 | |
| Location | |
 | |
| Ensign | |
 | |
| Basic information | |
| Capital | Port of Spain |
| Goverment | counting democracy |
| Currency | Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD) |
| Area | 5.128 sq km |
| Population | 1,065,842 (July 2006 est.) |
| Language | English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese |
| Religion | Roman Catholic 29%, Hindu 24%, Anglican 11%, Muslim 6%, Presbyterian 3%, other 27% |
| Power system | 115/60Hz (North American socket) |
| Phone number | 1-868 |
| Internet TLD | .tt |
| time zone | UTC -4 |
Trinidad and Tobago, Official name Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is a country located in the southern Caribbean Sea, 11 km (7 mi) off the coast VenezuelaThe country is an island nation consisting of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and 21 small islands with a total area of 5,128 km² or 1,864 mi². The population estimate as of July 2006 was 1,065,842 people. The average length of Trinidad is 80 km and the average width is 59 km. Tobago is 41 km long and 12 km at its widest point.
The larger and more populated island is Trinidad (literally "Island of the Trinity" - Trinity), while Tobago is smaller (303 km² or 116 mi²; about 6% of the total area) and more sparsely populated ( 50,000 people; or 5% of the total population). Official citizens are called "Trinidadians" or "Tobago people" or "citizens of Trinidad and Tobago", but Trinidadians usually refer to Trinis and both Trinidadians and Tobago people are often referred to as Trinbagonians.
overview
Unlike most of the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago is a predominantly industrialized country with an economy based on petroleum and petrochemicals. Your descendants Africa and people India make up 80% of the population, the rest are mostly multi-blooded people with a small number of people Europe, Chinese and people Saudi Arabia-people Syria- Lebanese. Trinidad and Tobago are famous for their pre-Lenten Carnival and the birthplace of steelpan, calypso and limbo dance.
History
Both Trinidad and Tobago were once inhabited by Indians of South American origin. At least, in pre-Archaic times, Trinidad was inhabited 7,000 years ago, making it the earliest inhabited part of the Caribbean continent. Agrarian peoples using pottery settled in Trinidad around 250 BC and then moved to the Lesser Antilles. When Europeans arrived, Trinidad was the territory of many tribes who spoke the Arawakan and Cariban languages including Nepoya, Suppoya and Yao; while Tobago is under the control of the Caribs and Galibi. The Indian name of Trinidad, Kairi or Iere, is often translated as "Land of the Hummingbirds", although others have suggested that it simply means "island". Cristoforo Colombo arrived on the island of Trinidad on July 31, 1498 and named it after the Trinity. Colpmbo also saw Tobago, which he called Bella Forma, but he did not land on the island. The name Tobago is probably derived from the word tobacco.
The Spaniards initially established their base in Trinidad, but due to lack of settlement, they eventually allowed all Christian Europeans to settle on the island, leading to migrations from France. and other countries. Meanwhile, Tobago went from British rule to France to the Netherlands and Courland. Britain consolidated its power over both islands during the Napoleonic Wars, and they merged them into the colonies of Trinidad and Tobago in 1889. Because of those colonial struggles, the names of the places were in English. Native Americans, Spanish, French and English are very popular in this country. African slaves, Indians, Chinese, Portuguese and free laborers from Africa came to add to the workforce in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Emigrations from Barbados and the Lesser Antilles, Venezuela and Syria and Lebanon have also brought racial influence on the country.
Although it was originally a colony with sugarcane and cocoa being the two main products of the economy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, after the decline in cocoa production (because of the plague and the Great Depression) ) oil gradually occupies an important position in the economy. The crisis and the increase in oil market share in the economy led to changes in the social structure.
The presence of US military bases at Chaguaramas and Cumuto in Trinidad during World War II fundamentally changed the character of society. In the post-war period, a wave of decolonization took place throughout the British Empire leading to the establishment of the West Indies Union in 1958 as the first step towards independence. Chaguaramas was proposed to be the federal capital. The Union was dissolved after Jamaica withdrew, and Trinidad and Tobago elected independence in 1962.
In 1970, a number of students gathered in front of the Canadian embassy to protest the student visa fee, which at the time mimicked the 1960s human rights wave in North America. The result was what we now call the Black Power Rebels of 1970[citation needed].
In 1976 it ended ties with the British monarchy and became a republic within the British Commonwealth.
In 1990, 114 members of Jamaat al Muslimeen, led by Yasin Abu Bakr (formerly known as Lennox Phillip), stormed the Parliament of Trinidad & Tobago at the Red House, and the only television station in the country at the time. there, holding the government hostage for six days. The case was resolved and the country has since been in complete peace.
Petroleum, petrochemicals and natural gas continue to be the backbone of the national economy. Tourism is also a key driver of Tobago's economy, and the island remains a favorite destination for many European tourists. Trinidad and Tobago is one of the wealthiest countries in the Caribbean, although it has fallen short of its "oil boom" between 1973 and 1983.
In 1991, Patrick Manning was appointed Prime Minister. For many years, the leadership had to deal with popular uprisings arising from economic difficulties and radical antagonism. Unemployment and overcapacity are among the persistent problems in the island nation, and most people are demanding that the government nationalize the sugar and oil industries that are now under the control of the sugar mills. foreign company.
Geography
The country consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and 21 smaller islands, the largest of which are Chacachacare, Monos, Huevos, Gaspar Grande (or Gasparee), Little Tobago and St. Giles Is. The island territory is a mixture of plains and mountains. The highest point in the country is in the Northern Range in El Cerro del Aripo at 940 meters (3,085 feet) above sea level. Tropical. A year has two seasons: the dry season in the first six months of the year, and the rainy season in the second half of the year. Winds usually come from the northeast and are often influenced by the northeast trade winds. Unlike most other islands in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago were not affected by destructive hurricanes such as Hurricane Ivan, the strongest storm to pass near the island in recent times. December, 2004.
The majority of the population lives on the island of Trinidad, which is home to many major cities and towns. Trinidad has three metropolitan areas: Port of Spain, the capital, San Fernando, and Chaguanas. Among those three regions, Chaguanas has the fastest growth rate. The largest city in Tobago is Scarborough.
Trinidad is made up of many different types of soil, mostly fine sand and heavy clay. The alluvial deltas of the Northern Range and the "East-West Corridor" land are the most fertile.
The Northern Range consists mainly of Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks, mostly andesite and schist. The northern lowlands (East-West Corridor and the Caroni Plain) are composed of Pleistocene or younger sand and clay tectonics with gravel rivers and alluvial swamps. South of this region, the Central Range is a retrograde ridge of Cretaceous and Eocene rock, with Miocene formations along the eastern and southern slopes. The Naparima Plain and the Nariva Swamp form the southern part of this reverse fault. The southern lowlands include Miocene and Pliocene sands, clay and gravel. They hide beneath deposits of oil and natural gas, particularly north of the Los Bajos Fault. The southern range forms the third convex reverse fault. It consists of several ranges of hills, the most famous part being the Trinity Hill. The rock is sandstone, shale, and alluvial rock and clay that have been formed during the Miocene and uplifted during the Pleistocene. Oil sands and mud volcanoes are especially abundant in this area.
Despite being located just off the coast of South America, Trinidad and Tobago are often considered part of the North American continent because of its Caribbean character. See Intercontinental States.
Politic
Trinidad and Tobago is a liberal democracy with a bipartisan system and a bicameral parliamentary system based on the Westminster System. The Head of State of Trinidad and Tobago is the President, currently Professor Emeritus George Maxwell Richards. Government leader and Prime Minister. The President is elected by an Electoral Commission composed entirely of members of the two Houses of Parliament. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President. The President is required to appoint the leader of the party he thinks has the most support from members of parliament to that office; usually it is the leader of the party that won the most seats in the previous election (except in the 2001 General Election).
Parliament consists of two levels, the Senate (31 members) and the House of Representatives (36 members, which will increase to 41 members from the next election). The members of the senate are appointed by the president. Sixteen Government Senators are appointed at the suggestion of the Prime Minister, six Opposition Senators are appointed at the suggestion of the Leader of the Opposition and nine Independent Senators are appointed by the President. to represent other fields of civil society. The 36 members of the House of Representatives are elected by the people-in-law for a maximum term of 5 years.
Since 24 December 2001, the ruling party has been the National People's Movement led by Patrick Manning; The Opposition party is the United National Congress led by Kamala Persad-Bissessar (Leader of Opposition) and Winston Dookeran (UNC political leader).
Trinidad and Tobago is an active member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the CARICOM Economic and Common Market (CSME).
Economy
Trinidad and Tobago have a reputation as a great investment destination for international entrepreneurs. One area of top growth over the past four years has been natural gas. Tourism is a growing sector, although not as large as many other Caribbean islands. Its economy benefits from low inflation and a trade surplus. The year 2002 was marked by solid development of the oil and gas sector, partially compensating for political instability in the country.
The island nation's climatic features support the development of tropical crops, especially sugarcane plantations with an annual production of 129,000 tons of sugar (1994). Other agricultural products include: cocoa, coffee, bananas, citrus, copra. The livestock industry is also very developed.
Industry is mainly based on hydrocarbon extraction. Lake Pitch in southwestern Trinidad, mined since the 16th century, now supplies 108,000 tons of bitumen (used as asphalt) and most of it is exported. Oil fields mostly in Southern Trinidad provide more than 7 million tons/year (1994). Gas extraction is also on the rise. Petroleum is exported to the United States and Great Britain. Most oil wells and refineries are in the hands of US companies. Hydrocarbon production accounts for 80% of the total value of export products. The mild climate, beautiful natural scenery and good transportation network make tourism a significant source of income.
Demographics[edit]Main article: Demographics of Trinidad and Tobago The ethnic composition of Trinidad and Tobago reflects a history of conquest and migration. Two main ethnic groups - Indo-Trinidadians and African Trinidadians - make up 80% of the population, while the multiracial populations, descendants of European Trinidadians/Europeans, Chinese/Chinese Trinidadians and Arab/Syrian-Lebanese Trinidadians make up the majority of the remainder. According to the 1990 census, Indian Trinidadians made up 40.3% of the population, African Trinidadians 39.5%, mixed-race 18.4%, European Trinidadian 0.6% and Chinese , Syrians and other ethnicities 1.2%. European Trinidadians, especially descendants of the old landowner class, are often referred to as French Creoles, even if their ancestors were immigrants from Spain, England, Portugal [2] or Virtue. The multiracial Cocoa Payol people are descendants of Spanish settlers and immigrants from Venezuela. The Portuguese Trini population includes both Caucasians and Amerasians. The American Indian minority is largely multiracial - a very small Carib minority, descended from indigenous peoples, organized around the Santa Rosa Carib Community.
Migration out of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as to other Caribbean countries, is historically high; Most of them go to the United States, and Canada and Britain receive most of the rest. This migration is still ongoing, although to a lesser extent, even the birth rate has plummeted to levels comparable to developed countries.
Many religions are present in Trinidad and Tobago. The two largest religions are Roman Catholicism and Hinduism; Anglican, Muslim, Presbyterian, Methodist are smaller religions. The two Afro-Caribbean manifold faiths, the Shouter (or Spiritual Baptist) and the Orisha (formerly known as Shango, less exalted) are among the fastest growing religious groups, as are the churches of American-style Evangelical and Fundamentalist are generally considered by most Trinidadians to be lumped together as "Pentecostal" (although this designation is often inaccurate). The Mormon Church has been expanding their presence in the country since the mid-1980s.
English is the official language of the country, but Bhojpuri, locally commonly known as Hindi, is also spoken by some Indian Trinidadians and is present in popular music. The primary language, Anglo-Trinidadian, ranks as both a dialect and a variant of English or a type of Trinidadian Creole English. The most spoken language in Tobago is Tobago hybrid English (Tobagonian Creole English). Both languages contain African elements; however, Trinidadian English is heavily influenced by French and French hybrids as well as Bhojpuri/Hindi. American languages and dialects are often spoken only on informal occasions, and so far there is no standardized system of spelling (like in Standard English). Visitors who come here for a short time need not worry about learning vernacular/American languages, as almost everyone speaks and understands English. However, usually people use dialects/American languages to talk to each other. Although the dialect (a type of French hybrid) was once widely spoken on this island (and on the coast of Paria Venezuela), it no longer holds that position.
Because of Trinidad's location on the coast of South America, the country has not developed much relations with Spanish-speaking peoples, so that as of 2004 only 1,500 of Trinidad's 1.3 million people spoke the language. Spain.2. ^ In 2004 the government launched the "Spanish - Foreign Language Number One (SAFFL)" initiative [3], and made it public in March 2005. Government regulations now force schools Graduate schools must teach students Spanish, while 30% of civil servants will have to be able to use the language in the next five years. Venezuelans often go to Trinidad and Tobago to study English, and many English schools have expanded to include Spanish.
Culture[edit]Main article: Culture of Trinidad and Tobago The Chaconian flower (Warszewiczia coccinea) is the national symbolic flower of Trinidad and Tobago.Trinidad and Tobago are famous for their Lenten festivals. The country is also the birthplace of calypso music and the steelpan instrument, widely recognized as the only musical instrument invented in the 20th century. Its diverse culture and religion makes the country many festivals. throughout the year. Other indigenous arts include Soca music (a music derived from calypso), Parang (Christmas music influenced by Venezuela), chutney music, and pichakaree (mixed musical forms of music). Caribbean and Indian) and the famous limbo dance.
The art here is also vibrant. Trinidad and Tobago have two Nobel laureates in literature, Saint Lucia-born V. S. Naipaul and Derek Walcott. Mas brand designer Peter Minshall is known not only for his carnival outfits but also for his role in the opening ceremony of the 1992 Summer Olympics, the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games. Summer 1996 and the 2002 Winter Olympics, for which he won an Emmy Award.
Trinidad and Tobago have also won two Miss Universe awards, with Penny Commisiong in 1977, and Wendy Fitzwilliams in 1998.
Region
City
Port of Spain - is the name of the capital of Trinidad and Tobago and the third largest city in the country, after Chaguanas and San Fernando.
- San Fernando - southern city
- Scarborough (capital of Tobago)
District:
- Arima - birthplace of famous calypso artist "Lord Kitchener"
- Chaguanas - fastest growing and largest city mainly populated by descendants of East Indian indentured labor
- Point Fortin - South West Urban Area, located on the outskirts of Pitch Lake La Brea and known for its oil production
town:
- Chaguaramas - a town with one of the major yachting centers, also famous for its nightlife, the venue for the Miss Universe 1999 pageant.
- Princes Town
- Toco
- St James - the locals affectionately call the city that never sleeps
Other destinations
Arrive
A valid passport remains valid for the period of stay in this country. All visitors must have a return ticket, show proof of funds to support themselves, and provide an address in TT, such as a hotel or family/friends. Citizens of the United States, Canada, Caricom countries (except Haiti), Singapore and most EU countries and Latin America do not need a visa for vacation or business of 90 days or less. Other countries need to apply for a visa in advance at a TT embassy or consulate abroad. When leaving the country, there is an outgoing tax of TT $75 on the ferry to Venezuela.