President: Maxwell Richards Prime minister: Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Population
37,367,226
1,226,383
Life Expectancy
74.730 years
71.670 years
Capital City
Algiers
Port-of-Spain
Largest city
Algiers (population: 1,977,660)
Chaguanas (population: 72,159)
Human Development Index
0.748
0.833
GDP per capita
$7,400 US
$20,300 US
Literacy Rate
69.9%
98.6%
Corruption Perception Index
3.2
3.6
Percentage of Women in Parliament
6.5%
33.3%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
10.000%
6.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
Legal
Political System
republic
parliamentary democracy
Independence date
5 July 1962 (from France)
31 August 1962 (from UK)
Religions
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Muslim 5.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other Christian 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000 census)
Languages
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), French, Spanish, Chinese
Exports
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, cereal and cereal products, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus fruit, vegetables, flowers
External Debt
$4,699,000,000 $
$4,483,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 63.25 (2008 est.), 69.9 (2007), 72.647 (2006), 73.276 (2005), 72.061 (2004)
Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar - 6.3228 (2008 est.), 6.3275 (2007), 6.3107 (2006), 6.2842 (2005), 6.299 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
3.300%
0.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
2
Location
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Area
2,381,741 km sq
5,128 km sq
Coastline
998 km
362 km
Climate
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
