Trinidad and Tobago Facts, Trinidad and Tobago Flag -- National Geographic

Fast Facts

Population:: 1,305,000
Capital:: Port-of-Spain; 55,000
Area:: 5,128 square kilometers (1,980 square miles)
Language:: English, Hindi, French, Spanish
Religion:: Roman Catholic, Hindu, Anglican, Muslim, Presbyterian
Currency:: Trinidad and Tobago dollar
Life Expectancy:: 71
GDP per Capita:: U.S. $10,000
Literacy Percent:: 99

The Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago, while geographically close, are far apart in their tempo of life: Steel-band music and a multiethnic population, including many of African and East Indian descent, give flamboyant Trinidad a fast beat; small farms and quiet resorts give scenic Tobago a slower rhythm. In addition to oil and natural gas, Trinidad contains Pitch Lake, a huge asphalt deposit. High priorities for the economy are increased gas production, aggressive promotion of foreign investment, and industrial and agricultural diversification.

ECONOMY

Industry: Petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing
Agriculture: Cacao, sugarcane, rice, citrus; poultry
Exports: Petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer

—Text From National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition

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