related crime and trafficking of narcotics and other illicit goods; the Police Service maintains internal security (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF): Trinidad and Tobago Regiment (Army/Land Forces), Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard, Defense Force Reserves (2026)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 5,000 Defense Forces (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the TTDF's ground force inventory consists of light weapons, while the Coast Guard and Air Guard field mostly secondhand equipment from several countries, including Australia, China, Italy, the Netherlands, and the US (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
0.75% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
0.91% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
0.85% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
0.69% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
0.73% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
0.81% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
0.86% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
0.77% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
0.96% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
0.92% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
generally 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
18.7% (male 134,508/female 129,180)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
67.2% (male 481,606/female 465,150)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
14.1% (2024 est.) (male 92,146/female 106,376)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
2.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
2.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
5.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
10.33 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 15
0.7% (2022)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 18
4.2% (2022)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
7.53% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
42.7% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
21.9 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
4.6 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
49.3 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
27.5 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
3% of GDP (2023 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
12.6% national budget (2025 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
3.23% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
East Indian 35.4%, African descent 34.2%, mixed - other 15.3%, mixed - African/East Indian 7.7%, other 1.3%, unspecified 6.2% (2011 est.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
0.8 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
7% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
10.9% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
1.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
13 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
17.1 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
17.0 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
76.8 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
70.5 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: female
93.8% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
545,000 PORT-OF-SPAIN (capital) (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
54 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
39 years
People and Society: Median age: male
38 years
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Trinidadian, Tobagonian
People and Society: Net migration rate
-0.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
18.6% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
4.16 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
People and Society: Population
1,368,333 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half
People and Society: Population growth rate
0.06% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
701,493
People and Society: Population: male
708,677
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.04 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1.04 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.87 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.04 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
1.54 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
53.96% (2024 est.)
Terrorism: Terrorist group(s)
Tren de Aragua (TdA)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
24,134 (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
3 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
9Y
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
general cargo 1, other 101
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
102 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Galeota Point Terminal, Point Lisas Industrial Port, Point Lisas Port, Pointe-a-Pierre, Port of Spain
Transportation: Ports: large
0
Transportation: Ports: medium
1
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
8
Transportation: Ports: small
4
Transportation: Ports: total ports
10 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
5
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.