Best Bitcoin Card for Trinidad and Tobago
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago consists of the two Caribbean islands of the same name, which belong to the Lesser Antilles and lie off the coast of Venezuela. The main island Trinidad (4 828 km²) has some smaller side islands, about 30 km northeast lies the smaller Tobago (300 km²). Both islands were originally connected to the South American mainland.
Trinidad is characterised by three mountain ranges that cross the country in an east-west direction. The highest elevation is the Cerro del Aripo with 940 m in the Northern Range, which is a continuation of the Venezuelan coastal cordillera. The Southern and the Central Range have heights of up to 300m. Between the mountain ranges there are plateaus, some of which are marshy. In the southwest of Trinidad lies Pitch Lake, which is about 42 hectares in size and has the largest natural asphalt deposit in the world. The largest rivers on the island are the Ortoire River (with a length of 50 km) and the Caroni River (40 km). The island of Tobago is predominantly mountainous, reaching heights of up to 576 metres. In the north there are rugged cliffs, the southwest is flat with wide sandy beaches. The capital Port of Spain is located on the west coast of Trinidad.
Political system
Trinidad and Tobago form a parliamentary democracy under the 1976 Constitution of the British Commonwealth of Nations. The head of state is the President (since March 2013 Anthony Carmona), who is elected by a body composed of representatives of the two chambers of parliament. The term of office is five years. The head of government is the Prime Minister (since May 2010 Kamla Persad-Bissessar), who normally represents the strongest political party in parliament and is appointed by the President of the Republic.
The legislative power lies with the parliament, which consists of two chambers: The 41 members of the House of Representatives are elected by the people for a term of five years, and the 31 members of the Senate are appointed every five years by the President of the Republic in consultation with the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition. The dominant political parties are the People’s National Movement (PNM) and the United National Congress (UNC). The island state is divided into eleven regions, three districts and two cities.
Economy
The island state of Trinidad and Tobago is one of the wealthier Caribbean states due to its oil and gas deposits. The majority of export revenue comes from the sale of crude oil and oil products.
Thanks to oil, the dominant industrial sector accounts for 55 % of the gross domestic product (GDP). Apart from the iron, steel and petrochemical industries, there are food processing companies and textile and building material production, as well as electrical goods. Crude oil is imported and re-exported after processing to ensure that the refineries are used to capacity.
The service sector accounts for 44% of the total economy, with trade and, increasingly, the financial sector playing an important role. The most important trading partners of the islands for exports (oil, chemical products, raw materials) and imports (machinery, vehicles, food and crude oil) are the USA, followed by the CARICOM countries.
Agriculture accounts for only 1% of GDP. Sugar cane, cocoa, coffee, coconuts, citrus fruits, vegetables and tobacco are cultivated. Tourism is an important source of foreign exchange and is being further expanded by the government.
Approximately half of the 8,300 km of roads are asphalted, although the road condition is often poor. There is left-hand traffic. Important means of transport between the islands are airplanes, there is an international airport near the capital Port of Spain and on Tobago. Currency is the Trinidad and Tobago dollar.