Key facts
Date of Membership in CARICOM: 1 Aug 1973
Also Known as:Land of the Humming Bird
Status of Independence:Independent 1962/08/31
Area: 5,128 km2 (1,980 miles2)
Capital City: Port-of-Spain
Population: 1,308,600 (208)
Currency: Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (TT)
Highest National Award: Trinity Cross
Economy
GDP Growth: -0.6% p.a. 2009–13
GNI: US$21.2bn
GNI PC: US$15,760
Key dates in history
1498 Arrival of Columbus on island known to Amerindians as `Iere” (land of the Humming Bird). Renamed Trinidad by Columbus for the three hills sighted from the sea; Tobago also sighted by Columbus; name derived from corruption of word `tobacco’ planted by Amerindians on island
1592 First European settlement by Spain
1783 Spain grants permission to French-speaking Roman Catholics to settle
1797 Captured by Britain from Spain
1802 Tobago finally ceded to Britain by France
1888 Administrative union of Tobago and Trinidad
1937 Violent labour unrest leads to several deaths
1958 Joined West Indies Federation
1962 Independence achieved. Dr. Eric Williams, first Prime Minister
1970 Black power demonstrations and army mutiny
1976 Republican Status, Sir Ellis Clarke, first President
1990 Attempted coup foiled