Trinidad and Tobago

I

Introduction

Trinidad and Tobago, independent republic in the Caribbean Sea, located off the north-eastern coast of Venezuela and comprising Trinidad, Tobago, and adjacent islets—the southernmost of the Caribbean islands. Trinidad, the larger island, lies some 12 km (7y mi) off the South American mainland, opposite the mouth of the Orinoco River, and separated from it by the Gulf of Paria in which are several islets—Chacachacare and Huevos are the largest. Tobago is some 32 km (20 mi) north-east of Trinidad. Both islands are bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on their eastern coasts and the Caribbean Sea on the north and west. Trinidad and Tobago gained its independence from Britain on August 31, 1962, and became a republic on August 1, 1976. The country has a total area of about 5,128 sq km (1,980 sq mi), of which Tobago accounts for 300 sq km (116 sq mi). Port-of-Spain on Trinidad is the capital of the country.

II

Land and Resources

Trinidad’s geology is similar to that of the adjacent mainland, to which it was once attached; its soils include alluvial deposits from the Orinoco. It is traversed roughly from east to west by three ranges of hills. The Northern Range, an extension of the Andes, runs along the northern coast and is the highest. The Central Range runs diagonally across the island, while the Southern Range runs along the southern coast. The highest point, El Cerro del Aripo, is 940 m (3,084 ft) above sea level. Away from the mountains the land is generally below 300 m (984 ft). The island has only one natural harbour, at Chaguaramas on the north-western coast, but the entire Gulf of Paria provides safe anchorage out of the hurricane zone. The northern coast is rocky and indented with sandy bays; the southern coast is steep; the eastern coast is exposed to heavy surf. The flatlands of the central Caroni Plain are used for growing sugar cane. There are large areas of swampland: the Nariva Swamp on the eastern coast and the Caroni Swamp on the western coast; rice is grown in parts of the wetlands. In the south-western part of Trinidad is the 47-hectare (116-acre) Pitch Lake; 41 m (135 ft) deep, it is the world’s largest source of natural asphalt. Other mineral deposits include gypsum, limestone, sand, gravel, argillite, and fluorspar. Trinidad is an oil and natural gas producer with some 30 productive fields. Three quarters of the oil produced comes from offshore deposits.

Tobago is of volcanic origin and is a single mountain mass, although the south-west is flat or undulating and coralline. The Main Ridge reaches an elevation of about 576 m (1,890 ft). The coastline is broken by inlets and sheltered beaches. Several uninhabited islets and the Bucco Reef lie offshore. Oil spills threaten much of the country’s coastline.

A

Climate

Trinidad and Tobago has a tropical climate very similar to that of the north-eastern coast of Venezuela. There is rainfall throughout the year with a wetter season in June to November. Average monthly rainfall ranges from 41 mm (1y in) in February to 246 mm (9y in) in August, with an annual total of 1,631 mm (65 in). Temperatures are a little higher than in the Caribbean islands further north, but the north-easterly trade winds provide a moderating influence. Average daily temperatures range from a minimum of 20° C (68° F) to a maximum of 32° C (90° F). Trinidad and Tobago lies outside the hurricane zone, being too far south for violent tropical storms.

B

Plants and Animals

Trinidad has a very diverse flora and fauna with both Caribbean and South American species represented. Habitats range from the rainforests that lie in the Northern Range region to the wetlands of the eastern and western coasts. Almost one quarter of the country is made up of forest reserves and state lands, and many areas of both islands have been declared national parks, wildlife reserves, or protected areas. The wetlands of Trinidad include mangrove swamps, fresh swamps, grassy freshwater marshes, palm marshes, and water-logged savannah land, covering 2,833 hectares (7,000 acres) of the Caroni Plain. They are inhabited by caymans, iguanas, snakes, and various kinds of monkey, including howler monkeys and the weeping capuchin monkey. Other mammals include the protected manatee and dozens of species of bats.

The slopes of the Northern Range are covered with hardwoods, palms, and flowering trees, such as the silk cotton tree (ceiba), mahogany, balata, poui, and immortelle, which provide cover for the giant bromeliads (see Pineapple) and orchids growing among them. Animals include the brown forest brocket (a deer), collared peccary, manicou (opossum), agouti, ocelot, and armadillo. The range of habitats means that Trinidad is a birdwatcher’s paradise. Many parrots and macaws, the savannah hawk, and the red-breasted blackbird are to be found in the lowlands. The Caroni Swamp is famous for being the roosting place of hundreds of scarlet ibis, the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago, and egrets. The birds of the rainforest are South American rather than Caribbean. There are no endemic species, but 433 species have been identified, including 41 hummingbirds. Tobago has 13 species of breeding bird not found on Trinidad. The islands attract leatherback turtles and also have 622 recorded species of butterfly.