Trinidad and Tobago

Lore & Background

Trinidad and Tobago is located six nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) north to northeast off the coast of Venezuela, 70 nautical miles (130 km; 81 mi) south of Grenada, and 155 nautical miles (287 km; 178 mi) southwest of Barbados. Indigenous peoples inhabited Trinidad for centuries prior to Spanish colonisation, following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1498. Spanish governor José María Chacón surrendered the island to a British fleet under Sir Ralph Abercromby's command in 1797. Trinidad and Tobago were ceded to Britain in 1802 under the Treaty of Amiens as separate states and unified in 1889. Trinidad and Tobago obtained independence in 1962, and became a republic in 1976.

In Their Own Story

The humidity hangs heavy over the Savannah as the sun begins to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in bruised purples and burnt oranges. In Port of Spain, the air vibrates with the rhythmic clatter of steel drums being tuned for the night's rehearsal, a sound that has echoed through these streets since the 1930s. A breeze rolls off the Gulf of Paria, carrying the scent of salt and frying doubles—the street food staple of spicy curried chickpeas wrapped in fried flatbread. Here, on this southern edge of the Caribbean, the rhythm of life is distinct; it beats to a drum that blends African ancestral calls with Indian tabla rhythms, creating a heartbeat unique to these twin islands.

Reader's Guide

Unlike most Caribbean countries and territories, which rely heavily on tourism, the economy is primarily industrial, based on large reserves of oil and gas. The country sees fewer hurricanes than most of the Caribbean because it is farther south. Trinidad and Tobago is well known for its African and Indian Caribbean cultures, reflected in its large and famous Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, Hosay, and Diwali celebrations, as well as being the birthplace of the steelpan, the limbo, and musical styles such as calypso, soca, rapso, chutney music, and chutney soca.

Did You Know?

• Trinidad and Tobago is located six nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) north of the coast of Venezuela.
• The capital city is Port of Spain, while its largest and most populous municipality is Chaguanas.
• Trinidad and Tobago obtained independence in 1962 and became a republic in 1976.
• The country is the birthplace of the steelpan and musical styles such as calypso, soca, rapso, chutney music, and chutney soca.