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    • Practicalities

    Trinidad & Tobago Reference

     

    "When in Rome", they say. Here is some info to help you get what you need quickly and easily while in Trinidad and Tobago. We've also got the information you'll need in case anything goes wrong, so that nothing will spoil your holiday or vacation.

     

    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: ANR Robinson, formerly 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
    • Government: parliamentary democracy; ruling party the People’s Partnership (PP) comprising the United National Congress (UNC), the Congress of the People (COP), the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP), the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) and the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) under Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar; President George Maxwell Richards; People’s National Movement main opposition
    • Language: English (official)
    • Population: 1.2 million (July 2011, est, CIA): 40% Indian, 37.5% African, 21.7% mixed; 50,000 (primarily African descent) in Tobago
    • Religion: Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 31.6%, Hindu 22.5%, Muslim 5.8% 
       

     


     

    Practicalities

    • Currency: Trinidad & Tobago dollar (TT$); US$1=TT$6.3
    • Driving: on the left. Trinidad speed limits 80kph (50mph) highways and 55kph (34mph) settled areas; 50kph (32mph) in Tobago. Seatbelts required. Visitors can drive up to 90 days on valid foreign/international licences
    • Electricity: 115v/230v, 60Hz (as in the United States)
    • Money: ABMs (ATMs), credit/debit cards in general use
    • Taxes: 10% room tax + 10% service at hotels; departure tax TT$100; VAT 15% on goods and services
    • Water: tap water safe to drink (boil to be safer); bottled water widely available
       


     

    Media & Communications

    • Country phone code: +868
    • Mail: TTPost national mail service; plus FedEx, DHL, UPS and others
    • Landline telephone: Telecommunications Services of Trinidad & Tobago (TSTT) and FLOW (Columbus Communications). Prepaid international phone cards available
    • Mobile (cellular) telephone: bmobile (TSTT) and Digicel operate on GSM networks; prepaid SIM cards available for unlocked phones
    • Press: 3 daily national newspapers (Express, Guardian, Newsday), 7 weeklies (including Tobago News), 1 tri-weekly
    • Radio: 37 FM stations; two AM stations. For all-local fare, try WACK (We Are Culture Krazy) 90.1FM
    • Television: 12 local stations, five free-to-air (NCC-4, CCN TV6, Gayelle, CNC3 and C-TV), seven available only via cable (ACTS, IBN, ieTV, Parliament Channel, Synergy, Tobago Channel 5, Win-TV); some only available on one island

     


     

    Public WiFi & Internet

      There's free WiFi at Piarco Airport, and at a growing number of "hot spots" nationwide.


     

    General Information


     

    Emergency Numbers

    • Ambulance (public hospitals): 811
    • Crime Stoppers: 800-TIPS
    • EMS (emergency medical services): 624-4343 (north Trinidad), 653-4343 (south/central Trinidad), 639-4444 (Tobago)
    • Fire Services: 990
    • Hyperbaric Medical Facility: 660-4369 (Roxborough, Tobago)
    • Office of Disaster Preparedness: 640-1285 (Trinidad), 660-7489 (Tobago)
    • Police: 999 (Trinidad); 639-2520/5590 (Tobago)
       


     

    Help Networks

    • Childline: 800-4321
    • Domestic violence hotline: 800-SAVE
    • Families in Action hotline: 628-2333
    • Kidnapping hotline: 623-6793
    • Lifeline (suicide prevention): 645-2800, 645-6616
    • National AIDS hotline: 800-4448
    • National Family Services: 624-8218 (Trinidad), 639-1512 (Tobago)
    • Rape Crisis Society: 622-7273 (Port of Spain), 657-5355 (San Fernando)
    • Rebirth House (substance abuse prevention): 623-0952

     

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