Factbook
History of Trinidad and Tobago — Timeline
Key dates in the history of Trinidad and Tobago, from the Magna Factbook and the Universal Encyclopedia.
1834The emancipation of enslaved people in 1834 disrupted the twin islands' sugar industry.
1845Contract workers arriving from India between 1845 and 1917 augmented the labor force, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry.
1910The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export that remains the country's dominant industry.
1962Independence: 31 August 1962 (from the UK).
1962Trinidad and Tobago attained independence in 1962.
2023Generation mix — fossil fuels: 99.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) Military spending: 0.9% of GDP (2024 est.).
2023Industries: petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, food processing, cement, cotton textiles Agriculture: chicken, fruits, coconuts, citrus fruits, maize, oranges, plantains, eggs, taro, mangoes/guavas (2023) Electricity access: 100% (2022 est.).
2023Languages: English (official), Trinidadian Creole English, Tobagonian Creole English, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Trinidadian Creole French, Spanish, Chinese Religions: Protestant 32.1% (Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel 12%, Baptist 6.9%, Anglican 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.1%, Presbyterian/Congregational 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 1 Urban population: 53.4% of total population (2023).
2023Major urban areas: 545,000 PORT-OF-SPAIN (capital) (2023) high-income Caribbean economy; major hydrocarbon exporter; key tourism and finance sectors; high inflation and growing public debt; long foreign currency access delays; large foreign reserves and sovereign wealth fund Inflation: 0.5% (2024 est.).
