First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came under British control in the early 19th century. The islands' sugar industry was hurt by the emancipation of the slaves in 1834. Manpower was replaced with the importation of contract laborers from India between 1845 and 1917, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export. Independence was attained 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 government is coping with a rise in violent crime.
petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
arable land: 4.87%
permanent crops: 4.29%
other: 90.84% (2011)
1,223,916 (July 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
East Indian 35.4%, African 34.2%, mixed - other 15.3%, mixed African/East Indian 7.7%, other 1.3%, unspecified 6.2% (2011 est.)
Protestant 32.1% (Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel 12%, Baptist 6.9%, Anglican 5.7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4.1%, Presbyterian/Congretational 2.5, other Protestant .9), Roman Catholic 21.6%, Hindu 18.2%, Muslim 5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 8.4%, no
English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), French, Spanish, Chinese
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.8%
male: 99.2%
female: 98.5% (2011 est.)
Port of Spain
parliamentary democracy
31 August 1962 (from the UK)
Independence Day, 31 August (1962)
