Trinidad and Tobago
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Trinidad and Tobago is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital is the Port-of-Spain.
Contents
History
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American nation of Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. It also shares maritime boundaries with Barbados to the northeast and Guyana to the southeast. The country covers an area of 5,128 square kilometers (1,979 sq mi) and consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous smaller land forms. Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the main islands; Tobago is much smaller, comprising about 6% of the total area and 4% of the population. The nation lies outside the hurricane belt.
- Situated off the northeast coast of South America at the extreme southern end of the Lesser Antilles, the islands of Trinidad and Tobago cover an area of 5,128 sq km (1,981 sq mi). Comparatively, the area occupied by Trinidad and Tobago is slightly smaller than the state of Delaware. Trinidad, the main island, rectangular in shape, has an area of 4,828 sq km (1,863 sq mi), extending 143 km (89 mi) n–s and 61 km (38 mi) e–w. Cigar-shaped Tobago, 31 km (19 mi) northeast of Trinidad, has an area of 300 sq km (116 sq mi), a length of 42 km (26 mi) ne–sw, and an average width of 12 km (7.5 mi) nw–se. Sixteen small islands are found off the coasts. The Atlantic Ocean is to the e and the Caribbean Sea to the w. Venezuela lies only 11 km (7 mi) sw across the shallow Gulf of Paria. Trinidad and Tobago have a coastline length of 362 km (225 mi). The capital city of Trinidad and Tobago, Port-of-Spain, is located on Trinidad's Gulf of Paria coast. Trinidad is geologically part of South America and its topography is similar to that of the adjoining Orinoco section of Venezuela. Three hill ranges, trending east–west, cross the island roughly through the northern, central, and southern parts, respectively. The Northern Range, a continuation of the mountains of the Paria Peninsula of Venezuela, is the most extensive and rugged of the three and has peaks rising above 900 m (3,000 ft). The highest peaks on Trinidad are El Cerro del Aripo (940 m/3,084 ft) and El Tucuche (936 m/3,071 ft). Hills in the Central Range rise just over 300 m (1,000 ft). Those in the Southern Range are somewhat lower. In between these hill ranges is level or gently rolling flatland, dissected by small streams flowing from the hills. Extensive swamp areas, some of them mangrove, are found along the east, south, and west coasts. Trinidad has the world's largest natural asphalt bog, the 46-hectare (114-acre) Pitch Lake, on the southwestern coast.
Flag
On a red field, a black diagonal stripe with a narrow white border on either side extends from top left to bottom right.
