Englishman's Bay
Ads
related to: Trinidad and Tobago, CaribbeanBook your Holland America 2024 - 2025 Caribbean cruise for only $25 today. Join Holland America to experience island magic. Through dining, music, and nightlife.
- Cruise Deals and Offers
Receive Our Most Competitive Fares.
Only Available for A Limited Time.
- Book Today for Only $25
Up to 45% Off 2024-25 Cruises.
Free Fares for 3rd & 4th Guests.
- Anniversary Sale
Up to 45% Off 2024-25 Cruises.
And Free Fares for 3rd & 4th Guests
- Global Fresh Fish Program
Enjoy Locally Sourced Fresh Fish.
Learn Local Stories Through Food.
- Cruise Deals and Offers
cruisecritic.com has been visited by 100K+ users in the past month
Cruise Critic makes it simple to research & compare deals for cruises to Caribbean. Read reviews, compare deals and find your next cruise to Caribbean with Cruise Critic.
Book your Hotel in Tobago online. No reservation costs. Great rates.
Detailed reviews and recent photos. Know what to expect before you book. Save money & book with Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel website.
Find the biggest discounts on all cruise lines. Best price & service guarantee!
Search results
As the most industrialised and second-largest country in the Anglophone Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago has taken a leading role in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and strongly supports CARICOM economic integration efforts.
- Overview
- Relief and drainage
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
Trinidad and Tobago, island country of the southeastern West Indies. It consists of two main islands—Trinidad and Tobago—and several smaller islands. Forming the two southernmost links in the Caribbean chain, Trinidad and Tobago lie close to the continent of South America, northeast of Venezuela and northwest of Guyana. Trinidad, by far the larger of the two main islands, has an area of about 1,850 square miles (4,800 square km). It is 7 miles (11 km) from the Venezuelan coast at its nearest point and is separated from it by the Gulf of Paria and two narrow channels, where there are several small islands and rocks. Tobago, much smaller, with an area of about 115 square miles (300 square km), lies 20 miles (30 km) to the northeast of Trinidad. Extending diagonally from southwest to northeast, Tobago is about 30 miles (50 km) long and more than 10 miles (16 km) across at its widest point. Little Tobago lies about a mile off Tobago’s northeastern coast. Also called Bird of Paradise Island, Little Tobago was once noted as the only wild habitat of the greater bird of paradise outside of New Guinea; however, the bird is no longer found there.
Trinidad and Tobago achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1962 and obtained membership in the Commonwealth and the United Nations that same year. It became a republic in 1976. The capital of Trinidad and Tobago is Port of Spain, located on the northwestern coast of Trinidad.
Physiographically, the islands represent an extension of the South American mainland. The outstanding physical feature of the island of Trinidad is its Northern Range, a continuation of the coastal ranges of the Andes Mountains in Venezuela. The range runs east-west at an average elevation of about 1,500 feet (460 metres), rising to 3,084 feet (940 metres) at Mount Aripo (El Cerro del Aripo), the country’s highest peak. The Northern Range is the site of a large number of waterfalls, the most spectacular of which are the Blue Basin Falls and the Maracas Falls, both 298 feet (91 metres) high. On the southern side of the range, foothills with an elevation of approximately 500 feet (150 metres) descend to the Northern Plain.
Running across the centre of the island, from southwest to northeast, is the Central Range, the highest point of which is Mount Tamana (1,009 feet [308 metres]). A third row of mainly low hills, the Southern Range, adds further variety to the mostly flat or undulating surface of Trinidad.
Britannica Quiz
Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz
The three mountain ranges determine the island’s drainage pattern. Rivers are numerous but short, the longest being the Ortoire in the south and the Caroni in the north. In low-lying areas swamps can be found; among them are the Caroni Swamp in the northwest and clusters along the eastern (notably the Nariva Swamp) and southern coasts.
An oil-bearing belt occupies the southern one-fourth of the island, extending west into the Gulf of Paria and east into the Atlantic Ocean. Gas and water seepages give rise to mud volcanoes of various types, the best-known of which is called the Devil’s Woodyard. In the southwest of the island is the deep asphalt deposit known as Pitch Lake.
The climate of Trinidad and Tobago is tropical, with high relative humidity. The coolest months are January and February, when the average minimum temperature is about 68 °F (20 °C). The warmest months are April, May, and October, which have an average maximum temperature of about 89 °F (32 °C). In general, mean temperatures range between 77 °F (25 °C) in February and 85 °F (29 °C) in April. Temperatures vary significantly between day and night, and the climate along the coast is tempered by sea breezes.
There is a main dry season from January to May and a lesser dry season (Petite Carême, or Indian Summer) in September and October. The prevailing winds are the northeast trades. The islands are outside the main hurricane zone, but Tobago occasionally is struck by disastrous hurricanes (e.g., in 1847 and 1963).
Vegetation zones are well defined on both islands. In general, the highest areas coincide with the most luxuriant tropical rainforest vegetation. Cultivated estates or small settlements are established in clearings on the hills. In the dry season the hills are dotted with the orange flowers of the mountain immortelle, a large flowering tree that grows to a height of about 80 feet (25 metres), and the flowers of the pink poui and yellow poui trees. Sugarcane, the main agricultural crop, is grown on Trinidad’s Central Plain.
The Caroni Swamp, a bird sanctuary, is frequented by flocks of white flamingos and egrets as well as populations of scarlet ibis—a national bird. Despite its protected status, the sanctuary’s bird population, including that of the scarlet ibis, has declined markedly since the 1970s, the result of illegal hunting and of pollution. The Nariva Swamp, which has a varied bird and mammal population including the manatee, has similarly come under threat despite its protected status, especially from illegal rice farms. The greater bird of paradise was introduced to the island of Little Tobago, a bird sanctuary, but had disappeared by the early 21st century. There are many endangered leatherback sea turtle nesting sites on the islands, the most notable of which is perhaps Matura Beach, on Trinidad.
Feb 25, 2021 · Trinidad and Tobago is the 5 th largest island country in West Indies and the most industrialised and prosperous nation in the Caribbean. Located on the Gulf of Paria, in the north western coast of the island of Trinidad is Port of Spain – the capital city of Trinidad and Tobago.
May 15, 2024 · Trinidad and Tobago attained independence in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tobago has greater tourism potential but continues to recover from an 18-month travel ban imposed in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Tobago has everything you’d expect from a Caribbean island, with palm trees and white sand aplenty, yet it’s relatively unchanged by the tourist industry. Combined, this twin-island republic offers unparalleled birdwatching; first-class diving; and luxuriant rainforests perfect for hiking and waterfall swimming.
People also ask
What does Trinidad and Tobago have in common with other Caribbean islands?
Where is Trinidad located?
Is Trinidad and Tobago part of the West Indies?
Why is Trinidad and Tobago so popular?
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies 11 km (6.8 mi) off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmost island in the West Indies.
Apr 24, 2023 · Trinidad and Tobago is one of the wealthiest countries in the Caribbean, thanks to its large reserves of oil and gas, the exploitation of which dominates its economy. Inhabited mostly by...
Ads
related to: Trinidad and Tobago, CaribbeanBook your Holland America 2024 - 2025 Caribbean cruise for only $25 today. Join Holland America to experience island magic. Through dining, music, and nightlife.
Cruise Critic makes it simple to research & compare deals for cruises to Caribbean. Read reviews, compare deals and find your next cruise to Caribbean with Cruise Critic.
Detailed reviews and recent photos. Know what to expect before you book. Save money & book with Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel website.
