Trinidad and Tobago - Economic Indicators

Economic Overview

Trinidad and Tobago relies on its energy sector for much of its economic activity, and has one of the highest per capita incomes in Latin America. Economic growth between 2000 and 2007 averaged slightly over 8% per year, significantly above the regional average of about 3.7% for that same period; however, GDP has slowed down since then, contracting during 2009-12, making small gains in 2013 and contracting again in 2014-17. Trinidad and Tobago is buffered by considerable foreign reserves and a sovereign wealth fund that equals about one-and-a-half times the national budget,...

Continue reading View Factbook for Trinidad and Tobago

GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2022 202,984,851,823 165,559,635,444 TTD Annual
Private Consumption 2019 119,726,046,891 111,993,142,398 TTD Annual
Investment 2016 13,444,084,228 18,636,023,529 TTD Annual
Real Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2015 20,674,000,000 30,174,000,000 NCU Annual
Nominal Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2015 18,636,410,000 21,709,920,000 NCU Annual
Real Investment 2015 20,674,000,000 30,174,000,000 NCU Annual
Real Gross Domestic Product 2013 102.66 99.9 Index 2005=100 Annual
Government Consumption 2008 16,665 14,328 Mil. TTD Annual
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) Nov 2023 163.6 163.73 2010=100, NSA Monthly
Producer Price Index (PPI) 2017 Q4 116.98 117.7 2010=100, NSA Quarterly
Wholesale Price Index 2014 111.34 109.14 Index 2010 = 100 Annual
Labor Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Agriculture Employment 2017 24,999 25,739 # Annual
Labor Force 2016 674,154 675,854 # Annual
Labor Force Employment 2016 Q2 612.4 617.8 Ths. Quarterly
Unemployment 2016 Q2 22.8 24.1 Ths. Quarterly
Unemployment Rate 2016 Q2 3.59 3.75 % Quarterly
Wage & Salaries 2014 14,399,800,000 NCU Annual
Trade Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Current Account Balance 2022 5,381,911,674 2,695,150,532 USD Annual
Balance of Goods 2022 9,180,947,377 4,711,913,185 USD Annual
Exports of Goods 2022 16,687,114,039 11,082,023,370 USD Annual
Imports of Goods 2022 7,506,166,661 6,370,110,184 USD Annual
Imports of Goods and Services 2019 53,493,016,649 61,992,145,784 TTD Annual
Exports of Goods and Services 2019 62,958,810,081 76,738,865,773 TTD Annual
Real Exports of Goods and Services 2015 78,164,000,000 61,921,000,000 NCU Annual
Real Imports of Goods and Services 2015 51,628,000,000 41,238,000,000 NCU Annual
Markets Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Treasury Bills (over 31 days) Feb 2024 1.75 1.13 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Lending Rate Apr 2017 4.75 4.75 % - End of period Monthly
Average Long-term Government Bond Apr 1993 13.01 13.01 % Monthly
Business Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Industrial Production 2017 Q4 72.37 72.53 2010=100, NSA Quarterly
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Population 2020 1,399,491 1,394,969 # Annual
Net Migration 2017 -4,499 # Annual
Birth Rate 2016 13.61 13.96 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Death Rate 2016 9.61 9.49 # per Ths. pop. Annual

Factbook

Background

Background:
First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came under British control in the early 19th century. The islands' sugar industry was hurt by the emancipation of the slaves in 1834. Manpower was replaced with the importation of contract laborers from India between 1845 and 1917, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export. Independence was attained in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing. The government is struggling to reverse a surge in violent crime.

Geography

Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates:
11 00 N, 61 00 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 5,128 sq km
land: 5,128 sq km
water: 0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 174
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
362 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
Climate:
tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Terrain:
mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Elevation:
mean elevation: 83 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
Land use:
agricultural land: 10.6%
arable land 4.9%; permanent crops 4.3%; permanent pasture 1.4%
forest: 44%
other: 45.4% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
70 sq km (2012)
Population - distribution:
population on Trinidad concentrated in the western half of the island; on Tobago in the southern half
Natural hazards:
outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms
Environment - current issues:
water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

People & Society

Population:
1,218,208 (July 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
Nationality:
noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian
Ethnic groups:
East Indian 35.4%, African 34.2%, mixed - other 15.3%, mixed African/East Indian 7.7%, other 1.3%, unspecified 6.2% (2011 est.)
Languages:
English (official), Trinidadian Creole English, Tobagonian Creole English, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Trinidadian Creole French, Spanish, Chinese
Religions:
Protestant 32.1% (Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel 12%, Baptist 6.9%, Anglican 5.7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4.1%, Presbyterian/Congregational 2.5%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 21.6%, Hindu 18.2%, Muslim 5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 8.4%, none 2.2%, unspecified 11.1% (2011 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.29% (male 119,651/female 115,348)
15-24 years: 11.88% (male 75,402/female 69,333)
25-54 years: 45.56% (male 289,244/female 265,808)
55-64 years: 12.61% (male 76,601/female 77,056)
65 years and over: 10.65% (male 56,550/female 73,215) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 43.2
youth dependency ratio: 29.8
elderly dependency ratio: 13.5
potential support ratio: 7.4 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 36 years
male: 35.6 years
female: 36.6 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Population growth rate:
-0.2% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
Birth rate:
12.7 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Death rate:
8.8 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Net migration rate:
-5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
Population distribution:
population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half
Urbanization:
urban population: 8.3% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: -83% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
PORT-OF-SPAIN (capital) 34,000 (2014)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio:
63 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.1 years
male: 70.2 years
female: 76.2 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
Total fertility rate:
1.71 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
Health expenditures:
5.9% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 107
Physicians density:
1.82 physicians/1,000 population (2011)
Hospital bed density:
3 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 95.1% of population
rural: 95.1% of population
total: 95.1% of population
unimproved:
urban: 4.9% of population
rural: 4.9% of population
total: 4.9% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 91.5% of population
rural: 91.5% of population
total: 91.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 8.5% of population
rural: 8.5% of population
total: 8.5% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
11,000 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
<500 (2016 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
18.6% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 116
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99.2%
female: 98.7% (2015 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 8.4%
male: 7.4%
female: 9.9% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago
etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the larger island "La Isla de la Trinidad" (The Island of the Trinity) on 31 July 1498 on his third voyage; the tobacco grown and smoked by the natives of the smaller island or its elongated cigar shape may account for the "tobago" name, which is spelled "tobaco" in Spanish
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Port of Spain
geographic coordinates: 10 39 N, 61 31 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
9 regions, 3 boroughs, 2 cities, 1 ward
regions: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco
borough: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin
cities: Port of Spain, San Fernando
ward: Tobago
Independence:
31 August 1962 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 31 August (1962)
Constitution:
previous 1962; latest 1976; amended many times, last in 2007 (2016)
Legal system:
English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paula-Mae WEEKES (since 19 March 2018)
head of government: Prime Minister Keith ROWLEY (since 9 September 2015)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among members of Parliament
elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college of selected Senate and House of Representatives members for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 19 January 2018 (next to be held by February 2023); the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives as prime minister
election results: Paula-Mae WEEKES (independent) elected president; ran unopposed and was elected without a vote; she is Trinidad and Tabago's first female head of state
Legislative branch:
description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the president, and 6 by the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms;) and the House of Representatives (41 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly (16 seats; 12 assemblymen directly elected by simple majority vote and 4 appointed councillors - 3 on the advice of the chief secretary and 1 on the advice of the minority leader; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held on 7 September 2015 (next to be held in 2020)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 51.7%, People's Partnership coalition 46.6% (UNC 39.6%, COP 6.0%, other 1.0%), other 1.7%; seats by party - PNM 23, UNC 17, COP 1
Judicial branch:
highest resident court(s): Supreme Court of the Judicature (consists of a chief justice for both the Court of Appeal with 12 judges and the High Court with 24 judges); note - Trinidad and Tobago can file appeals beyond its Supreme Court to the Caribbean Court of Justice, with final appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the parliamentary leader of the opposition; other judges appointed by the Judicial Legal Services Commission, headed by the chief justice and 5 members with judicial experience; all judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement normally at age 65
subordinate courts: Courts of Summary Criminal Jurisdiction; Petty Civil Courts; Family Court
Political parties and leaders:
Congress of the People or COP
People's National Movement or PNM [Keith ROWLEY]
People's Partnership [Kamla PERSAD-BISSESSAR] (coalition includes UNC, COP, TOP, National Joint Action Committee)
National Joint Action Committee or NJAC [Kwasi MUTEMA]
Tobago Organization of the People or TOP [Ashworth JACK]
United National Congress or UNC [Kamla PERSAD-BISSESSAR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Jamaat al-Muslimeen [Yasin ABU BAKR]
International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony Wayne Jerome PHILLIPS-SPENCER, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) (since 27 June 2016)
chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490
FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires John W. MCINTYRE (since 20 January 2017)
embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port of Spain
mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port of Spain
telephone: [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376
FAX: [1] (868) 822-5905
Flag description:
red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side; the colors represent the elements of earth, water, and fire; black stands for the wealth of the land and the dedication of the people; white symbolizes the sea surrounding the islands, the purity of the country's aspirations, and equality; red symbolizes the warmth and energy of the sun, the vitality of the land, and the courage and friendliness of its people
National symbol(s):
scarlet ibis (bird of Trinidad), cocrico (bird of Tobago), Chaconia flower; national colors: red, white, black
National anthem:
name: "Forged From the Love of Liberty"
lyrics/music: Patrick Stanislaus CASTAGNE
note: adopted 1962; song originally created to serve as an anthem for the West Indies Federation; adopted by Trinidad and Tobago following the Federation's dissolution in 1962

Economy

Economy - overview:
Trinidad and Tobago relies on its energy sector for much of its economic activity, and has one of the highest per capita incomes in Latin America. Economic growth between 2000 and 2007 averaged slightly over 8% per year, significantly above the regional average of about 3.7% for that same period; however, GDP has slowed down since then, contracting during 2009-12, making small gains in 2013 and contracting again in 2014-17. Trinidad and Tobago is buffered by considerable foreign reserves and a sovereign wealth fund that equals about one-and-a-half times the national budget, but the country is in a recession and the government faces the dual challenge of gas shortages and a low price environment. Large-scale energy projects in the last quarter of 2017 are helping to mitigate the gas shortages.
Energy production and downstream industrial use dominate the economy. Oil and gas typically account for about 40% of GDP and 80% of exports but less than 5% of employment. Trinidad and Tobago is home to one of the largest natural gas liquefaction facilities in the Western Hemisphere. Trinidad and Tobago produces about nine times more natural gas than crude oil on an energy equivalent basis with gas contributing about two-thirds of energy sector government revenue. The US is the country’s largest trading partner, accounting for 28% of its total imports and taking 48% of its exports.
Economic diversification is a longstanding government talking point, and Trinidad and Tobago has much potential due to its stable, democratic government and its educated, English speaking workforce. The country is also a regional financial center with a well-regulated and stable financial system. Other sectors the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has targeted for increased investment and projected growth include tourism, agriculture, information and communications technology, and shipping. Unfortunately, a host of other factors, including low labor productivity, inefficient government bureaucracy, and corruption, have hampered economic development.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$42.78 billion (2017 est.)
$44.18 billion (2016 est.)
$46.69 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 115
GDP (official exchange rate):
$20.3 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-3.2% (2017 est.)
-5.4% (2016 est.)
-0.6% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$31,200 (2017 est.)
$32,300 (2016 est.)
$34,300 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 62
Gross national saving:
10.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
9.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
12.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 77.9%
government consumption: 17.8%
investment in fixed capital: 9%
investment in inventories: 0.6%
exports of goods and services: 47.5%
imports of goods and services: -52.2% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 48.8%
services: 50.8% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
cocoa, dasheen, pumpkin, cassava, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, hot pepper, pommecythere, coconut water, poultry
Industries:
petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, food processing, cement, cotton textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Labor force:
629,400 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3.4%
industry: 11.5%
services: 84.7% (2015 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.1% (2017 est.)
4.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Population below poverty line:
20% (2014 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $6.916 billion
expenditures: $7.838 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
34.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
Public debt:
65.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
62.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.2% (2017 est.)
3.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Central bank discount rate:
6.75% (04 March 2016 est.)
6.75% (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9% (31 December 2017 est.)
9% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Stock of narrow money:
$7.238 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$6.72 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Stock of broad money:
$18.54 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$16.66 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Stock of domestic credit:
$10.08 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$9.718 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$177.4 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$171.6 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$170 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Current account balance:
$-1.835 billion (2017 est.)
$-2.395 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
Exports:
$9.668 billion (2017 est.)
$8.714 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, cereal and cereal products, cocoa, fish, preserved fruits, cosmetics, household cleaners, plastic packaging
Exports - partners:
US 39.2%, Argentina 9.3% (2016)
Imports:
$10.19 billion (2017 est.)
$9.485 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Imports - commodities:
mineral fuels, lubricants, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals, live animals
Imports - partners:
US 33.4%, Russia 13.3%, Gabon 12.4%, China 6.1% (2016)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$8.66 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$9.995 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Debt - external:
$10.07 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$8.746 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$382.9 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$311.7 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.266 billion (2014 est.)
$2.061 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
Exchange rates:
Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar -
6.76 (2017 est.)
6.67 (2016 est.)
6.67 (2015 est.)
6.4 (2014 est.)
6.4 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access:
population without electricity: 12,452
electrification - total population: 99.8%
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 99% (2012)
Electricity - production:
9.682 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Electricity - consumption:
9.461 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
2.117 million kW (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
99.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0.4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Crude oil - production:
71,570 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
Crude oil - exports:
32,620 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
Crude oil - imports:
58,460 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
Crude oil - proved reserves:
243 million bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Refined petroleum products - production:
109,300 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
46,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
Refined petroleum products - exports:
97,960 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
Refined petroleum products - imports:
1,498 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
Natural gas - production:
40.87 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Natural gas - consumption:
39.39 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Natural gas - exports:
17.86 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
Natural gas - proved reserves:
300.1 billion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
48 million Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 272,187
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 2,165,847
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 178 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent international service; good local service
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity over 190 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 1-868; submarine cable systems provide connectivity to US and parts of the Caribbean and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana (2016)
Broadcast media:
16 TV networks (11 commercial, 5 non-commercial), 2 of which are state-owned that broadcast on multiple stations; 9 TV subscription service providers (cable and satellite); 19 radio networks, 1 state-owned, broadcast over about 35 stations (2016)
Internet country code:
.tt
Internet users:
total: 846,000
percent of population: 69.2% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138

Transportation

National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers: 1
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 17
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,617,842
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 43,198,176 mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
9Y (2016)
Airports:
4 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 187
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2013)
Pipelines:
condensate 257 km; condensate/gas 11 km; gas 1,567 km; oil 587 km (2013)
Roadways:
total: 9,592 km
paved: 5,524 km
unpaved: 4,068 km (2015)
country comparison to the world: 137
Merchant marine:
total: 105
by type: general cargo 1, other 104 (2017)
country comparison to the world: 82
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s): Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port of Spain, Scarborough
oil terminal(s): Galeota Point terminal
LNG terminal(s) (export): Port Fortin

Military & Security

Military expenditures:
1.12% of GDP (2016)
0.88% of GDP (2015)
0.72% of GDP (2014)
0.8% of GDP (2013)
0.66% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 107
Military branches:
Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF): Trinidad and Tobago Army, Coast Guard, Air Guard, Defense Force Reserves (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription; Trinidad and Tobago citizenship and completion of secondary school required (2012)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago abide by the April 2006 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's EEZ; in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; Guyana has expressed its intention to include itself in the arbitration, as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela maritime boundary may also extend into its waters
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Trinidad and Tobago is a destination, transit, and possible source country for adults and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; women and girls from Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Colombia have been subjected to sex trafficking in Trinidad and Tobago’s brothels and clubs; some economic migrants from the Caribbean region and Asia are vulnerable to forced labor in domestic service and the retail sector; the steady flow of vessels transiting Trinidad and Tobago’s territorial waters may also increase opportunities for forced labor for fishing; international crime organizations are increasingly involved in trafficking, and boys are coerced to sell drugs and guns; corruption among police and immigration officials impedes anti-trafficking efforts
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Trinidad and Tobago does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts decreased from the initiation of 12 prosecutions in 2013 to 1 in 2014; the government has yet to convict anyone under its 2011 anti-trafficking law, and all prosecutions from previous years remain pending; the government sustained efforts to identify victims and to refer them for care at NGO facilities, which it provided with funding; the government failed to draft a national action plan as mandated under the 2011 anti-trafficking law and did not launch a sufficiently robust awareness campaign to educate the public and officials (2015)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis

Economic Indicators for Trinidad and Tobago including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the Trinidad and Tobago economy.