2023 Edition

Background

First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came under British control in the early 19th century. The islands' sugar industry was hurt by the emancipation of the slaves in 1834. Manpower was replaced with the importation of 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. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing. The government is struggling to reverse a surge in violent crime.

Area

land

5,128 sq km

total

5,128 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Delaware

Climate

tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Coastline

362 km

Elevation

highest point

El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

mean elevation

83 m

Geographic coordinates

11 00 N, 61 00 W

Geography - note

Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

Irrigated land

70 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

10.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 1.4% (2018 est.)

forest

44% (2018 est.)

other

45.4% (2018 est.)

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

note

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Population distribution

population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half

Terrain

mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Age structure

0-14 years

19.04% (male 136,733/female 131,316)

15-64 years

67.4% (male 482,427/female 466,200)

65 years and over

13.56% (2023 est.) (male 88,531/female 102,253)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

5.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

10.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

7.3% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

48.6% (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

16.8

potential support ratio

7.4 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

43.7

youth dependency ratio

29.3

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Education expenditures

4.1% of GDP (2020 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.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.8 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

3 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

13.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

17.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

15.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.2 years

male

74.3 years

total population

76.2 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98.7% (2015)

male

99.2%

total population

99%

Major urban areas - population

545,000 PORT-OF-SPAIN (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

27 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

38.4 years

male

37.5 years

total

38 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Trinidadian, Tobagonian

note

note: Trinbagonian is used on occasion to describe a citizen of the country without specifying the island of origin

noun

Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)

Net migration rate

-1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

18.6% (2016)

Physicians density

4.48 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

1,407,460 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half

Population growth rate

0.12% (2023 est.)

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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 99.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.87 male(s)/female

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.63 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

53.4% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

12.6%

male

12.8%

total

12.7% (2021 est.)

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

Capital

etymology

the name dates to the period of Spanish colonial rule (16th to late 18th centuries) when the city was referred to as "Puerto de Espana"; the name was anglicized following the British capture of Trinidad in 1797

geographic coordinates

10 39 N, 61 31 W

name

Port of Spain

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

8 years

Constitution

amendments

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; amended many times, last in 2007

history

previous 1962; latest 1976

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

conventional short form

Trinidad and Tobago

etymology

explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the larger island "La Isla de la Trinidad" (The Island of the Trinity) on 31 July 1498 on his third voyage; the tobacco grown and smoked by the natives of the smaller island or its elongated cigar shape may account for the "tobago" name, which is spelled "tobaco" in Spanish

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Candace A. BOND (since 8 December 2022)

email address and website

acspos@state.govhttps://tt.usembassy.gov/

embassy

15 Queen's Park West, Port of Spain

FAX

(868) 822-5905

mailing address

3410 Port of Spain Place, Washington DC  20521-3410

telephone

(868) 622-6371

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036-1975

chief of mission

Ambassador Anthony Wayne Jerome PHILLIPS-SPENCER, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) (since 27 June 2016)

consulate(s) general

Miami, New York

email address and website

embdcinfo@foreign.gov.tthttps://foreign.gov.tt/missions-consuls/tt-missions-abroad/diplomatic-missions/embassy-washington-dc-us/

FAX

[1] (202) 785-3130

telephone

[1] (202) 467-6490

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed from among members of Parliament

chief of state

President Christine KANGALOO (since 20 March 2023)

election results

Christine KANGALOO elected president by the electoral college on 20 January 2023; Christine KANGALOO (PNM) - 48 votes, Israel KHAN (UNC) 22 

elections/appointments

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); election last held on 20 January 2023 (next to be held by February 2028); the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives as prime minister

head of government

Prime Minister Keith ROWLEY (since 9 September 2015)

Flag description

red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side; the colors represent the elements of earth, water, and fire; black stands for the wealth of the land and the dedication of the people; white symbolizes the sea surrounding the islands, the purity of the country's aspirations, and equality; red symbolizes the warmth and energy of the sun, the vitality of the land, and the courage and friendliness of its people

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

31 August 1962 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, 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

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); note - Trinidad and Tobago can file appeals beyond its Supreme Court to the Caribbean Court of Justice, with final appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

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

subordinate courts

Courts of Summary Criminal Jurisdiction; Petty Civil Courts; Family Court

Legal system

English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the president, and 6 by the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms;)House of Representatives (42 seats; 41 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and the house speaker - usually designated from outside Parliament; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition as of May 2020 - men 18, women 13, percent of women 41.9%House of Representatives - percent by party - NA; seats by party - PNM 22, UNC 19; composition - as of May 2022 - men 31, women 11, percent of women 26.2%; note - overall Parliament percent of women 32.9%

elections

Senate - last appointments on 28 August 2020 (next appointments in August 2025)House of Representatives - last held on 10 August 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

note

note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly (19 seats; 15 assemblymen directly elected by simple majority vote and 4 appointed councilors - 3 on the advice of the chief secretary and 1 on the advice of the minority leader; members serve 4-year terms)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Patrick Stanislaus CASTAGNE

name

"Forged From the Love of Liberty"

note

note: adopted 1962; song originally created to serve as an anthem for the West Indies Federation; adopted by Trinidad and Tobago following the Federation's dissolution in 1962

National holiday

Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

National symbol(s)

scarlet ibis (bird of Trinidad), cocrico (bird of Tobago), Chaconia flower; national colors: red, white, black

Political parties and leaders

Congress of the People or COP [Kirt SINNETTE]People's National Movement or PNM [Keith ROWLEY]Progressive Democratic Patriots or PDP (Tobago) [Watson DUKE]United National Congress or UNC [Kamla PERSAD-BISSESSAR]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

poultry, fruit, coconuts, citrus fruit, milk, plantains, maize, oranges, eggs, gourds

Budget

expenditures

$7.528 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$4.939 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-8.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

Ba1 (2017)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BBB- (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$1.02 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$1.356 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$2.9 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$8.746 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$8.238 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

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

Exchange rates

Currency

Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

6.78 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

6.771 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

6.754 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

6.751 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

6.759 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$9.566 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$6.44 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$11.467 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

ammonia, industrial alcohols, natural gas, crude petroleum, iron products, fertilizers, refined petroleum (2021)

Exports - partners

United States 37%, Guyana 6%, China 5%, Mexico 4%, Belgium 4% (2021)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

45.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption

16.4% (2017 est.)

household consumption

78.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-48.7% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

8.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0.6% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0.4% (2017 est.)

industry

47.8% (2017 est.)

services

51.7% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$24.031 billion (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2019

$7.96 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$6.785 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$8.592 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, iron, excavation machinery, ships, cars (2021)

Imports - partners

United States 37%, China 9%, Mexico 6%, Brazil 5%, Canada 4% (2021)

Industrial production growth rate

-0.99% (2021 est.)

Industries

petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, food processing, cement, cotton textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

1% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

0.6% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.06% (2021 est.)

Labor force

702,900 (2021 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

3.1%

industry

11.5%

services

85.4% (2016 est.)

Population below poverty line

20% (2014 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

37% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

41.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$38.465 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$35.511 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$35.147 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

0.11% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-7.68% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

-1.03% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$25,300 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$23,400 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$23,000 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$6.929 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$6.954 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$6.88 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

19.52% (of GDP) (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

3.42% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

4.57% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

4.8% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

12.6%

male

12.8%

total

12.7% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

10,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

35.011 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

4.631 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

39.652 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

8,213,020,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

2.123 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

424 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

99.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

16,247,415,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports

14,662,269,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

30,886,691,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves

298.063 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

22,100 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

64,700 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

243 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

35,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

81,000 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

106,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

134,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

27 (2020 est.)

total

376,771 (2020 est.)

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)

Internet country code

.tt

Internet users

percent of population

79% (2021 est.)

total

1.185 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is 22 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity 130 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

excellent international service; good local service; broadband access; expanded FttP (Fiber to the Home) markets; LTE launch; regulatory development; major growth in mobile telephony and data segments which attacks operation investment in fiber infrastructure; moves to end roaming charges (2020)

international

country code - 1-868; landing points for the EC Link, ECFS, Southern Caribbean Fiber, SG-SCS and Americas II submarine cable systems provide connectivity to US, parts of the Caribbean and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana (2020)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

22 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

340,000 (2021)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

130 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

2 million (2021 est.)

Airports

4 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

2

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

2

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9Y

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 1, other 101

total

102 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

41.14 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

2,525,130 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

19

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Pipelines

257 km condensate, 11 km condensate/gas, 1,567 km gas, 587 km oil (2013)

Ports and terminals

LNG terminal(s) (export)

Port Fortin

major seaport(s)

Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port of Spain, Scarborough

oil terminal(s)

Galeota Point terminal

Military - note

the Police Service maintains internal security; the TTDF's primary responsibilities are conducting border and maritime security, assisting civil authorities in times of crisis or disaster, providing search and rescue services, and supporting law enforcement, particularly in countering gang-related crime and trafficking of narcotics and other illicit goods; the Coast Guard is responsible for maritime border security in places with no official ports of entry (2023)

Military and security forces

Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF): Army/Land Forces (Trinidad and Tobago Regiment), Coast Guard, Air Guard, Defense Force ReservesTrinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) (2023)

note

note: the Ministry of National Security oversees both the TTDF and the TTPS

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 5,000 TTDF personnel (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the TTDF's ground force inventory includes only light weapons, while the Coast Guard and Air Guard field mostly secondhand equipment from a mix of countries, including Australia, China, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

1% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (some age variations between services, reserves); no conscription (2023)

note

note: as of 2019, women comprised about 14% of the active duty military

Disputes - international

Trinidad and Tobago-Barbados: Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago abide by the April 2006 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's EEZ Trinidad and Tobago-Barbados-Guyana-Venezuela: in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; Guyana has expressed its intention to include itself in the arbitration, as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela maritime boundary may also extend into its waters

Illicit drugs

a transit point for drugs destined for Europe, North America, and the rest of the Caribbean;  drug trafficking organizations use  the country’s proximity to Venezuela, its porous borders, vulnerabilities at ports of entry, a limited law enforcement capacity and resources, and corruption  

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

35,314 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2021)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Trinidad and Tobago does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; officials implemented new standard operating procedures for victim referral and care, opened a government-funded and operated shelter for female child victims, provided the first government shelters for adult victims; and increased the size of the Counter-Trafficking Unit; officials took steps to prevent trafficking among vulnerable populations, including migrants, Cuban medical workers, and Venezuelan refugees and migrants; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared to the previous year, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; courts have never convicted a trafficker under the 2011 anti-trafficking law, and corruption and complicity among officials, including at senior levels, inhibited law enforcement action; victim identification, referral, and services remained weak, and interagency coordination was poor; because the government has devoted significant resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards, Trinidad and Tobago was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3; therefore, Trinidad and Tobago remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year (2023)

trafficking profile

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Trinidad and Tobago, and also exploit victims from Trinidad and Tobago abroad; the country serves as a transit point for Venezuelan refugees and migrants en route to Europe, North Africa, and elsewhere in the Caribbean who are at high risk for trafficking; sex trafficking is the most prevalent form of trafficking in the country, victimizing women and girls primarily from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Venezuela; however, the government reported an increase in male Venezuelan labor trafficking victims and domestic child sex trafficking victims; unaccompanied Venezuelan children are at risk for sex trafficking; Trinidad remains the primary hub for most sexual exploitation, but traffickers move some victims to Tobago during the tourist season; migrants from the Caribbean region and from Asia are at risk for forced labor in domestic service and the retail sector; traffickers also exploit victims from China, India, Kenya, Nepal, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines; migrants from the Caribbean region and Asia are at risk for forced labor in domestic service and the retail sector; LGBTQI+ persons are at risk for sex trafficking; Cuban medical professionals may have been forced to work in Trinidad and Tobago by the Cuban government; corruption by police, immigration and customs, and coast guard officials has been associated with facilitating labor and sex trafficking; transnational organized crime may increasingly be involved in trafficking; Trinidad and Tobago is a sex tourism destination, according to NGOs, and most sex tourists come from Canada, China, the US, and Western Europe (2023)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

43.87 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

1.35 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

10.26 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Environment - current 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 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

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

10.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 1.4% (2018 est.)

forest

44% (2018 est.)

other

45.4% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.05% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

3.84 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

130 million cubic meters (202 est.)

municipal

240 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

53.4% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

727,874 tons (2010 est.)