Trinidad and Tobago

The islands came under British control in the 19th century; independence was granted 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.

• water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage;
• oil pollution of beaches;
• deforestation;
• soil erosion

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.09 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.82 male(s)/female

total population:

1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

noun:

Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)

adjective:

Trinidadian, Tobagonian

conventional long form:

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

conventional short form:

Trinidad and Tobago

• based on English common law;
• judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
• has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

chief of state:

President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003)

head of government:

Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001)

cabinet:

Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament

elections:

• president elected by an electoral college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five-year term;
• election last held 14 February 2003 (next to be held in 2008);
• the president usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives

election results:

George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent of electoral college vote - 43%

• Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission);
• High Court of Justice;
• Court of Appeals;
• the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London

• National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Lennox SANKERSINGH];
• People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING];
• Team Unity or TU [Ramesh MAHARAJ];
• United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY];
• Democratic Action Committee or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES], note - only active in Tobago

chief of mission:

Ambassador Marina Annette VALERE

chancery:

1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone:

[1] (202) 467-6490

FAX:

[1] (202) 785-3130

consulate(s) general:

Miami and New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN

embassy:

15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain

mailing address:

P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain

telephone:

[1] (868) 622-6372 through 6376, 622-6176

FAX:

[1] (868) 628-5462

lowest 10%:

NA

highest 10%:

NA

general assessment:

excellent international service; good local service

domestic:

NA

international:

• country code - 1-868;
• satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
• tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana

total:

8,320 km

paved:

4,252 km

unpaved:

4,068 km (1999 est.)

total:

6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,178 GRT/3,633 DWT

by type:

passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned:

1 (United States 1)

registered in other countries:

4 (2005)

• Barbados will assert its claim before UNCLOS that the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into its waters;
• Guyana has also expressed its intention to challenge this boundary as it may extend into its waters as well