Trinidad and Tobago

World Book Index

Introduction

Background
First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came under British control in the early 19th century. The islands' sugar industry employed contract laborers from India between 1845 and 1917, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export. Independence was attained in 1962.

Geography

Area
total : 5,128 sq km
land: 5,128 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Climate
tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

People and Society

Population
total: 1,408,966 (2024 est.)

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.)

Languages
English (official), Trinidadian Creole English, Tobagonian Creole English, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Trinidadian Creole French, Spanish, Chinese

Religions
Protestant 32.1% (Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel 12%, Baptist 6.9%, Anglican 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.1%, Presbyterian/Congregational 2.5%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 21.6%, Hindu 18.2%, Muslim 5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 8.4%, none 2.2%, unspecified 11.1% (2011 est.)

Population growth rate
0.1% (2024 est.)

Government

Government type
parliamentary republic

Capital
name: Port of Spain

Executive branch
chief of state: President Christine KANGALOO (since 20 March 2023)
head of government: Prime Minister Kamla Susheila PERSAD-BISSESSAR (since 1 May 2025)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Venessa RAMHIT-RAMROOP (since 4 June 2025)

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Jenifer NEIDHART de ORTIZ (since January 2025)

Economy

Economic overview
high-income Caribbean economy; major hydrocarbon exporter; key tourism and finance sectors; high inflation and growing public debt; long foreign currency access delays; large foreign reserves and sovereign wealth fund

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$43.362 billion (2024 est.)
$42.658 billion (2023 est.)
$42.058 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$31,700 (2024 est.)
$31,200 (2023 est.)
$30,800 (2022 est.)

Exports
$11.087 billion (2024 est.)
$11.545 billion (2023 est.)
$17.584 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners
USA 28%, China 7%, Guyana 5%, Chile 5%, Netherlands 5% (2023)

Exports - commodities
natural gas, alcohols, ammonia, crude petroleum, iron reductions (2023)

Imports
$10.19 billion (2024 est.)
$9.219 billion (2023 est.)
$10.968 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners
USA 29%, Guyana 27%, China 8%, Brazil 4%, Canada 3% (2023)

Imports - commodities
railway cargo containers, refined petroleum, cars, iron ore, excavation machinery (2023)

Human Development Index

The country's Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.807, ranking it 72nd out of 193 countries tested. (more information)

World Happiness Report

The World Happiness Report ranked the country 68th out of 158 countries tested with a score of 5.905. (more information)