Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Political Status: Independent member of the Commonwealth since August 31, 1962; republican constitution adopted August 1, 1976.

Area: 1,980 sq. mi. (5,128 sq. km), of which Trinidad encompasses 1,864 sq. mi. (4,828 sq. km) and Tobago 116 sq. mi. (300 sq. km).

Population: 1,368,534 (2012E—UN).

Major Urban Center (2000C): PORT-OF-SPAIN (49,031).

Official Language: English. On September 1, 2005, the government announced that Spanish would be adopted as an official language by 2020 to permit Trinidadians to compete more effectively in regional markets.

Monetary Unit: Trinidadian Dollar (market rate November 5, 2012: 6.39 dollars = $1US).

President: Dr. George Maxwell (Max) RICHARDS; elected by Parliament to a five-year term on February 14, 2003, and inaugurated on March 17, succeeding Arthur Napoleon Raymond ROBINSON; reelected on February 11, 2008.

Prime ...