Trinidad and Tobago Government

Map showing the location of Trinidad and Tobago

The twin islands of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago have a parliamentary democracy type of government. Its current government was adopted in 1976. The government of Trinidad is a replica of Northern Ireland and Great Britain. The government is headed by the president and the prime minister. The country gained its independence in 1962 from Britain and has remained the member of the Commonwealth. In 1976, it adopted a new constitution where the president became the head of state replacing the British monarch.

The elections and boundaries commission of Trinidad is mandated by the constitution to handle the general election. Voters are usually registered at age 15 but are eligible to vote when they reach 18 years. The constitution of Trinidad states that anyone who is above 35 years can be nominated for the presidential seat. The president is elected by the Electoral College through a secret ballot. The president serves for a term of five-years renewable indefinitely. For the prime minister, there is no set limit to how long one can serve. The prime minister is appointed by the president.

The bicameral parliament of Trinidad and Tobago is located in Port of Spain. The Red House (Trinidad parliament) which houses members of parliament was built between the years 1904 and 1906, but it is not the original building. The original building was burned down during the water riot in 1884, prompting the rebuilding of the current parliament. The president’s residence is on Trinidad Island, Port of Spain while the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s houses the official residence of the prime minister.

Popular political parties in Trinidad and Tobago include the Progressive Empowerment Party, the People's Partnership, Congress of the People, and Tobago Organisation of the People.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Port of Spain
Languages	English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), French, Spanish, Chinese
Ethnic Groups	East Indian 35.4%, African 34.2%, mixed - other 15.3%, mixed African/East Indian 7.7%, other 1.3%, unspecified 6.2% (2011 est.)
Religion	Protestant 32.1% (Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel 12%, Baptist 6.9%, Anglican 5.7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4.1%, Presbyterian/Congretational 2.5%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 21.6%, Hindu 18.2%, Muslim 5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 8.4%, none 2.2%, unspecified 11.1% (2011 est.)
Government	Parliamentary republic
Independance	31 August 1962 (from the UK)
Area	5,128.00 km²
Land Area	5,128.00 km²
Population	1,220,479.00 Population on Trinidad concentrated in the western half of the island; on Tobago in the southern half
Location	Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
GDP(PPP)	$43,570,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$31,900.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are the United States, Brazil, and Argentina.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, and methanol.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are the United States, China, and Gabon.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include mineral fuels, lubricants, machinery, and transportation equipment.
Climate	Temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Terrain	Mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Learn More	Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Government

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