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Trinidad and Tobago are the southernmost islands of the Caribbean
archipelago, and are geologically an extension of the South American
continent.
Trinidad is separated from Venezuela by the seven (7) mile (11km)
straits of the Gulf of Paria.
Trinidad
Location: Latitude 10 1/2 N, Longitude 61 1/2 W
Physical Area: Rectangular in shape, measures 37 miles (60 km) by
50 miles (80 km).
Total Area: 1864m2 (4828km2)
Major Cities: Port of Spain (capital), San Fernando
Major Towns: Arima, Point Fortin, Chaguanas
Tobago
Location: Latitude 11 N, Longitude 60 W
Physical Area: Fish-shaped, measures 26 miles (42 km) by 7 miles
(10 km).
Total Area: 116m2 (300km2)
Major Towns: Scarborough, Roxborough, Charlotteville
Trinidad and Tobago comprises 1,980m2 (5128km2), about one and a
half times the size of the state of Rhode Island. The territory enjoys a
tropical climate with average maximum temperatures of 32 C,
(89 F). Tobago's temperatures are cooler, owing to the more
constant north east trade winds. There is a dry season from January
to May and a wet season from June to December. Annual rainfall is
about 200 cm (40 inches) over most of the country. Trinidad and
Tobago is just south of the hurricane belt.
Official Name
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Capital City
Port-of-Spain
Population
1,300,000 (1994)
Official Language
English
Currency
Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TT$)
(TTD1=100 Cents)
Notes
$1, $5, $10, $20, $100
Coins
1 cent, 5, 10, 25, 50
Exchange Rate
A floating rate system is in force. Currently
$1US=$6.24TT; $1CDN = $4.48TT
Taxes
Departure Tax: $100TT (must be paid in
local currency)
Hotel Taxes
10% service charge, 10% Hotel Room Tax
Value Added Tax
15% on goods and services
Time Zone
Summer: EST (Eastern Standard Time),
equivalent to GMT (Greenwich Mean
Time)-5 hours; Winter: EST+1, GMT-4.
Daylight savings time is not observed in
Trinidad and Tobago.
Ethnic Profile
40.3% East Indian
descent
39.6% African
descent
18.4% Mixed
descent
0.6% European
descent
0.4% Chinese
descent
0.2% other
0.4% Not stated
Telephone/Fax
Code
1 (868) + seven (7) digit local number
Airports
Trinidad:
Piarco International Airport, 17
miles (27 km) from Port of
Spain (airport code "POS")
Tobago:
Crown Point International
Airport, 7 miles (10 km) from
Scarborough (airport code
"TAB")
Airlines
Air Canada, American Airlines, BWIA
International Airways, British Caledonian,
LIAT, Air Caribbean, Surinam Airways,
and several Charter Operators.
Emergency
Services
Police: call 999
Fire & Ambulance: call 990
Customs
Travelers cheques and credit cards are
accepted by most establishments. For
Customs and Excise purposes only cash is
accepted
Electricity
115 volts/230 volts (+/- 6%); 60hz
Business/Social
Hints
Appointments should be made in advance.
For meetings, men should wear a
lightweight suit, this may be alternated with
blazer and tie. Women should wear
equivalent suit.
It is customary to shake hands on meeting
and taking leave. Business cards are
exchanged after introductory formalities.
Some companies/individuals are quite
formal whereas others rapidly dispense with
formalities once the initial introductions have
been made.
Principal Banks
These agencies have their main corporate
offices in Port of Spain and maintain
international links through their affiliates in
North America and Europe.
Citibank
Scotia Bank
First Citizens
Bank
Republic Bank
Royal Bank
Inter Commercial Bank
Banking hours are 0800-1400hrs Monday to
Thursday, 0900-1200hrs and 1500-1700hrs
on Fridays.
Major shopping malls also either contain
ABMs (Automated Banking Machines) or
full service branches and generally keep
later opening hours ranging from 0800 -
1800hrs. The banking system features
LINX, which enables client access to
accounts from any ABM regardless of
agency in the country. LINX can also be
used to make purchases at retail outlets
throughout the country. ABMs can also be
used to access advance cash withdrawals
for VISA, MasterCard and VISA Plus
clients.
Business Hours
Retail Outlets: 0800-1600hrs on Monday to
Thursday and Friday until 1800hrs. Retail
outlets based at shopping malls remain open
till 2100hrs.
Offices: 0800 - 1600hrs Monday to Friday.
Mail Service is available from 0800 -
2100hrs. at the Piarco Airport.
General offices operate from 0800 -
1530hrs. Duty free shopping is available at
the Cruise Ship Complex, Piarco
International Airport, and selected
downtown Port of Spain shops.
Media, Press
Dailies: Trinidad Express, Trinidad
Guardian, NewsDay.
One (1) tri-weekly: The TNT Mirror.
Several weeklies: Catholic News, Tobago
News, Bomb, Blast, Show Time, The
Independent
Media, Television
Broadcast: TTT (channels 2 &13, 9 & 14);
CCN TV-6 (channels 6 & 18); AVM
Television (channels 4 & 16).
Media, Radio
AM: NBS Radio (610 AM); Radio Trinidad
(730AM)
FM: Hott 93 (93.5/93.1FM); The Rock
(95.1FM); WEFM (96FM); Music Radio 97
(97.1 FM); 98.9 YesFM (98.9 FM); NBS
Radio (100 FM); WABC (103 FM); Radio
Tempo (105 FM); Classic Radio (106 FM);
Central Radio (90.5 FM); Love (94.1 FM);
Radio ICN (91.1 FM); Radio 104 (104 FM);
Power 102 (102.5 FM)
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