Trinidad

Tobago

&

By Ifeaye S. Murray

Trinidad and Tobago

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the

coast of north-eastern 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.

History - Trinidad

• Christopher Columbus rediscovered the island of Trinidad on 31 July 1498.

• Spain colonises Trinidad in 1532.• The island of Trinidad was surrendered to the British on 21 February

1797.• Slavery was abolished in 1834

• Indentured workers from India were brought to work on the sugar plantations in 1845

• The island of Tobago was annexed to Trinidad in 1889.• Trinidad and Tobago becomes independent on 31 August 1962.• Trinidad and Tobago becomes a Republic on 24 September 1976.

History - Tobago• Columbus reported seeing Tobago on the distant horizon in 1498,

naming it Bellaforma, but did not land on the island. • The present name of Tobago is thought to probably be a corruption of its

old name, "Tobaco".• The Dutch colonise Tobago in the 1630s and plant sugar cane.

• The world’s oldest protected rainforest was set aside in Tobago in 1776.• Tobago changed hands over 33 times for about 200 years among the

British, Dutch and French until it was ceded to Britain in 1814 for the final time.

• Tobago was annexed to Trinidad in1889. • Trinidad and Tobago becomes independent on 31 August 1962.• Trinidad and Tobago becomes a Republic on 24 September 1976.

TourismThere are many things for a tourist to do once he/she arrives in Trinidad and Tobago.

• Some tourist attractions in T&T are:• Buccoo Reef, Tobago• Store Bay, Tobago• Maracas Bay, Trinidad• Asa Wright Nature Centre• Botanical Gardens• Emperor Valley Zoo• Caroni Bird Sanctuary• Carnival• Tobago Heritage Festival• Goat and Crab Races in Tobago• Pitch Lake at La Brea, South Trinidad

Transport• The National airline of T&T, Caribbean Airlines(predecessor was BWIA), operates

routes from Trinidad to the USA, Canada and regionally.• There is a ferry service from Port of Spain(Trinidad) to Scarborough(Tobago).

There are two vessels that operate the route; The T&T Express and the T&T Spirit• There is a water taxi service from Port of Spain to San Fernando.• The Public Transport Service Corporation(PTSC)operates buses all over the

country.• There are ‘maxi taxis’ that operate all over the country. Just stop one and it will

take you to any destination on its route.• You can rent a car from many places in this country.

Main Cities

There are 4 main cities in T&T. Those cities are:Port of Spain San Fernando

ChaguanasScarborough

Food

• Doubles• Roti• Bake an’ Shark• Pelau

There are many tasty delicacies to try out in T&T. Here are a few of them.

Culture

• Calypso, a type of music heard especially around Carnival

• Carnival, dubbed the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’• The Steelpan the National Instrument of T&T• And many others!

In Trinidad and Tobago we have a diverse culture. Here are a few aspects of it.

Problems

• Don’t walk around with large sums of money.• Don’t accept anything from strangers.• Be aware of your surroundings• Secure your precious belongings.• Always walk together in groups, remember

tere is STRENGH IN NUMBERS!

Unfortunately, Trinidad and Tobago has a problem with crime. So if you decide to visit, here are some precautions to take to ensure your safety.

WATCHING

FOR

THANKS

Bibliography

• Bing and Google for the images.• Wikipedia for most of the info.• YouTube for the excellent steel pan music.