Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago (/ˈtrɪnɪdæd ... təˈbeɪɡoʊ/ ⓘ, /- toʊ-/, TRIH-nih-dad ... tə-BAY-goh, - toh-), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated 11 kilometres (6.8 miles) off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and 130 kilometres (81 miles) south of Grenada.[11] It shares maritime boundaries with Barbados to the east, Grenada to the northwest and Venezuela to the south and west.[12][13] Trinidad and Tobago is generally considered to be part of the West Indies. The island country's capital is Port of Spain, while its largest and most populous municipality is Chaguanas.
This article is about the country. For the islands of the sovereign state, see Trinidad and Tobago. For other uses, see Trinidad (disambiguation) and Tobago (disambiguation).
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
- 63.4% Christianity
- 24.3% Hinduism
- 6.4% Islam
- 2.3% no religion
- 3.4% other
- Trinidadian and Tobagonian
- Trini or Trinbagonian (colloquial)[5]
3 January 1958 – 14 January 1962
31 August 1962
1 August 1973
1 August 1976[b]
5,131 km2 (1,981 sq mi) (164th)
negligible
264/km2 (683.8/sq mi) (34th)
2023 estimate
2023 estimate
39.0[9]
medium
dd/mm/yyyy
left
The island of Trinidad was inhabited for centuries by Indigenous peoples before becoming a colony in the Spanish Empire, following the arrival of Christopher Columbus, in 1498. Spanish governor José María Chacón surrendered the island to a British fleet under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby in 1797.[14] Trinidad and Tobago were ceded to Britain in 1802 under the Treaty of Amiens as separate states and unified in 1889.[15] Trinidad and Tobago obtained independence in 1962, becoming a republic in 1976.[16][11]
Unlike most Caribbean nations and territories, which rely heavily on tourism, the economy is primarily industrial with an emphasis on petroleum and petrochemicals;[17] much of the nation's wealth is derived from its large reserves of oil and natural gas.[18]
Trinidad and Tobago is well known for its African and Indian cultures, reflected in its large and famous Carnival, Diwali, and Hosay celebrations, as well as being the birthplace of steelpan, the limbo, and music styles such as calypso, soca, rapso, parang, chutney, and chutney soca.
Toponymy[edit]
Historian E. L. Joseph claimed that Trinidad's Indigenous name was Cairi or "Land of the Humming Bird", derived from the Arawak name for hummingbird, ierèttê or yerettê. However, other authors dispute this etymology with some claiming that cairi does not mean hummingbird (tukusi or tucuchi being suggested as the correct word) and some claiming that kairi, or iere, simply means island.[19] Christopher Columbus renamed it "La Isla de la Trinidad" ("The Island of the Trinity"), fulfilling a vow made before setting out on his third voyage of exploration.[20] Tobago's cigar-like shape, or the use of tobacco by the native people, may have given it its Spanish name (cabaco, tavaco, tobacco) and possibly some of its other Indigenous names, such as Aloubaéra (black conch) and Urupaina (big snail),[19] although the English pronunciation is /təˈbeɪɡoʊ/. Indo-Trinidadians called the island Chinidat or Chinidad which translated to the land of sugar. The usage of the term goes back to the 19th century when recruiters in India would call the island Chinidat as a way of luring workers into indentureship on the sugar plantations.[21]
Trinidad and Tobago Act 1887
An Act to enable Her Majesty by Order in Council to unite the Colonies of Trinidad and Tobago into one Colony.
50 & 51 Vict. c. 44
16 September 1887
16 September 1887
This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC BY-SA IGO 3.0. Text taken from UNESCO Science Report: towards 2030, 156–173, Harold Ramkissoon & Ishenkumba A. Kahwa, UNESCO Publishing.
