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Location: |
Latitude 11°N, Longitude 60°W
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Land Area : |
300 sq km/116 sq miles |
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Religions : |
Christian, Hindu, Muslim |
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Ethnic Groups : |
African, East Indian, Chinese, Caucasian, Mixed |
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Ethnic Profile: |
African - 39.6%
East Indian - 18.4%
Mixed - 0.6%
European - 0.4%
Chinese - 0.2%
Other - 0.4% |
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Population : |
Approx. 50,000 |
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Language |
English, though some rural areas speak a blend of English and French-derived patois |
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Capital : |
Scarborough |
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Government : |
Trinidad and Tobago gained independence from Britain in 1962. This was followed by the granting of Republican status in 1976. Our twin islands state is currently a member of the Commonwealth. Democratic elections are held every 5 years with universal adult suffrage; the minimum voting age is 18.
Tobago is a ward of Trinidad, but functions on a day-to-day basis under the Tobago House of Assembly, which comprises 15 members for a 4-year term, headed by a Chief Secretary. |
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President: |
Mr. Maxwell Richards |
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Prime Minister: |
Mr. Patrick Manning |
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Taxes |
Departure Tax - TTD $100 (must be paid in local currency)
Service Charge - 10%
Accommodation Tax - 10%
Value Added Tax (on specified goods and services) - 15% |
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Currency &
Exchange Rate: |
Trinidad and Tobago Dollar - 1 TTD = 100 cents
The exchange rates floats and the US dollar trades at 6.3 TTD = I USD
Currency Denominations:
Notes - $1, $5, $10, $20, $100
Coins - 1 cent, 5, 10, 25, 50
US currency is widely accepted by merchants and local banks will change most major foreign currencies.
Credit cards are widely accepted, as are US$ Travelers cheques. |
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Time Zone |
Summer - EST (Eastern Standard Time), equivalent to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) -5 hours
Winter - EST+1, GMT-4. Daylight savings time is not observed locally. |
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Economy : |
Trinidad and Tobago has one of the most stable economies in the entire Caribbean, due mainly to its petroleum and natural gas industry. |
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Climate : |
The twin islands have 2 seasons: January - June is the Dry Season and June - December is the Wet Season. Temperatures range from 22-32 degrees Celsius (71-89 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day. The nights are usually cooler. |
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Banking Services |
Most major banks have their corporate offices in Port of Spain (Trinidad’s capital city) and maintain international links through their affiliates in North America and Europe. Tobago has branches of most of these banks:
- Citibank
- Scotiabank
- First Citizens Bank
- Republic Bank
- RBTT Bank
- Intercommercial Bank
Bankin
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