107-514: The Borough of Chaguanas is the largest municipality (83,489 at the 2011 census) and fastest-growing town in Trinidad and Tobago . Located in west-central Trinidad , south of Port of Spain , north of Couva and San Fernando , and named after the indigenous tribe who originally settled there, it grew in size due to its proximity to the Woodford Lodge sugar refinery . It remained a minor town until
214-616: A church, and killed the Spanish governor José de León y Echales . Among those killed in the governor's party was Juan Mazien de Sotomayor, missionary priest to the Nepuyo villages of Caura, Tacarigua and Arauca. The Spanish retaliated severely, slaughtering hundreds of native peoples in an event that became known as the Arena massacre . As a result, continuing Spanish slave-raiding, and the devastating impact of introduced disease to which they had no immunity,
321-410: A dairy and agricultural area south of Chaguanas and is all but unrecognisable. Much of the former airfield area is owned by National Flour Mills (NFM) and the only remnants of the base are the name of the area in south Chaguanas, along with streets named "Edinburgh" and "Xerxes". In the later 20th century Chaguanas grew rapidly as a bazaar town. The construction of Lange Park in the early 1980s attracted
428-606: A hub for Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian culture and even the broader Indo-Caribbean culture. Chaguanas was named for the Chaguanes Amerindian tribe. The area was settled by the time of the British conquest of Trinidad in 1797 (see History of Trinidad and Tobago ). The town originated on what was then H.E. Robinson's sugar estate adjacent to the Woodford Lodge sugar refinery and the De Verteuil coconut and cocoa estate to
535-581: A lowland seasonal tropical climate with a wet season lasting from June to November and a dry season lasting from January to May. Unlike Port of Spain, Chaguanas has a usually hot and sweltering climate year round, with an exception for the wet season . Chaguanas is bounded to the north by Munroe Road, to the east by the Gandia River, to the south by the Honda River and to the west by the Gulf of Paria . The town
642-454: A maritime tropical climate . There are two seasons annually: the dry season for the first five months of the year, and the rainy season in the remaining seven of the year. Winds are predominantly from the northeast and are dominated by the northeast trade winds . Unlike many Caribbean islands Trinidad and Tobago lies outside the main hurricane alleys; nevertheless, the island of Tobago was struck by Hurricane Flora on 30 September 1963. In
749-584: A market town and still attracts bargain shoppers. Much of Chaguanas' development has centred around the Chaguanas Main Road where numerous shopping plazas have been constructed. The Chaguanas Main Road (east of the Chaguanas flyover) continued to develop, primarily through small and medium size businesses, to fulfill the expanding population centres. Retail development expanded with the construction of three malls in
856-477: A middle-class community moving south from Port of Spain and the East–West Corridor and north from San Fernando . Its central location made it attractive to southerners working in north Trinidad and northerners looking for more affordable homes. Over the years, there has been an increase in the number of Afro-Trinidadian persons joining the mostly Indo-Trinidadian community of Chaguanas, primarily through
963-532: A militia unit just outside the town of Arima. The revolt was crushed at the cost of some 40 dead, and Daaga and his party were later executed at St Joseph. The apprenticeship system ended on 1 August 1838 with full emancipation. An overview of the population statistics in 1838, however, clearly reveals the contrast between Trinidad and its neighbouring islands: upon emancipation of the slaves in 1838, Trinidad had only 17,439 slaves, with 80% of slave owners having enslaved fewer than 10 people each. In contrast, at twice
1070-523: A minimum of goods moving through the ports. On 1 December 1919, the striking dockworkers rushed the harbour and chased off the strikebreakers. They then proceeded to march on the government buildings in Port of Spain. Other unions and workers, many with the same grievances, joined the dock worker's strike making it a General Strike. Violence broke out and was only put down with help from the sailors of British Naval ship HMS Calcutta . The unity brought upon by
1177-714: A number of areas in Chaguanas are now quickly developing into entertainment areas, such as Rodney Road, Endeavour with The Rise, Law 5, Double R, and others. The Chaguanas District Hospital is located in Montrose Chaguanas (along the Southern Main Road). Inclusive of the district health facility, a private hospital (Medical Associates) situated in the vicinity of the Chaguanas flyover was opened in 2012. Other small privately run health facilities are located throughout Chaguanas and its environs. The Caroni County Medical Officers of Health (CMOH), of which Chaguanas falls under,
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#17328594869461284-400: A period of five years, with a daily wage as low as 25 cents in the early 20th century, and they were guaranteed return passage to India at the end of their contract period. However, coercive means were often used to retain labourers, and the indentureship contracts were soon extended to 10 years from 1854 after the planters complained that they were losing their labour too early. In lieu of
1391-462: A proportional representation methodology. The mayor and deputy mayor are then selected. The electoral districts are: Felicity/Endeavour; Enterprise South; Edinburgh/Longdenville; Enterprise North; Charlieville; Montrose; Monroe Road/Caroni Savannah Road; and Cunupia. Chaguanas comprises (wholly or in part) the following parliamentary electoral districts: Chaguanas West; Chaguanas East, Couva North, Caroni Central, and Caroni East. Chaguanas developed as
1498-452: Is a historically Afro-Trinidadian village that has been absorbed into the growing city of Chaguanas. Also, Edinburgh 500 and other associated governmental housing developments are also largely Afro-Trinidadian. The Lion House also known as Anand Bhavan, is the ancestral home of the Capildeo family and is the birthplace of Nobel Prize–winning author V.S. Naipaul is located in Chaguanas. This
1605-516: Is a major attraction in the period just before Diwali . The village of Felicity, on the western end of Chaguanas, is famous for its elaborate Diwali celebrations. The Trinidad Publishing Company (TTSE: TPCL), the country's oldest and most established publisher of the Trinidad Guardian newspaper, constructed its printing facility for the Newspaper division of Trinidad Publishing Company Limited, of
1712-602: Is abundant, with several species of sea urchin , coral , lobster , sea anemone , starfish , manta ray , dolphin , porpoise and whale shark present in the islands' waters. The introduced Pterois is viewed as a pest, as it eats many native species of fish and has no natural predators; efforts are currently underway to cull the numbers of this species. The country contains five terrestrial ecoregions: Trinidad and Tobago moist forests , Lesser Antillean dry forests , Trinidad and Tobago dry forests , Windward Islands xeric scrub , and Trinidad mangroves . Trinidad and Tobago
1819-908: Is bisected by the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway and Uriah Butler Highway . Chaguanas consists of the following main population centres: The Chaguanas Borough Corporation (CBC) is a local government authority and was incorporated on 13 September 1990 by Municipal Corporation Act 21 of 1990. The CBC is governed by the Act 21 of 1990 of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. In 2013, the Chaguanas Borough Corporation moved into its new administrative building situated in Success Street, Woodforde Lodge. Chaguanas Borough Council has eight electoral district councillors and four aldermen selected through
1926-539: Is generally assumed to be the model for Hanuman House in Naipaul's A House for Mr Biswas , with Chaguanas as the model for Arwacas. The Caroni Swamp , the largest mangrove wetland in Trinidad and Tobago, is located just north and west of the town. The swamp is a popular tourist attraction and roosting ground for the scarlet ibis , national bird of Trinidad and Tobago. The Divali Nagar site, located in northern Chaguanas,
2033-569: Is handled by Powergen, while electrical distribution is handled by the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC). Chaguanas does not contain its own power generation facilities. Water and sewerage are under the purview of the Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (WASA). The town is served by all major telecommunication (including cable, satellite) companies, e.g. TSTT , Flow , DirectTV , Digicel+ and Greendot. Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago , officially
2140-495: Is likely to be far higher, given the generally accepted estimate that only about 7% of all fungi worldwide have so far been discovered. A first effort to estimate the number of endemic fungi tentatively listed 407 species. Information about micro-organisms is dispersed and very incomplete. Nearly 200 species of marine algae have been recorded. The true total number of micro-organism species must be much higher. Indo-Trinidadian Too Many Requests If you report this error to
2247-427: Is noted particularly for its large number of bird species, and is a popular destination for bird watchers . Notable species include the scarlet ibis , cocrico , egret , shiny cowbird , bananaquit , oilbird and various species of honeycreeper , trogon , toucan , parrot , tanager , woodpecker , antbird , kites , hawks , boobies , pelicans and vultures ; there are also 17 species of hummingbird, including
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#17328594869462354-715: Is now considered as a threat to future growth of the Borough. The main sporting venue in Chaguanas is the Central Regional Indoor Sport Arena Hall at Saith Park. Smaller recreation grounds (e.g. Woodforde Lodge, Avinash Samaroo ground) and cricket pitches (Pierre Road) are scattered throughout the borough, but no larger sporting venues are located within the town. The town leverages the infrastructure from other towns such as Couva 's Ato Boldon Stadium or Sevilla golf course, also located in Couva. Electric generation
2461-578: Is situated on the Southern Main Road in Couva. The CMOH are responsible for insect-vector control and septic leakage complaints. The Borough is host to many prominent primary and secondary schools. Notable primary schools include Montrose Vedic in Downtown Chaguanas, and Montrose Government in Lange Park. The Presentation College, Chaguanas is a Roman Catholic secondary school in Chaguanas and
2568-461: Is the brother school of Presentation College, San Fernando . It was regarded the best performing high school in Trinidad and Tobago throughout its history, and in particular within its recent history being awarded the country's President's medal for best performing student multiple times (5 times in a row). The University of the West Indies (UWI) Esmond D Ramesar Open Campus will be constructed along
2675-648: The Boa constrictor and the spectacled caiman . There are at least 47 species of snakes, including only four dangerous venomous species (only in Trinidad and not in Tobago), lizards such as the green iguana , the Tupinambis cryptus and a few species of fresh water turtles and land tortoises. are present. Of the amphibians, the golden tree frog and Trinidad poison frog are found in the highest peaks of Trinidad's Northern Range and nearby on Venezuela 's Paria Peninsula. Marine life
2782-646: The Caroni Swamp . The Caparo River runs through the town. The Chaguanas Main Road runs East to West from Felicity to Longdenville. The Southern Main Road (SMR) from Busy Corner (part of which includes the Chaguanas Main Road from Busy Corner to Montrose Junction) runs south to San Fernando. The North-South Highways begins and ends at the flyover in Chaguanas, just east of the SMR West of the SMR, Perseverance Road continues south from Railway Road onto Orange Field Road. Chaguanas has
2889-510: The Central Range fold and thrust belt consists of Cretaceous and Eocene sedimentary rocks , with Miocene formations along the southern and eastern flanks. The Naparima Plain and the Nariva Swamp form the southern shoulder of this uplift. The Southern Lowlands consist of Miocene and Pliocene sands, clays, and gravels. These overlie oil and natural gas deposits, especially north of
2996-500: The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia , now part of Latvia ) all attempting to colonise the island with little success. From 1654 the Dutch and Courlanders managed to gain a more secure foothold, later joined by several hundred French settlers. A plantation economy developed based on the production of sugar, indigo and rum, worked by large numbers of African slaves who soon came to vastly outnumber
3103-510: The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago , is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean . Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago and numerous much smaller islands , it is situated 11 kilometres (6 nautical miles) off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and 130 kilometres (70 nautical miles) south of Grenada . It shares maritime boundaries with Barbados to the east, Grenada to
3210-820: The Trinidad Government Railway helped the town grow. The Princess Margaret Highway , built by the Naval Base Trinidad military during World War II , joined the Southern Main Road at Chaguanas. Construction of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway extended the highway south to San Fernando. The Carlsen Air Force Base was a former United States Army Air Forces World War II airbase constructed in Carlsen Field in 1942, consisting of two landing strips, "Edinburgh" and "Xerxes". The airbase also included an emergency landing strip, "Tobago". Edinburgh Field became
3317-597: The Trinidad Labour Party (TLP), Tubal Uriah "Buzz" Butler of the British Empire Citizens' and Workers' Home Rule Party , and Adrian Cola Rienzi , who led the Trinidad Citizens League (TCL), Oilfields Workers' Trade Union , and All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union . As the movement developed calls for greater autonomy from British colonial rule became widespread; this effort
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3424-523: The Trinity "), fulfilling a vow made before setting out on his third voyage of exploration. Tobago's cigar-like shape, or the use of tobacco by the native people, may have given it its Spanish name ( cabaco , tavaco , tobacco ) and possibly some of its other Indigenous names, such as Aloubaéra (black conch) and Urupaina (big snail), although the English pronunciation is /təˈbeɪɡoʊ/ . Indo-Trinidadians called
3531-722: The West Indies Federation in 1958 as a vehicle for independence, however the Federation dissolved after Jamaica withdrew following a membership referendum in 1961. The government of Trinidad and Tobago subsequently chose to seek independence from the United Kingdom on its own. Trinidad and Tobago gained its independence from the United Kingdom on 31 August 1962. However, Elizabeth II remained head of state, represented locally by Governor-General Solomon Hochoy , until
3638-420: The ocelot , West Indian manatee , collared peccary (known as the quenk locally), red-rumped agouti , lappe , red brocket deer , Neotropical otter , weeper capuchin and red howler monkey ; there are also some 70 species of bat , including the vampire bat and fringe-lipped bat . The larger reptiles present include 5 species of marine turtles known to nest on the islands' beaches, the green anaconda ,
3745-517: The tufted coquette which is the world's third smallest. Information about invertebrates is dispersed and very incomplete. About 650 butterflies, at least 672 beetles (from Tobago alone) and 40 corals have been recorded. Other notable invertebrates include the cockroach , leaf-cutter ant and numerous species of mosquitoes , termites , spiders and tarantulas . Although the list is far from complete, 1,647 species of fungi, including lichens, have been recorded. The true total number of fungi
3852-407: The "Cacique" (native chief) Wannawanare (also known as Guanaguanare) granted the area around modern Saint Joseph to Domingo de Vera e Ibargüen, and withdrew to another part of the island. The settlement of San José de Oruña was later established by Antonio de Berrío on this land in 1592. Shortly thereafter the English sailor Sir Walter Raleigh arrived in Trinidad on 22 March 1595 in search of
3959-552: The 1980s when it began to grow rapidly as it drew people for its bargain shopping and moderately priced housing. Its rapid growth has seen property values increase dramatically, however. Chaguanas became a borough in 1990; prior to that, it was part of Caroni County . The current mayor is Faaiq Mohammed, and the Borough Council has historically been dominated by the United National Congress . Chaguanas has also been
4066-614: The 1992 Rio Convention on Biological Diversity , and it has produced a biodiversity action plan and four reports describing the country's contribution to biodiversity conservation. These reports formally acknowledged the importance of biodiversity to the well-being of the country's people through provision of ecosystem services . Information about vertebrates is rather comprehensive, with 472 bird species (2 endemics), about 100 mammals, about 90 reptiles (a few endemics), about 30 amphibians (including several endemics), 50 freshwater fish and at least 950 marine fish. Notable mammal species include
4173-596: The ANSA McAL Group's Media Sector, in the vicinity of Chaguanas flyover. HCU Communications Limited (now defunct) was based in Chaguanas. It operated a radio station (Win Radio 101.1 FM), was home of television station ( WIN TV ) From early 2007, it also published three weekly newspapers, The Probe , Uhuru and Bollywood Today . The town includes numerous malls (such as Price Plaza, Xtra Plaza, Mid Centre Mall & Centre Pointe Mall) and associated restaurants and bars. Also,
4280-537: The Black Power leaders be arrested. Some army leaders who were sympathetic to the Black Power movement, notably Raffique Shah and Rex Lassalle , attempted to mutiny; however, this was quashed by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard . Williams and the PNM retained power, largely due to divisions in the opposition. In 1963 Tobago was struck by Hurricane Flora , which killed 30 people and resulted in enormous destruction across
4387-512: The British without fighting. Trinidad thus became a British crown colony , with a largely French-speaking population and Spanish laws. British rule was later formalised under the Treaty of Amiens (1802). The colony's first British governor was Thomas Picton , however his heavy-handed approach to enforcing British authority, including the use of torture and arbitrary arrest , led to his being recalled. British rule led to an influx of settlers from
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4494-691: The Caribbean because it is farther south. Historian E. L. Joseph claimed that Trinidad's Indigenous name was Cairi or "Land of the Humming Bird ", derived from the Arawak name for hummingbird, ierèttê or yerettê . However, other authors dispute this etymology with some claiming that cairi does not mean hummingbird ( tukusi or tucuchi being suggested as the correct word) and some claiming that kairi , or iere , simply means island . Christopher Columbus renamed it "La Isla de la Trinidad" ("The Island of
4601-683: The East Indians were imported in the largest numbers, starting from 1 May 1845, when 225 Indians were brought in the first ship to Trinidad on the Fatel Razack , a Muslim-owned vessel. Indentureship of the Indians lasted from 1845 to 1917, during which time more than 147,000 Indians came to Trinidad to work on sugarcane plantations. Indentureship contracts were sometimes exploitative, to such an extent that historians such as Hugh Tinker were to call it "a new system of slavery". Despite these descriptions, it
4708-537: The English-speaking Caribbean. Chaguanas has also developed into a financial centre. The Unit Trust Corporation (UTC), First Citizens Bank (FCB), Sagicor, Republic Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, Scotiabank , RBTT , and the Bank of Baroda all have major corporate offices in Chaguanas. The dissolution of the state-owned sugar company, Caroni (1975) Limited, had a profound effect on Chaguanas, since this company
4815-603: The European colonists. Large numbers of forts were constructed as Tobago became a source of contention between France, Netherlands and Britain, with the island changing hands some 31 times prior to 1814, a situation exacerbated by widespread piracy. The British managed to hold Tobago from 1762 to 1781, whereupon it was captured by the French, who ruled until 1793 when Britain re-captured the island. The 17th century on Trinidad passed largely without major incident, but sustained attempts by
4922-550: The King of Spain. The land grant was 30 fanegas (13 hectares/32 acres) for each free man, woman and child and half of that for each slave that they brought with them. The Spanish sent a new governor, José María Chacón , to implement the terms of the new cédula . The Cédula was issued only a few years before the French Revolution . During that period of upheaval, French planters with their slaves, free coloureds and mulattos from
5029-691: The Los Bajos Fault. The Southern Range forms the third anticlinal uplift. The rocks consist of sandstones , shales , siltstones and clays formed in the Miocene and uplifted in the Pleistocene . Oil sands and mud volcanoes are especially common in this area. One of the natural wonders of the island is the Pitch lake lake, a natural pitch lake on the island of Trinidad. Which is the largest naturally occurring deposit of asphalt on Earth. Trinidad and Tobago has
5136-755: The Mulchan Seuchan Link Road. More recently, construction of Price Plaza in Endeavour expanded upscale retail opportunities. Price Plaza includes a warehouse-style stores, restaurants, a food court as well as many other retail outlets. ABEL or Alstons Building Enterprises Limited is a member of the ANSA McAl Group of Companies and is situated in Longdenville. It is the largest manufacturer of clay building blocks and Metpro steel and aluminium windows and doors and Astralite and Spectra uPVC windows and doors in
5243-582: The Narsaloo Ramaya Road in Chaguanas. Chaguanas is an important transportation hub. Buses, taxis and maxi-taxis connect Chaguanas with Port of Spain , San Fernando , Curepe and Couva , and smaller settlements around central Trinidad. Given the town's origin as a village and its generally unplanned rapid growth into the country's largest town (by population), Chaguanas is continuously plagued by traffic problems despite numerous attempts of alternative traffic management schemes. This traffic congestion
5350-578: The Northern Range and the soils of the East–West Corridor are the most fertile. Trinidad is also notable for containing Pitch Lake , the largest natural reservoir of asphalt in the world. Tobago contains a flat plain in its south-west, with the eastern half of the island being more mountainous, culminating in Pigeon Peak, the island's highest point at 550 metres (1,800 ft). Tobago also contains several coral reefs off its coast. The majority of
5457-473: The Northern Range of Trinidad, the climate is often cooler than that of the sweltering heat of the plains below, due to constant cloud and mist cover, and heavy rains in the mountains. Record temperatures for Trinidad and Tobago are 39 °C (102 °F) for the high in Port of Spain, and a low of 12 °C (54 °F). Because the islands of Trinidad and Tobago lie on the continental shelf of South America, and in ancient times were physically connected to
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#17328594869465564-505: The South American mainland, their biological diversity is unlike that of most other Caribbean islands, and has much more in common with that of Venezuela. The main ecosystems are: coastal and marine (coral reefs, mangrove swamps, open ocean and seagrass beds); forest; freshwater (rivers and streams); karst ; man-made ecosystems (agricultural land, freshwater dams, secondary forest); and savanna. On 1 August 1996, Trinidad and Tobago ratified
5671-642: The Spaniards to control and rule over the Indigenous population was often fiercely resisted. In 1687 the Catholic Catalan Capuchin friars were given responsibility for the conversions of the indigenous people of Trinidad and the Guianas . They founded several missions in Trinidad, supported and richly funded by the state, which also granted encomienda right to them over the native peoples, in which
5778-517: The Spanish never made any concerted effort to colonise the islands; Trinidad in this period was still mostly forest, populated by a few Spaniards with a handful of slaves and a few thousand Indigenous people. Indeed, the population in 1777 was only 1,400, and Spanish colonisation in Trinidad remained tenuous. In 1777, the captain general Luis de Unzaga 'le Conciliateur', married to a French Creole, allowed free trade in Trinidad, attracting French settlers and its economy improved notably. Since Trinidad
5885-598: The United Kingdom and the British colonies of the Eastern Caribbean. English, Scots, Irish, German and Italian families arrived, as well as some free blacks known as " Merikins " who had fought for Britain in the War of 1812 and were granted land in southern Trinidad. Under British rule, new states were created and the importation of slaves increased, however by this time support for abolitionism had vastly increased and in England
5992-425: The colony were also subject to certain crown laws which segregated them from the rest of Trinidad and Tobago's population, such as the requirement that they carry a pass with them if they left the plantations, and that if freed, they carry their "Free Papers" or certificate indicating completion of the indenture period. Few Indians settled on Tobago however, and the descendants of African slaves continued to form
6099-569: The construction of National Housing Authority (now the Housing Development Corporation) residential housing, such as Edinburgh 500. Orchard Gardens was constructed as an upper middle class community, and Lange Park (which originally and continues to have a number of civil servants) gradually gentrified . Also, despite Couva 's historical legacy within the Caroni County, as Chaguanas has evolved and expanded significantly to become
6206-412: The country at the time, holding Robinson and country's government hostage for six days before surrendering. The coup leaders were promised amnesty, but upon their surrender they were arrested, ultimately being released after protracted legal wrangling. The PNM under Patrick Manning returned to power following the 1991 Trinidad and Tobago general election . Hoping to capitalise on an improvement in
6313-454: The country became a founding member state of CARIFTA's successor, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which is a political and economic union between several Caribbean countries and territories. Between the years 1972 and 1983, the country profited greatly from the rising price of oil and the discovery of vast new oil deposits in its territorial waters, resulting in an economic boom that substantially increased living standards. In 1976
6420-460: The country became a republic within the Commonwealth , though it retained the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as its final appellate court. The position of governor-general was replaced with that of President ; Ellis Clarke was the first to hold this largely ceremonial role. Tobago was granted limited self-rule with the creation of the Tobago House of Assembly in 1980. Williams died in 1981, being replaced by George Chambers who led
6527-568: The country consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago , separated by a 37-kilometre (20-nautical-mile) strait, plus a number of much smaller islands , including Chacachacare , Monos , Huevos , Gaspar Grande (or Gasparee), Little Tobago , and Saint Giles Island . Trinidad is 4,768 km (1,841 sq mi) in area (comprising 93.0% of the country's total area) with an average length of 80 kilometres (50 mi) and an average width of 59 kilometres (37 mi). Tobago has an area of about 300 km (120 sq mi), or 5.8% of
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#17328594869466634-416: The country entered a second oil boom, and petroleum, petrochemicals and natural gas continue to be the backbone of the economy. Tourism and the public service are the mainstay of the economy of Tobago, though authorities have attempted to diversify the island's economy. A partnership resulted in Manning's defeat by the newly formed People's Partnership coalition in 2010, with Kamla Persad-Bissessar becoming
6741-401: The country until 1986. By this time a fall in the price of oil had resulted in a recession, causing rising inflation and unemployment. The main opposition parties united under the banner of National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) and won the 1986 Trinidad and Tobago general election , with NAR leader A. N. R. Robinson becoming the new Prime Minister. Robinson was unable to hold together
6848-400: The country's area, is 41 km ( 25 + 1 ⁄ 2 mi) long and 12 km ( 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 mi) at its greatest width. Trinidad and Tobago lie on the continental shelf of South America, and are thus geologically considered to lie entirely in South America. The terrain of the islands is a mixture of mountains and plains. On Trinidad the Northern Range runs parallel with
6955-416: The country's first female prime minister. However, the PP were defeated in 2015 by the PNM under Keith Rowley . In August 2020, the governing People's National Movement won general election , earning the incumbent Prime Minister Keith Rowley a second term in office. Trinidad and Tobago is situated between 10° 2' and 11° 12' N latitude and 60° 30' and 61° 56' W longitude , with the Caribbean Sea to
7062-402: The de facto administrative and commercial capital of Central Trinidad, Couva's character has now changed to become a magnet for industrialisation, sports, health, education, commercial, aviation and residential activities. In October 1990 Chaguanas was elevated to the status of borough under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1990. Chaguanas is low-lying and is just upstream from
7169-406: The downtown in the 1980s (Centre City, Mid Centre and Ramsaran Plaza, later to become Centre Pointe Mall). Centre City Mall has been significantly renovated and there are future plans to expand further to become the largest mall in the Caribbean. It will feature two major buildings, one near to the Uriah Butler Highway and another close to the centre of Chaguanas, joined by an enclosed walkover above
7276-432: The drainage pattern of Trinidad. The east coast is noted for its beaches, most notably Manzanilla Beach . The island contains several large swamp areas, such as the Caroni Swamp and the Nariva Swamp . Major bodies of water on Trinidad include the Hollis Reservoir , Navet Reservoir , Caroni Reservoir . Trinidad is made up of a variety of soil types, the majority being fine sands and heavy clays. The alluvial valleys of
7383-521: The economy, Manning called an early election in 1995, however, this resulted in a hung parliament . Two NAR representatives backed the opposition United National Congress (UNC), which had split off from the NAR in 1989, and they thus took power under Basdeo Panday , who became the country's first Indo-Trinidadian Prime Minister. After a period of political confusion caused by a series of inconclusive election results, Patrick Manning returned to power in 2001, retaining that position until 2010. In 2003
7490-428: The fall of 1943, the 80th Seabees were brought in to build a station at Carlsen Field. To supplement the eight Army-owned buildings taken over by the Navy, the 80th Battalion built a large, steel blimp hangar, a mooring circle, paved runways, a helium-purification plant, and other operational appurtenances. The facility was formally disestablished on 1950, and today the former air and naval airship base has been turned into
7597-430: The first President of the Senate was J. Hamilton Maurice. The 1960s saw the rise of a Black Power movement , inspired in part by the civil rights movement in the United States. Protests and strikes became common, with events coming to head in April 1970 when police shot dead a protester named Basil Davis. Fearing a breakdown of law and order, Prime Minister Williams declared a state of emergency and ordered that many of
7704-579: The fragile NAR coalition, and his economic reforms, such as the implementation of an International Monetary Fund Structural Adjustment Program and devaluation of currency led to social unrest. In 1990, 114 members of the Jamaat al Muslimeen , led by Yasin Abu Bakr (formerly known as Lennox Phillip) stormed the Red House (the seat of Parliament ), and Trinidad and Tobago Television , the only television station in
7811-518: The infrastructure on Trinidad and provided many locals with well-paying jobs; however, the social effects of having so many young soldiers stationed on the island, as well as their often unconcealed racial prejudice, caused resentment. The Americans left in 1961. In the post-war period the British began a process of decolonisation across the British Empire. In 1945 universal suffrage was introduced to Trinidad and Tobago. Political parties emerged on
7918-594: The island Chinidat or Chinidad which translated to the "land of sugar". The usage of the term goes back to the 19th century when recruiters in India would call the island Chinidat as a way of luring workers into indentureship on the sugar plantations. The islands that make up modern-day Trinidad and Tobago lie at the southern end of the Lesser Antilles group. Both Trinidad and Tobago were originally settled by Indigenous people who came through South America. Trinidad
8025-450: The island became a Crown colony in 1877. With the sugar industry in a state of near-collapse and the island no longer profitable, the British attached Tobago to their Trinidad colony in 1889. In 1903, a protest against the introduction of new water rates in Port of Spain erupted into rioting; 18 people were shot dead, and the Red House (the government headquarters) was damaged by fire. A local elected assembly with some limited powers
8132-464: The island to a British fleet under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby in 1797. Trinidad and Tobago were ceded to Britain in 1802 under the Treaty of Amiens as separate states and unified in 1889. Trinidad and Tobago obtained independence in 1962, and became a republic in 1976. Unlike most Caribbean nations and territories, which rely heavily on tourism, the economy is primarily industrial with an emphasis on petroleum and petrochemicals ; much of
8239-552: The island, however these were largely divided along racial lines: Afro-Trinidadians and Tobagonians primarily supported the People's National Movement (PNM), formed in 1956 by Eric Williams , with Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians mostly supporting the People's Democratic Party (PDP), formed in 1953 by Bhadase Sagan Maraj , which later merged into the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) in 1957. Britain's Caribbean colonies formed
8346-415: The island. In the 1530s Antonio de Sedeño, a Spanish soldier intent on conquering the island of Trinidad, landed on its southwest coast with a small army of men, intending to subdue the Indigenous population of the island. Sedeño and his men fought the native peoples on many occasions, and subsequently built a fort. The next few decades were generally spent in warfare with the native peoples, until in 1592,
8453-510: The island. Partly as a result of this, tourism came to replace agriculture as the island's primary source of income in the subsequent decades. On 1 May 1968, Trinidad and Tobago joined the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA), which provided a continued economic, rather than political, linkage between the former British West Indies English-speaking countries after the West Indies Federation failed. On 1 August 1973,
8560-451: The less populated colonies of the West Indies, with the least developed plantation infrastructure. The British had begun to take a keen interest in Trinidad, and in 1797 a British force led by General Sir Ralph Abercromby launched an invasion of Trinidad . His squadron sailed through the Bocas and anchored off the coast of Chaguaramas . Seriously outnumbered, Chacón decided to capitulate to
8667-559: The long-rumoured " El Dorado " ("City of Gold") supposedly located in South America. He attacked San José, captured and interrogated Antonio de Berrío, and obtained much information from him and from the Cacique Topiawari; Raleigh then went on his way, and Spanish authority was restored. Meanwhile, there were numerous attempts by European powers to settle Tobago during the 1620–40s, with the Dutch, English and Couronians (people from
8774-542: The majority of the island's population. An ongoing economic slump in the middle-to-late 19th century caused widespread poverty. Discontent erupted into rioting on the Roxborough plantation in 1876, in an event known as the Belmanna Uprising after a policeman who was killed. The British eventually managed to restore control; however, as a result of the disturbances Tobago's Legislative Assembly voted to dissolve itself and
8881-445: The nation's wealth is derived from its large reserves of oil and natural gas. Trinidad and Tobago is well known for its African and Indian cultures, reflected in its large and famous Carnival , Diwali , and Hosay celebrations, as well as being the birthplace of the steelpan , the limbo , and music styles such as calypso , soca , rapso , parang , chutney , and chutney soca music. The country gets fewer hurricanes than most of
8988-500: The native peoples were forced to provide labour for the Spanish. One such mission was Santa Rosa de Arima, established in 1689, when Indigenous people from the former encomiendas of Tacarigua and Arauca ( Arouca ) were relocated further west. Escalating tensions between the Spaniards and Indigenous people culminated in violence in 1689, when Indigenous people in the San Rafael encomienda rebelled and killed several priests, attacked
9095-491: The native population was virtually wiped out by the end of the following century. During this period Trinidad was an island province belonging to the Viceroyalty of New Spain , together with Central America, present-day Mexico and what would later become the southwestern United States . In 1757 the capital was moved from San José de Oruña to Puerto de España (modern Port of Spain ) following several pirate attacks. However
9202-469: The neighbouring islands of Martinique , Saint Lucia , Grenada, Guadeloupe and Dominica migrated to Trinidad, where they established an agriculture-based economy (sugar and cocoa). These new immigrants established local communities in Blanchisseuse , Champs Fleurs, Paramin , Cascade, Carenage and Laventille . As a result, Trinidad's population jumped to over 15,000 by the end of 1789, and by 1797
9309-569: The north and east. In its early days the inhabitants, most of them of Indian descent, called the town Chauhan , after the Chauhan Dynasty of India from medieval times. The estate was sold over to the now defunct Caroni (1975) Ltd when sugar was the main export commodity for Trinidad and Tobago, and was part of the Woodford Lodge Estate, which is home to several buildings, including the homes of several ex-Caroni workers. Construction of
9416-473: The north coast, and contains the country's highest peak ( El Cerro del Aripo ), which is 940 metres (3,080 ft) above sea level, and second highest ( El Tucuche , 936 metres (3,071 ft)). The rest of the island is generally flatter, excluding the Central Range and Montserrat Hills in the centre of the island and the Southern Range and Trinity Hills in the south. The three mountain ranges determine
9523-544: The north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, and the Gulf of Paria to the west. It is located in the far south-east of the Caribbean region, with the island of Trinidad being just 11 kilometres (6 nmi) off the coast of Venezuela in mainland South America across the Columbus Channel . The islands are a physiographic extension of South America . Covering an area of 5,128 km (1,980 sq mi),
9630-588: The northwest and Venezuela to the south and west. Trinidad and Tobago is generally considered to be part of the West Indies . The island country's capital is Port of Spain , while its largest and most populous municipality is Chaguanas . The island of Trinidad was inhabited for centuries by Indigenous peoples before becoming a colony in the Spanish Empire , following the arrival of Christopher Columbus , in 1498. Spanish governor José María Chacón surrendered
9737-472: The passage of the 1976 Republican Constitution. Eric Williams of the People's National Movement became the first Prime Minister , serving in that capacity uninterrupted until 1981. The dominant figure in the opposition in the early independence years was Opposition Leader Rudranath Capildeo of the Democratic Labour Party . The first Speaker of the House of Representatives was Clytus Arnold Thomasos and
9844-562: The population of Port of Spain had increased from under 3,000 to 10,422 in just five years, with a varied population of mixed race individuals, Spaniards, Africans, French republican soldiers, retired pirates and French nobility. The total population of Trinidad was 17,718, of which 2,151 were of European ancestry, 4,476 were "free blacks and people of colour", 10,009 were enslaved people and 1,082 Indigenous people. The sparse settlement and slow rate of population-increase during Spanish rule (and even later during British rule) made Trinidad one of
9951-550: The population reside on the island of Trinidad, and this is thus the location of largest towns and cities . There are four major municipalities in Trinidad: the capital Port of Spain, San Fernando , Arima and Chaguanas . The main town on Tobago is Scarborough . The Northern Range consists mainly of Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous metamorphic rocks . The Northern Lowlands (the East–West Corridor and Caroni Plain ) consist of younger shallow marine clastic sediments . South of this,
10058-506: The principal combat base for USAAF bombers and Naval airships on Trinidad as well as Navy fighters with a complex of runways and taxiways that surpassed even Waller Field. This lasted until 3 November 1943 when, it was renamed Carlsen Field. It was also used by the Royal Air Force and was defended by US Army infantry and AA units. When the Navy began lighter-than-air operations in the Caribbean in
10165-519: The return passage, the British authorities soon began offering portions of land to encourage settlement, and by 1902, more than half of the sugar cane in Trinidad was being produced by independent cane farmers; the majority of which were Indians. Despite the trying conditions experienced under the indenture system, about 90% of the Indian immigrants chose, at the end of their contracted periods of indenture, to make Trinidad their permanent home. Indians entering
10272-468: The rural and agricultural workers in Trinidad, and encouraged the rise of a labour movement. Conditions on the islands worsened in the 1930s with the onset of the Great Depression , with an outbreak of labour riots occurring in 1937 which resulted in several deaths. The labour movement aimed to unite the urban working class and agricultural labour class; the key figures being Arthur Cipriani , who led
10379-545: The size of Trinidad, Jamaica had roughly 360,000 slaves. After the African slaves were emancipated many refused to continue working on the plantations, often moving out to urban areas such as Laventille and Belmont to the east of Port of Spain. As a result, a severe agricultural labour shortage emerged. The British filled this gap by instituting a system of indentureship . Various nationalities were contracted under this system, including Indians, Chinese, and Portuguese. Of these,
10486-523: The slave trade was under attack. Slavery was abolished in 1833 , after which former slaves served an " apprenticeship " period. In 1837 Daaga, a West African slave trader who had been captured by Portuguese slavers and later rescued by the British navy, was conscripted into the local regiment. Daaga and a group of his compatriots mutinied at the barracks in St Joseph and set out eastward in an attempt to return to their homeland. The mutineers were ambushed by
10593-429: The strike was the first time of cooperation between the various ethnic groups of the time. Historian Brinsley Samaroo says that the 1919 strikes "seem to indicate that there was a growing class consciousness after the war and this transcended racial feelings at times." However, in the 1920s, the collapse of the sugarcane industry, concomitant with the failure of the cocoa industry, resulted in widespread depression among
10700-644: The time of European contact, Trinidad was occupied by various Arawakan -speaking groups including the Nepoya and Suppoya, and Cariban -speaking groups such as the Yao , while Tobago was occupied by the Island Caribs and Galibi . Christopher Columbus was the first European to see Trinidad, on his third voyage to the Americas in 1498. He also reported seeing Tobago on the distant horizon, naming it Bellaforma , but did not land on
10807-403: Was a major employer. Chaguanas has grown rapidly from a small village to the largest borough in Trinidad and Tobago. Chaguanas has historically been considered an Indo-Trinidadian city through its original villages (such as Edinburgh village, Felicity, Charlieville, Chandernagore, Chase Village, St. Thomas, Montrose, and Endeavour), but as it has grown it has become more multi-racial. Enterprise
10914-512: Was considered underpopulated, Roume de St. Laurent, a Frenchman living in Grenada , was able to obtain a Cédula de Población from the Spanish king Charles III on 4 November 1783. A Cédula de Población had previously been granted in 1776 by the king, but had not shown results, and therefore the new Cédula was more generous. It granted free land and tax exemption for 10 years to Roman Catholic foreign settlers who were willing to swear allegiance to
11021-400: Was first settled by pre-agricultural Archaic people at least 7,000 years ago, making it the earliest settled part of the Caribbean. Banwari Trace in south-west Trinidad is the oldest attested archaeological site in the Caribbean, dating to about 5000 BC. Several waves of migration occurred over the following centuries, which can be identified by differences in their archaeological remains. At
11128-407: Was introduced in 1913. Economically Trinidad and Tobago remained a predominantly agricultural colony; alongside sugarcane, the cacao ( cocoa ) crop also contributed greatly to economic earnings in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In November 1919, the dockworkers went on strike over bad management practices, low wages compared to a higher cost of living. Strikebreakers were brought in to keep
11235-455: Was not truly a new form of slavery, as workers were paid, contracts were finite, and the idea of an individual being another's property had been eliminated when slavery was abolished. In addition, employers of indentured labour had no legal right to flog or whip their workers; the main legal sanction for the enforcement of the indenture laws was prosecution in the courts, followed by fines or (more likely) jail sentences. People were contracted for
11342-542: Was responsible for a growing middle class among all sections of the Trinidad population. The collapse of Trinidad's major agricultural commodities, followed by the Depression, and the rise of the oil economy, led to major changes in the country's social structure. The presence of American military bases in Chaguaramas and Cumuto in Trinidad during World War II had a profound effect on society. The Americans vastly improved
11449-561: Was severely undermined by the British Home Office and by the British-educated Trinidadian elite, many of whom were descended from the plantocracy class. Petroleum had been discovered in 1857, but became economically significant only in the 1930s and afterwards as a result of the collapse of sugarcane and cocoa, and increasing industrialization. By the 1950s petroleum had become a staple in Trinidad's export market, and
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