Trinidad and Tobago (2002) | Guernsey (2005) | |
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Administrative divisions | 8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**; Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria | none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes including Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale, Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, Saint Martin, Saint Andrew |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 23% (male 136,807; female 131,177)
15-64 years: 70.2% (male 419,847; female 396,643) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 35,146; female 44,104) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 15.4% (male 5,084/female 4,937)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 21,611/female 22,002) 65 years and over: 17.8% (male 4,882/female 6,712) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry | tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle |
Airports | 6 (2001) | 2 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
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Area | total: 5,128 sq km
land: 5,128 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 78 sq km
land: 78 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Delaware | about one-half the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II. |
Birth rate | 13.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 9.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1.54 billion
expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $117.3 million (1998) (1998) |
revenues: $539.2 million
expenditures: $448.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2002 est.) |
Capital | Port-of-Spain | Saint Peter Port |
Climate | tropical; rainy season (June to December) | temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast |
Coastline | 362 km | 50 km |
Constitution | 1 August 1976 | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago |
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey |
Currency | Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD) | - |
Death rate | 8.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 9.95 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $2.2 billion (2000 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | British crown dependency |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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) 622-6371 through 6376 FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462 |
none (British crown dependency) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mackisack LOGIE
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 |
none (British crown dependency) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $24 million (1999 est.) | NA |
Economy - overview | Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses. A leading performer in the past 4 years has been the booming natural gas sector. Tourism is a growing sector, although not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The expected recovery of the global economy, along with anticipated higher oil prices, are plus factors for 2002. Negative factors are persistent high unemployment and the political uncertainties following the contentious selection of a new government in December 2001. | Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny, prosperous Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the environment under which Guernsey operates. |
Electricity - consumption | 4.792 billion kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 5.153 billion kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m |
Environment - current issues | water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Ethnic groups | black 39.5%, East Indian (a local term - primarily immigrants from northern India) 40.3%, mixed 18.4%, white 0.6%, Chinese and other 1.2% | UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries |
Exchange rates | Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.2466 (January 2002), 6.2332 (2001), 6.2998 (2000), 6.2989 (1999), 6.2983 (1998), 6.2517 (1997) | Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | 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 NA 2006); 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% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000)
head of government: Chief Minister Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004) cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Delibertion election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA% |
Exports | $4.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers | tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables |
Exports - partners | US 45.9%, Caricom countries 26.1%, Latin America 9.5%, EU 5.7% (1999) | UK (regarded as internal trade) |
Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September | calendar year |
Flag description | red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side | white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $10.6 billion (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2%
industry: 43% services: 55% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 3%
industry: 10% services: 87% (2000) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2001 est.) | 3% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 11 00 N, 61 00 W | 49 28 N, 2 35 W |
Geography - note | Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt | large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port |
Highways | total: 8,320 km
paved: 4,252 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1996) |
total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis | - |
Imports | $3.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals | coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment |
Imports - partners | US 39.8%, Venezuela 11.9%, EU 11%, Caricom 4.8% (1999) | UK (regarded as internal trade) |
Independence | 31 August 1962 (from UK) | none (British crown dependency) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4.2% (2001) (2001) | NA% |
Industries | petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles | tourism, banking |
Infant mortality rate | 24.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.6% (2001 est.) | 4.9% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO | UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 17 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 30 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the president on the advice of 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 | Royal Court |
Labor force | 564,000 (2000) (2000) | 32,290 (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | construction and utilities 12%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 10%, services 64% (1997 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 14.62%
permanent crops: 9.16% other: 76.22% (1998 est.) |
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
Languages | English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese | English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts |
Legal system | based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | English law and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; members appointed by the president for a maximum term of five years) and the House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next to be held by October 2007) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16 note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15 members serving four-year terms |
unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote for 4 years); note - Alderney and Sark have their own parliaments
elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2008) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 68.59 years
male: 66.04 years female: 71.25 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 80.3 years
male: 77.3 years female: 83.41 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94% (2000) male: 95.9% (1999) female: 91.7% (1999) |
definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela | Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,910 GRT/7,546 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: United States 1 (2002 est.) |
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Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (including Ground Force, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Trinidad and Tobago Police Service | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $90 million (1999) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.4% (1999) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 347,831 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 248,324 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 31 August (1962) | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
Nationality | noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian |
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
Natural hazards | outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms | NA |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, asphalt | cropland |
Net migration rate | -10.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 3.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 1,032 km; petroleum products 19 km; natural gas 904 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Hochoy CHARLES]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [leader NA]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Team Unity or TUN [Ramesh MAHARAJ]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY] | none; all independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Jamaat-al Musilmeen [Yasin BAKR] | none |
Population | 1,163,724 (July 2002 est.) | 65,228 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 21% (1992 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.52% (2002 est.) | 0.29% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora | Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 680,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando; common carrier railway service was discontinued in 1968 (2001) | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Muslim 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7% | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: excellent international service; good local service
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | 252,000 (1999) | 55,000 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 17,411 (1997) | 31,500 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (1997) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | mostly plains with some hills and low mountains | mostly level with low hills in southwest |
Total fertility rate | 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 11.8% (2001) (2001) | 0.5% (1999 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |