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NAVIGATION
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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Port-of-Spain |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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31 August 1962 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 31 August (1962) |
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Constitution:
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1 August 1976 |
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Legal system:
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based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 2008); 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% |
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Legislative branch:
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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) note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15 members serving four-year terms election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16 |
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Judicial branch:
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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 |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Jamaat-al Musilmeen [Yasin BAKR] |
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International organization participation:
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ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, 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, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mackisack LOGIE
chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 |
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Flag description:
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red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses. A leading performer the past four 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 economy benefits from low inflation and a trade surplus. The year 2002 was marked by solid growth in the oil sector, offset in part by domestic political uncertainty. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $11.1 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.8% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $9,500 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 1.6%
industry: 43.2% services: 55.2% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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21% (1992 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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4.3% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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564,000 (2000) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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construction and utilities 12.4%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 9.5%, services 64.1% (1997 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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10.8% (2002) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $1.54 billion
expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $117.3 million (1998) |
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Industries:
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petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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2.6% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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5.315 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 99.8%
hydro: 0% other: 0.2% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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4.943 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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125,400 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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716 million bbl (January 2002 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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610.6 billion cu m (January 2002 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry |
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Exports:
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$4.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers |
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Exports - partners:
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US 46.6%, Jamaica 8.5%, Barbados 5.1%, France 3.8% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$3.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals |
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Imports - partners:
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US 34.2%, Venezuela 19.4%, Colombia 8.0%, UK 3.8% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$2.8 billion (2002 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$24 million (1999 est.) |
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Currency:
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Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD) |
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Currency code:
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TTD |
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Exchange rates:
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Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.2432 (2002), 6.2332 (2001), 6.2998 (2000), 6.2989 (1999), 6.2983 (1998) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 October - 30 September |