Trinidad and Tobago Country & Tourist Information

Location
Southern Caribbean, off Venezuelan coast.

Area
Total: 5,128 sq km (1,980 sq miles). Trinidad: 4,828 sq km (1,864 sq miles). Tobago: 300 sq km (116 sq miles).

Population
1.3 million (UN estimate 2006).

Population Density
253.5 per sq km.

Capital
Port of Spain.
Population: 52,000 (UN estimate 2006).

Government
Republic. Gained independence from the UK in 1962.

Language
The official language is English. French, Spanish, Hindi and Chinese are also spoken.

Religion
30% Roman Catholic, 29% other Christian denominations, 24% Hindu, 11% Anglican, and 6% Muslim.

Time
GMT - 4.

Electricity
110/220 volts AC, 60Hz. US pattern twin plus earth plugs are standard, though variations may be found.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Patrick Manning since 2002.

Head of State
President Maxwell Richards since 2003.

Recent History
In the election of December 2000, the Asian United National Congress (UNC) came out on top with a small majority, under the leadership of Basdeo Panday. Panday continued as prime minister but his government was brought down by a serious corruption scandal (the UNC has been persistently dogged by such allegations) after less than a year. At the December 2001 poll, the UNC and Patrick Manning’s People’s National Movement (PNM) were tied on 18 seats each. After 12 months of almost paralyzed government, the country went to the polls once again, in October 2002. This time, the PNM, with Patrick Manning still at the helm, was returned with a small working majority.

Tobago was granted full internal self-government by the national government in 1987.

Telephone
Country code: 1 868. There are no area codes. In Tobago, international telephone calls can be made from the national communications provider, TSTT. Many public phone booths take phonecards which can be bought from local shops and TSTT.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is available in most of Trinidad and Tobago.

Internet
There are numerous Internet cafes on the islands.

Media
The government generally respects press freedom, which is enshrined in the constitution. A state-owned company, the Caribbean News Media Network, operates a TV network and two radio stations. Privately run TV6 dominates the ratings in Trinidad and Tobago.

Post
The main post office is on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. Airmail to Western Europe takes up to two weeks; incoming mail can take much longer. The main post office in Tobago is in Market Square, Scarborough.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1300-1630.

Press
• English-language dailies include Newsday, The Trinidad Guardian and Trinidad & Tobago Express.
• Dailies and numerous weekly publications such as The Bomb and The Punch.
• Tobago News is the island’s own weekly paper.

Radio
• Trinidad Broadcasting Company operates Radio Trinidad, Sangeet 106.1 FM and several other stations.
• Radio 90.5 broadcasts Indian music.
• Ebony 104 broadcasts Creole music and culture.
• Other stations include WEFM and i95.5 FM.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
30 Mar Spiritual Baptist Shouters' Liberation Day.
10 Apr Good Friday.
13 Apr Easter Monday.
30 May Indian Arrival Day.
11 Jun Corpus Christi.
19 Jun Labor Day.
1 Aug Emancipation Day.
31 Aug Independence Day.
21 Sep Eid ul Fitr.
24 Sep Republic Day.
18 Oct Divali.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
29 Mar Spiritual Baptist Shouters' Liberation Day.
2 Apr Good Friday.
5 Apr Easter Monday.
30 May Indian Arrival Day.
3 Jun Corpus Christi.
19 Jun Labor Day.
1 Aug Emancipation Day.
31 Aug Independence Day.
24 Sep Republic Day.
11 Sep Eid ul Fitr.
5 Nov Divali.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

Note
Hindu festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and variations may occur. Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. The actual dates are determined one to two weeks beforehand. When a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday will be observed on the Monday following immediately. When two public holidays fall on the same date the following date is also given as a public holiday (website: www.gov.tt).

Contact Information:

High Commission of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in the UK
42 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8NT, UK
Tel: (020) 7245 9351.
Website: www.immigration.gov.tt
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; Mon-Fri 1000-1400 (visa applications).

Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Office in the UK
Lion House, 111 Hare Lane, Claygate, Surrey K10 0QY, UK
Tel: 0800 804 8787.
Website: www.visittnt.com

Caribbean Tourism Organization in the UK
22 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1BP, UK
Tel: (020) 8948 0057.
Website: www.caribbean.co.uk

Embassy of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in the USA
1708 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: (202) 467 6490.
E-mail: info@ttembwash.com

Caribbean Tourism Organization in the USA
80 Broad Street, Suite 3200, New York, NY 10004, USA
Tel: (212) 635 9530.
Website: www.caribbeantravel.com


Next Page »

Related Trinidad and Tobago Content