Trinidad & Tobago: an introduction

History & society

Trinidad and Tobago’s 1.2 million people are English-speaking, but trace their roots back to Africa and India, China and the Middle East, Europe and the Mediterranean.

Trinidad and Tobago is the home of Caribbean Carnival. It is also the home of calypso, the music which fuels the Carnival, and the steelband, which evolved in Port of Spain 60 years ago. These are just two of the many musical forms to be found alongside strong traditions of dance, literature, sculpture and painting.

The first settlers in Trinidad and Tobago are reported to have been two Amerindian tribes, the Arawaks and the Caribs, though new research has provided a number of alternative narratives. After Columbus landed on Trinidad in 1498, Trinidad remained a neglected outpost of the Spanish empire until the late 18th century; an influx of French Catholic settlers and their African slaves, and the subsequent capture by the British in 1797, changed the island’s destiny. During the 19th century labourers were imported from several parts of the world, notably India.

Tobago was fought over by the Dutch, French, Spanish, and British, as well as settlers from Latvia, buccaneers and others, well into the 18th century, but was controlled primarily by the British from 1762.

Trinidad and Tobago became a single political entity in 1888. Since independence from Great Britain in 1962 Trinidad and Tobago has been a parliamentary democracy. In 1976 Trinidad and Tobago became a republic within the Commonwealth. In 1980 the Tobago House of Assembly was re-established.

Trinidad and Tobago is the Caribbean’s strongest economy. Unlike most Caribbean islands, Trinidad has a large industrial sector, including manufacturing and heavy industry. The energy sector, which includes oil, natural gas and petrochemicals accounts for 70% of the country’s exports. Tourism, mainly concentrated in Tobago, and agriculture are also central components of the economy.

Geography

Our twin-island republic lies in the Caribbean sea a few miles off the Venezuelan coast. Trinidad is the southernmost island in the Caribbean island chain. Both islands were once an extension of the South American continent, and our flora and fauna reflects this geographical link.

Trinidad and Tobago both have a warm, tropical climate tempered by the trade winds. The average daytime temperature is 29°C (83°F), with maximums in the low to mid 30sC. The early months of the year are dry and sunny; June to December is the wet season, but rain generally falls in short, sharp bursts, and most days have plenty of sunlight. Tobago is slightly cooler and less humid than Trinidad.

• Airports: Crown Point International Airport, Tobago (10km/7 miles from Scarborough); Piarco International Airport, Trinidad (27km/17 miles from Port of Spain)
• Capital: national capital, Port of Spain (population 45,000; 270,000 metropolitan); Tobago capital, Scarborough (pop 17,000)
• Climate: tropical. Dry season January–May, wet June–December (islands just south of hurricane belt). Temperature range 72-95°F (22–35°C); average 83°F (29°C), with 60–75% humidity
• Highest point: Trinidad’s El Cerro del Aripo (940m/3,085ft); Tobago’s Main Ridge (549m/1,860ft)
• Location: 11°N, 61°W. Trinidad & Tobago 33km (21 miles) apart, 10km (7 miles) from Venezuelan coast
• Size: Tobago 300km2 (116 sq miles) or 48x16km (30x10 miles). Trinidad 4,828km2 (1,864 sq miles) or 105x80km (65x50 miles)
• Time zone: GMT -4, EST +1

A national identity

These are some of the icons of the islands:

• Coat of arms: features national birds scarlet ibis (Trinidad), cocrico (Tobago) and hummingbird; three ships of Columbus and Trinity Hills’ “three sisters” peaks; fruited coconut palm native to Tobago; and national motto: “together we aspire, together we achieve”
• National anthem: “Forged from the love of liberty in the fires of hope and prayer, with boundless faith in our destiny
we solemnly declare:
side by side we stand, 
islands of the blue Caribbean Sea. This, our native land, we pledge our lives to thee. Here every creed and race finds an equal place,
and may God bless our Nation.” (Patrick Castagne, 1962)
• National flag: strips of red (fire, vitality of the sun); white (water, purity and power of the ocean); and black (earth, one people united on islands’ soil)
• National flower: chaconia (“wild poinsettia” or “pride of Trinidad & Tobago”), a flaming red forest flower 

T&T: historical timeline

c 15,000-1,000 BC: islands part of South America; settled by Amerindians
1498: Christopher Columbus lands in Trinidad on July 31, claims island for Spanish and names it after Catholic Holy Trinity
1596: Tobago claimed by British
1627–1650: Courlanders settle Tobago’s west coast near Plymouth, and Dutch the east
1699: Trinidad Amerindians rebel against Capuchin missionaries (Arena Uprising)
1757: Trinidad’s Spanish governor moves capital to Port of Spain from St Joseph
1768–9: first Tobago Assembly established; Scarborough made island’s capital
1776: oldest forest reserve in western hemisphere designated in Tobago
1781: French seize Tobago, convert it to sugar colony
1783: Spanish governor Chacón’s Cedula de Población entices Catholic white and free coloured settlers to Trinidad with land incentives; rapid development begins
1790: great fire of Scarborough destroys much of downtown; hurricane ravages island
1797: Trinidad captured by Sir Ralph Abercromby’s British fleet
1801: massive slave uprising in Tobago quelled
1806: first Chinese workers imported to Trinidad
1807: slave trading abolished in British empire
1808: great fire of Port of Spain destroys much of the city
1814: Tobago ceded to British under Treaty of Paris
1816: six companies of free blacks from the United States (mainly Baptist) settle in southern Trinidad, and one in Tobago
1834-8: slavery abolished – slaves apprenticed (1834) then emancipated (1838)
1834-1917: indentured labour imported to Trinidad from other islands, China, Portugal, Syria, Lebanon, and India
1857: first oil well drilled in Trinidad near Pitch Lake
1858-84: Trinidad governor criminalises Carnival activities
1881: Canboulay Riots in Trinidad
1884: Hosay Riots in Trinidad; Tobago’s sugar industry collapses
1889-98: Tobago merged with Trinidad; Tobago Assembly disbanded
1903: Water Riots in Port of Spain; Red House burns down
1908: commercial oil production begins in southern Trinidad
1914: first calypso recorded in Trinidad
1925: first national elections (limited franchise)
1931: Piarco International Airport opens
1935-41: first steelpans emerge in Laventille, Trinidad
1937: oilfield and labour strikes led in southern Trinidad by Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler
1940: Crown Point Airport opens in Tobago; national airline British West Indies Airways (BWIA) commences operations
1941: Chaguaramas peninsula leased to United States for 99 years; American military remain through World War II
1945: public emergence of steelbands; universal suffrage implemented
1951: repeal of ordinance prohibiting activities of Spiritual “Shouter” Baptist faith
1956: self government under Eric Williams’ People’s National Movement (PNM)
1958: islands join Federation of West Indies
1960: Trinidad campus of University of the West Indies (UWI) established
1962: islands leave Federation, gain independence from Britain
1963: Hurricane Flora devastates Tobago
1970: “Black Power” uprising in Trinidad
1974: Garfield Blackman (Ras Shorty I) releases first soca album
1976: new republican constitution; president replaces British monarch as head of state
1980: Tobago House of Assembly restored; islands enjoy economic prosperity
1983: oil prices fall, crippling local economy
1990: unsuccessful coup attempt by Afro-Islamist Jamaat al Muslimeen
2007: Caribbean Airlines replaces BWIA as national carrier; record oil prices fuel economic boom

National Heroes

Here are just some of the Trinidadians and Tobagonians who have distinguished themselves internationally:

• Stephen Ames: world top 25 golfer with four major PGA titles, including historic victory over all-star field with Tiger Woods at the Players Championship (2006)
• Ato Boldon: four-time Olympic medallist (2 silver, 2 bronze for 100m and 200m, 1996 and 2000), and 200m World Championship gold medallist (1997). Current broadcaster for NBC in the USA
• George Bovell III: nation’s first Olympic medallist in swimming, winning Olympic bronze in the 200m individual medley (2004)
• Janelle Penny Commissiong: Miss Universe 1977
• Hasely Crawford: nation’s first Olympic gold medallist, winning the men’s 100m (1976)
• Wendy Fitzwilliam: Miss Universe 1998
• Heather Headley: Trinidad-born Tony Award and Grammy-winning singer and actress
• CLR James: prolific writer, historian, cultural and political figure, and leading voice in Pan-Africanist movement
• Geoffrey Holder: Trinidad-born, Tony Award-winning (1975) theatre and film actor, dancer, painter, director, and designer. Best known on film for roles in Dr. Dolittle (1967) and Annie (1982).
• Giselle Laronde-West: Miss World 1986
• Lennox Kilgour: Olympic bronze medallist in weightlifting (1952)
• Brian Lara: multiple record-holding cricketer with two test match score records (375 runs not out in 1994 and 400 not out in 2004); highest first class score (501 not out, also in 1994); all-time leading run scorer in test cricket
• Josanne Lucas: Tobago-born sprinter, and the island’s first female World Championship medallist (400m hurdles in 2009)
• Peter Minshall: mas designer, multiple winner of Band of the Year titles, winner of T&T’s first Emmy Award for costuming of the 2002 Winter Olympics opening ceremony
• VS Naipaul: Trinidad-born, knighted (UK, 1990) Nobel Prize winner (Literature, 2000)
• Claude Noel: Roxborough (Tobago) native and nation’s first boxing World Champion, lifting the WBA’s World Lightweight title in 1981
• Billy Ocean: born Leslie Charles in Trinidad, international pop star with hits like “Caribbean Queen” (1984)
• Jean Pierre: scored the most goals in the 1979 World Netball Championships to lead T&T to victory, the first country to host and win the championships
• Renny Quow: Tobago-born sprinter, winning the island’s first medal (bronze) in the men’s 400m at the World Championships (2009)
• Ria Ramnarine: nation’s first female World Champion (2005), and current WIBA Mini Flyweight title holder
• Arthur N. R. Robinson: Former President of the republic, launched UN General Assembly resolution for the establishment of the International Criminal Court  
• Giselle Salandy: won her first junior WBA and WBC World Light Middleweight titles in 2006, adding IWBF and WIBA titles by 2007. Died tragically in 2009 at 21 years old. (Also known as Jezelle, Jizelle and Jiselle Salandy)
• Leslie “Tiger” Stewart: renowned boxer lifted the 1986 WBA Light Heavyweight belt; islands’ second World Champion
• Richard Thompson: double 2008 Olympic silver medallist (men’s 100m and men’s 4x100m relay), and World Championship silver medalist (men’s 4x100 relay)
• Kwame Ture: born Stokely Carmichael in Trinidad, former prime minister of the Black Panthers, leader of the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party
• Rodney Wilkes: nation’s first Olympic medallist for weightlifting (silver in 1948, bronze in 1952)
• Dwight Yorke: Tobago-born football star and leading striker for UK teams like Manchester United and Aston Villa. He was an integral part of Trinidad & Tobago’s heartbreaking World Cup campaign in 1989, falling just one game short of qualification. 17 years later, he captained the national team to an impressive debut at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where the islands made history as the smallest country ever to qualify