Trinidad is the larger of the two islands that form the twin island state of Trinidad & Tobago, known locally as T&T. The nation gained Independence on August 31, 1962, and became a Republic on August 01, 1976. It is now known as the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

T&T is located near the equator and lie between 10° 2' and 11° 12' N latitude, and 60° 30' and 61° 56' W longitude with temperatures ranging from 20 to 35° C. The two seasons are known as the rainy season (August to January) and the dry season (February to July).

These islands are in the same time zone as Toronto but there is very little variation in the length of daylight and therefore no need for daylight savings time. The flying time from Toronto to Trinidad is about five and one half hours; this includes a short stop over in Barbados. The trip is approximately 3,000 miles.

Trinidad is the most southerly island in the "chain" of Caribbean Islands between Florida in the United States and Venezuela in South America. It lies approximately 20 miles east of Venezuela, from which it separated some 11,000 years ago at the end of the Ice Age.

Trinidad is shaped like a boot with Tobago at its north east corner (top right), elongated like a 1960s six cents loaf of bread on the island. Trinidad is 50 miles long and 30 miles wide (65 miles from heel to toe and 55 miles at the top of the boot - northern coast) while Tobago is 25 miles long and 6 miles wide. Trinidad is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea on the North, the Atlantic Ocean on the East, Columbus Channel on the South, and the Gulf of Paria on the West.

Some texts record the ethnic makeup of the Republic as East Indian 40%, African 40%, mixed 18%, White 0.6%, Chinese 0.4%, and other 1.0%. Their exports include petroleum, petrochemicals, steel, sugar, cocoa, manufactured goods, processed foods, and flowers.

Trinidad ...
Area: 4,828 sq km (1,864 sq ml); average length: 80 km; average breadth: 59 km
Capital: Port of Spain (pop. 51,000)
Highest points: Northern range 3,085 ft, Central range 1,009 ft
Population (1994): 1.3 million Trinidadians
Special Interests: Carnival, Caroni Bird Sanctuary (home of the Scarlet Ibis), the Seven Castles (Queen's Park), the Pitch Lake (3rd largest in the world). The Leatherback Turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, an endangered species and the largest of the sea turtles, come to the Atlantic shores, east coast, between March and August to lay their eggs.

Tobago ...
Area: 300 sq km (116 sq ml); length: 41 km; greatest breadth: 12 km
Capital: Scarborough
Highest point: 1,890 ft
Population (1994): 50,000 Tobagonians
Special Interests: Buccoo Reef, Nylon Pool

Trinidad & Tobago ...
Independence: August 31, 1962
Language: English
Per capita income (1994): $3,240

Christopher Columbus discovered Trinidad in 1498, he called it La Trinity. In March 1994, Trinidad & Tobago were featured in the National Geographic Magazine. There are a number of other places in the world named Trinidad; they are in Cuba, Bolivia, Uruguay, Colorado (south of Denver, near the New Mexico border) and Texas (south of Dallas).

Travelling south from Florida, one could go east from Miami to the Bahamas Islands or due south to Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. Thomas, etc.), Barbuda, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Vincent, and Grenada before reaching Trinidad & Tobago.

Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico are all located at 18° N latitude. Haiti and the Dominican Republic share one island. Guyana and Suriname are both part of South America, east of Venezuela. Curacao and Aruba are west of Trinidad along the coast of Venezuela.

To prepare for your trip to T&T, you need to know a little about the local language. When you get there,  you must plan to visit the Asa Wright Nature Center.

• Rupa's Website
• Yahoo-Trinidad&Tobago