3 Days in Trinidad & Tobago by Don Pacho

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (pronounced /ˈtrɪnɨdæd ən təˈbeɪɡoʊ/) is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American country of Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. It shares maritime boundaries with other nations including: Barbados to the northeast, Guyana to the southeast, and Venezuela to the south and west. The country covers an area of 5,128 square kilometres (1,980 sq mi) and consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous smaller landforms. Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the main islands; Tobago is much smaller, comprising about 6% of the total area and 4% of the population. The nation lies outside the hurricane belt.
Unlike most of the English-speaking Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago's economy is primarily industrial-based, with an emphasis on petroleum and petrochemicals. It is the wealthiest independent Caribbean country, boasting a high standard of living and high literacy rates. Although Tobago is often referred to as "the jewel of the Caribbean" and contains a number of resort areas, Trinidad and Tobago as a whole does not rely heavily on tourism as a source of revenue.
Trinidad and Tobago is famous for its pre-Lenten festival known as Carnival and as the birthplace of steelpan, calypso, soca, and limbo.


Port of Spain is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 (2000 census), a metropolitan population of 128,026 (1990 unofficial estimate) and a transient daily population of 250,000. It is located on the Gulf of Paria, on the northwest coast of the island of Trinidad and is part of a larger conurbation stretching from Chaguaramas in the west to Arima in the east with an estimated population of 600,000.

Port of Spain is Trinidad & Tobago's most developed city. The city serves primarily as a retail and administrative center, whilst it has been the capital of the island since 1757. It is also an important financial services center for the Caribbean and is home to two of the largest banks in the region. The Government promoted this in 2008 by launching the International Finance Center at the Port of Spain International Waterfront Centre. At 120 m each, the 2 office towers of the International Finance Centre rank as the 7th and 8th tallest buildings in the Caribbean islands behind structures in the Dominican Republic and Cuba according to skyscrapercity.com. It has the largest container port on the island and is one of several major shipping hubs of the Caribbean, exporting both agricultural products and manufactured goods. Bauxite from the Guianas and iron ore from Venezuela are trans-shipped via facilities at Chaguaramas, about five miles (8 km) west of the city. The pre-lenten Carnival is the city's main annual cultural festival and tourist attraction.

Today, Port of Spain is emerging as a leading city in the Caribbean region. The heads of state and government from 34 countries of the Americas gathered at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad for the Fifth Summit of the Americas on April 17–19, 2009 including US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Port of Spain will also host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on November 27–29, 2009.



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