Anguilla, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, lies east of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea. With an area of only 91 sq. km, it is about half the size of Washington, D.C. It has a tropical climate that is moderated by northeast trade winds. As a result of its location it is often subject to powerful tropical storms. It is a flat, low-lying island of coral and limestone whose highest point, Crocus Hill, is only 65 m above sea level. These characteristics and a poor distribution system make supplies of potable water a critical environmental issue for the island.
Anguilla's small population of approximately 11,500 is mostly black. The main religions are Protestant, with Anglican and Methodists being the predominant denominations. There are smaller groups of Seventh-Day Adventists, Baptists, and Catholics. The official language is English.
The chief of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who is represented locally by a governor. The local legislature is a unicameral House of Assembly. Judicial matters are handled by the High Court with a judge provided by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.
Anguilla has few natural resources, consisting mainly of salt, fish, and lobster. As a result, the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. Its exports are negligible (only $1.6 million in 1997).
Anguilla has no railways, only 105 km of highways (65 km paved), and only one airport with a paved runway (there are two with unpaved runways). Its main ports and harbors are Blowing Point and Road Bay.
Antigua and Barbuda make up a small two-island nation in the Caribbean Sea east-southeast of Puerto Rico. With a combined area of about 440 sq. km, it is about 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. Due to its location, it has a tropical marine climate with little seasonal temperature variation. This location also results in it being subject to hurricanes (tropical storms) as well as periodic droughts. It has a low-lying terrain made up of limestone and coral with some higher volcanic areas. Its highest point is Boggy Peak at 402 m elevation. One of its major environmental concerns is water management.
The people of this nation are called Antiguans or Barbudans and their ethnic background is mostly black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, and Syrian. The population is estimated to be slightly less than 65,000 people, with a work force of about 30,000. The predominant religions are Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, and some Roman Catholic. The official language is English, and there are some local dialects.
Antigua and Barbuda is a parliamentary democracy, although the chief of state is Queen Elizabeth II of England, who chooses the local prime minister. The capital city is Saint John's. The local legislative branch is a bicameral parliament with a Senate and House of Representatives. The judicial branch is the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, based in Saint Lucia. One judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction.
Tourism is the dominant activity in the economy, accounting directly or indirectly for more than half of GDP. The dual island nation's agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull of higher wages in tourism and construction. The main exports are petroleum products, manufactures, and machinery and transport equipment. Principal imports are food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, and oil. The main export partners are other Caribbean states, while the main sources of imports are the United States, UK, Canada, and a broad range of smaller trading partners.
Being a small nation, there are only 77 km of railways and only 250 km of highways. The main port is Saint John's. There are three airports, two of which have paved runways.
Aruba is a small island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela, with an area of about 193 sq. km (just slightly larger than the District of Columbia). Due to its limited resources (white sandy beaches), flat terrain (the highest point is Mount Jamnota, 188 m elevation), and location outside the Caribbean hurricane belt, its economy relies mostly on tourism, transshipment, and oil refining. Tourism is the mainstay of Aruba's economy. Its principal trading partners are the United States and the European Union. Its primary imports are food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products, and crude oil for refining and re-export. Unemployment is almost nonexistent among the population of about 68,000 people.
Mixed white/Caribbean Amerindians make up the largest part of the population (80%). Most of the population is Roman Catholic (82%), with Protestants making up an additional 8% and some representation of other religions including Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, and Jewish. The official language is Dutch. English is widely spoken and the other main languages include Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect) and Spanish.
Aruba is part of the kingdom of the Netherlands, and so its head of state is Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands. Aruba separated from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and has full autonomy in its internal affairs. It was scheduled to receive automatic independence in 1996 but requested and received cancellation of that agreement ad thus remains a part of the Netherlands. Aruba has a parliamentary government located in its capital city of Oranjestad. Its legal system is based on the Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence. There is a unicameral legislature whose members are elected by direct popular vote, as well as a Joint High Court of Justice whose judges are appointed by the monarch.
Aruba has no railways and only 300 km of highways, less than half of which are paved. Its main ports and harbors are Barcadera, Orangestad, and Saint Nicolaas. There are only two airports, both of which have paved runways.
Although grouped with the Caribbean nations, the Bahamas are a chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean southeast of Florida. With an area of approximately 14,000 sq. km, it is slightly smaller than Connecticut. Due to its location, it has a tropical marine climate that is moderated by the Gulf Stream. An extensive island chain strategically located adjacent to the United States and Cuba, its terrain is mostly long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills. The highest point is Mount Alvernia on Cat Island with an elevation of 63 m above sea level. Due to its location, it is subject to extensive flood and wind damage caused by hurricanes and other tropical storms.
The main language of the Bahamas is English with Creole spoken mainly among the Haitian immigrants. The population of about 283,000 is about 85% black and 15% white. The main religions are Christian, with Baptists, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics making up the largest groups.
The Bahamas are a commonwealth that received its independence from the UK in 1973. Its capital is Nassau and the chief of state is still the UK monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. A governor general, whom she appoints, represents the Queen locally. The local head of government is a prime minister appointed by the governor general. The legislative branch is made up of a bicameral parliament with a Senate and a House of Assembly. There is also a local supreme court.
The main exports of the Bahamas are commodities consisting mostly of pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, and refined petroleum products. The principal imports are foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles, and electronics. The principal trading partners are the United States, the European Union (excluding the UK), the UK, and others.
There are no railways in the Bahamas but there are over 2,500 km of highways, more than half of which are paved. The main ports and harbors are Freeport, Matthew Town, and Nassau. There are about 62 airports serving this island chain, over half of which (33) have paved runways.
Barbados is a Caribbean island northeast of Venezuela whose area is about 430 sq. km, making it about two and a half times the size of Washington, D.C. Like most islands of the region its climate is tropical. Relatively flat, there is a central highland region. The highest point on the island is Mount Hillaby with an elevation of 336 m above sea level. It is the easternmost Caribbean island and is subject to hurricanes infrequently.
The Barbadian population of nearly 260,000 people is mostly black (80%) with about a 4% white population as well as a mixture of others. The dominant religions are Protestant (67%), mostly Anglican, with some Roman Catholic and a significant percentage (17%) claiming no religion. The main language of the island is English.
Barbados is a parliamentary democracy that received its independence from the UK in 1996, although the chief of state is still the UK monarch. Queen Elizabeth II appoints a local governor general who, in turn, designates a prime minister. There is a bicameral legislature consisting of a Senate and a House of Assembly, as well as a Supreme Court of Judicature. The capital is Bridgetown.
The principal natural resources are petroleum, fish, and natural gas and the main industries are tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, and component assembly for export. The principal exports are sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, and clothing. The principal imports are consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, and electrical components. The main trading partners are CARICOM, the United States, the UK, and Canada.
There are no railways in Barbados but there are about 1,650 km of highways, almost all of which are paved. The main ports and harbors are Bridgetown and Speightstown. There is only one airport, and it has a paved runway.
Belize is located at the southeastern tip of Mexico. Guatemala comprises its entire western border, with the Caribbean Sea to the east. Belize is a small country slightly larger than Massachusetts, with an area of 22,923 sq. km (8,867 sq. mi.).
Due to its location in the tropics, Belize is frequently subjected to hurricanes. A flat, swampy coastal plain characterizes its terrain, with some mountains in the south and interior. Because of its susceptibility to hurricanes, the capital was moved from Belize City to Belmopan, 80 miles inland.
Belize has a population of 270,000. The official language is English but Spanish, Mayan, and Garifuna (Carib) are also spoken. The predominant ethnic groups are mestizo and Creole, with Maya and other groups also represented. Roman Catholicism is the major religion, but there is also a significant Protestant population.
Its principal exports are agricultural and marine products, such as cane sugar, fruit, and fish. Its main imports consist of food, consumer goods, and building materials. Its main trading partners are the United States and the United Kingdom.
Formerly known as British Honduras, the head of state is still the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. The local government is a parliamentary democracy headed by a governor general appointed by the Queen. There is a local bicameral national legislature. The legal system is based on English law.
Belize has no railways, depending mostly on its road network (2,248 km, 427 km paved) and its limited waterways (825 km), which are seasonably navigable by shallow craft. It has a few ports and harbors and approximately 44 airports. Only three of the airports have paved runways.
The Caymans, a group of small islands belonging to the United Kingdom (UK), lie in the western Caribbean between Cuba and Honduras (in Middle America). Their land area of about 260 sq. km is roughly about 1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. They are primarily low-lying islands surrounded by coral reef with a maritime tropical climate. Their highest point is only 43 m above sea level. They are strategically located between Cuba and Central America and are a major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the U.S.
The population of the Caymans is less than 40,000. Ethnically, about 40% are mixed Afro-European, 20% white, and 20% African. Most of the people are Christian, led by United Church, Anglican, Catholic, and other Protestant denominations.
The islands are a British Crown Colony, headed by the British monarch and governed locally by a governor and a unicameral legislature. The capital is George Town.
Although a British colony, the Caymans have considerable leeway in directing their own affairs. Consequently, they have developed close ties to the U.S., who is their leading economic partner. The Caymans have become a thriving offshore banking center as well as a major tourist destination.
There are no railways in the Caymans but there are over 400 km of highways, approximately three-quarters of which are paved. There are three airports, two of which have paved runways.
The largest of the Greater Antilles, Cuba's area is slightly over 110,000 sq. km, making it slightly smaller than Pennsylvania. Cuba's terrain is mostly flat with rolling hills and rugged mountains in the southeast. Its climate is tropical, with a rainy season from May to October. The largest country in the Caribbean, it is subject to both hurricanes and drought. One of its major problems is deforestation. Strategically, Cuba is of interest because the U.S. leases the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station from Cuba, although they do not exchange diplomatic representation.
Cuba also has one of the largest populations in the Caribbean, comprising over 11 million people. They are mostly mulatto (51%), with large white (37%) and black (11%) ethnic groups. The island was principally Catholic prior to being taken over by Fidel Castro, with some representation of other religious groups. The principal language is Spanish.
Cuba is a communist state, headed by Fidel Castro who led a rebel army to victory in 1959. At home, Havana provided Cubans with high levels of health care, education, and social security while suppressing the Roman Catholic Church and arresting political dissidents. Cuba is slowly recovering from severe economic recession following the withdrawal of former-Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion per year, in 1990.
Cuba's main exports include sugar, nickel, tobacco (Cuban cigars are considered the best), and shellfish while it imports petroleum, food, machinery, and chemicals. Its principal trading partners include Russia, Spain, and Canada.
Cuba has over 4,800 km of railways. A large portion of it is used on sugar plantations. It has over 60,000 km of highways, nearly half of which are paved. Its main ports and harbors are Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas, and Santiago de Cuba. Seventy-seven of its 170 airports have paved runways.
Dominica is a small island (about 750 sq. km; four times the size of Washington, D.C.) in the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean. It has a tropical climate moderated by the trade winds, and its terrain consists of rugged mountains of volcanic origin. It suffers from flash flood problems and is subject to hurricanes.
Dominica's population of nearly 65,000 people is mostly black and Carib Amerindian. Over three quarters of the people are Roman Catholic, while most of the rest are of Protestant denominations. The official language is English, but French patois is also spoken.
Dominica is a parliamentary democracy with a president and a prime minister. There is a unicameral legislature, the House of Assembly. The Judicial branch is the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (located in Saint Lucia), however, one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction. The capital is Roseau.
The economy is based on agriculture, and the main export is bananas. Dominica's main imports are machinery, manufactured goods, food, and chemicals. The main trading partners are the U.S, UK, and CARICOM countries.
There are no railways in Dominica. About half of the 780 km of highways are paved, as are the two airports.
The Dominican Republic comprises the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, one of the Greater Antilles. Haiti covers the other third of the island. The Dominican Republic's area is over 48,000 sq. km; that is slightly larger than the area of New Hampshire and Vermont combined. It has mountainous terrain with some fertile valleys and a maritime tropical climate with little seasonal variation.
The people of the Dominican Republic are mostly mixed with about 16% white and about 11% black ethnic groups. The population is over 8 million. Most of the population is Roman Catholic. The main language is Spanish.
The Dominican Republic is a representative democracy. The capital is Santo Domingo. They have a president for a head of state, and there is a bicameral legislature as well as a supreme court of justice.
The Dominican Republic is mostly a rural agrarian economy attempting to shift to more light industry (assembly plants) and tourism. About 20% of the population lives below the poverty level. The main exports are ferronickel, sugar, gold, and coffee. Its main imports are foodstuffs, petroleum, and cotton and fabrics. Its main trading partners are the U.S. and the E.U.
The Dominican Republic has about 750 km of railways and over 12,000 km of highways, about half of which are paved. There are also about 100 km of pipelines for petroleum and petroleum products. About 14 of the 36 airports have paved runways. The main ports and harbors are Barahona, La Romana, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris, and Santo Domingo.
French Guiana is in the northern part of South America, between Suriname and Brazil. Its northern border is the North Atlantic Ocean. It has an area of about 91,000 sq. km, about the size of Indiana. Due to its location just north of the equator and its size, its climate is tropical (hot and humid) with little seasonal variation. Its terrain is mostly coastal plains and low mountains.
Mostly an unsettled wilderness, French Guiana has a population of only about 167,000 people. Most of the people are black or mulatto (66%) with about 12% whites and the remainder East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian, and other groups. The main religion is Roman Catholicism. The official language is French.
As an overseas department of France, French Guiana has a French legal system. A prefect appointed by the French president heads the local government. There is also a local regional council. The highest court in the region is in Martinique, with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana.
French Guiana's main trading partner is France, with some other trade to European Union members. The main exports are shrimp, timber, gold, and rum, and the main imports are food, machinery and transport equipment, and fuels and chemicals.
French Guiana has no railways and less than 2,000 km of roads. Forty percent of the roads are paved, however. It has 460 km of navigable waterways and a few ports. It has only 11 airports, four of which have paved runways.
Grenada is a small island (about 340 sq. km) about twice the size of Washington, D.C., located in the Lesser Antilles north of Trinidad and Tobago. It is volcanic in origin with some central mountains. The highest peak is 840 m. Grenada has a tropical maritime climate and lies on the edge of the hurricane belt.
Grenada's population of fewer than one million people is predominantly black. Catholics make up slightly more than half of the population, while the rest are mostly Anglican and other Protestant denominations. The official language is English, but French patois is also spoken.
Grenada is a parliamentary democracy, although they have maintained the British monarch as their head of state. A prime minister heads their local government, and there is a bicameral legislature. Judicial matters are handled by the West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate judge resides in Grenada).
Both imports and exports are primarily foodstuffs. The main trading partners are CARICOM, the U.S., and the UK.
There are no railways in Grenada. About 600 of the approximately 1,000 km of highways are paved. Two of the three airports have paved runways.
An overseas department of France, Guadeloupe is a small island (about ten times the size of Washington, D.C.—1,780 sq. km) southeast of Puerto Rico. This group of islands is volcanic in origin and has a subtropical climate.
The population of over 420,000 people is mostly black or mulatto. The main religion is Roman Catholic (95%). The official language is French.
The principal exports and imports are foodstuffs, and France is Guadeloupe's main trading partner.
Most of the slightly more than 2,000 km of highways are paved. Eight of the nine airports have paved runways.
Guyana is situated in the northern part of South America on the North Atlantic Ocean between Suriname and Venezuela. It has an area of about 215,000 sq. km, about the size of Idaho. It has mostly rolling highlands with a low coastal plain and savanna in the south. Its climate is tropical.
Guyana's population of about 708,000 is East Indian (51%), African (30%), mixed, and Amerindian. Approximately half the population is Christian with a large (33%) group of Hindu as well as a significant Muslim (9%) following. The principal languages are English, Guyanese Creole, and Indian dialects. The most populous area is the capital city of Georgetown (pop. 248,500).
Formerly British Guyana, its legal system is based on English common law. There are three branches of government: executive (headed by the president), legislative (unicameral legislature), and judicial.
Guyana's main exports are sugar, metals (gold and bauxite/alumina), rice, shrimp, and molasses. It imports manufactured goods, machinery, petroleum, and food. Its main trading partners are the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, as well as nearby Caribbean islands.
Guyana has less than 100 km of railways, all dedicated to ore transport. It has nearly 8,000 km of roads, but less than 600 km are paved. It has a few ports and harbors. Of the estimated 50 airports, only five have paved runways.
Haiti comprises the western third of the island of Hispaniola, approximately 27,000 sq. km (slightly smaller than Maryland). The terrain is mostly rough and mountainous (highest point is 2,680 m). Although it is subject to hurricanes and has a tropical climate, some areas are semiarid where the mountains cut off the trade winds.
Although it has a population of nearly 7 million people, the life expectancy at birth is one of the lowest in the region (approximately 51 years). Most of the population is black, with some mulatto and white. Most of the population (80%) is Catholic with most of the remainder Protestant denominations. However, over half of the population also practices voodoo. The official languages are French and Creole. Approximately 75% of the people live below the poverty level.
The Haitian government is a republic with a president, a bicameral legislature, and a supreme court (Cour de Cassation). The capital is Port au Prince.
Most of Haiti relies on subsistence agriculture. It does export some light manufactures and imports some machines as well as food and beverages. Its principal trading partners are the U.S. and the E.U.
Haiti has no active railways. Of its 4,000 km of highways, slightly more than one quarter is paved. Only three of the 13 airports have paved runways.
This island south of Cuba is slightly smaller than Connecticut (approx. 11,000 sq. km). Blue Mountain Peak at 2,256 m is the highest point on the mountainous terrain. It has a tropical climate and is subject to hurricanes.
Jamaica has a population of about 2.6 million people. They are mostly black. The main languages are English and Creole. Most of the population is Christian, and there is a notable Rastafarian following.
Jamaica maintains the British sovereign as the head of state, but its own prime minister and a bicameral legislature govern the island. There is also a supreme court.
Jamaica is a world leader in the export of bauxite-alumina. Prior to discovery of these mineral resources, its economy was based on bananas and sugar. It imports machinery, transport equipment, and construction materials. Jamaica's main trading partners are the U.S. and the E.U.
More than half of Jamaica's 370 km of railways are no longer operational. It has over 18,000 km of highways, over 13,000 km of which are paved. Jamaica has several ports and harbors, including Kingston (the capital) and Montego Bay. Eleven of its 36 airports have paved runways.
Puerto Rico is one of the Greater Antilles. It is located strategically along the Mona Passage, a key transit route to the Panama Canal. With an area just over 9,000 sq. km, it is nearly three times the size of Rhode Island. Puerto Rico has a mountainous terrain. Because of its location, tropical climate, and landforms, it is well watered, although drought is occasionally a problem.
Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth associated with the U.S. Its population of nearly 4 million are U.S. citizens. They are mostly of Hispanic origin. Roman Catholic is the main religion. Spanish is the main language of the island, but English is also spoken.
The chief of state is the U.S. president. A governor and a bicameral legislature, much like most of the states in the U.S, govern the island locally.
Puerto Rico's principal exports are pharmaceuticals, electronics, and apparel, while it imports chemicals, machinery and equipment, and clothing. Its primary trading partner is the U.S.
Puerto Rico has 96 km of railways used principally for sugarcane production. It has 14,400 km of highways, all paved. Twenty-one of its thirty airports have paved runways. It has several ports and harbors. San Juan is one of the best natural harbors in the region.
Saint Kitts and Nevis are located in the Caribbean Sea between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago. The islands have a total area of 269 sq. km, which is approximately 1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. The terrain is mountainous, reaching an elevation of 1,156 m. The climate of the islands is subtropical with little seasonal variation. The temperatures are modulated by the constant sea breezes. There is a rainy season from May to November. The hurricane season is from July to October.
Most of the population of 42,838 is black and predominantly Christian, including both Protestant sects and Roman Catholic. The main language is English.
The government of Saint Kitts and Nevis is a constitutional monarchy. Although independent since 1983, the chief of state is the British monarch. The head of government is the prime minister. The legislative branch consists of a unicameral legislature and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court handles judicial matters. The capital is Basseterre.
The economy has traditionally been based on the growing and processing of sugarcane. In recent years, there has been a decline in world prices that has hurt the industry. Due to the current downward trend of the sugarcane industry, tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking have assumed larger roles. Most of the food is imported, along with machinery and fuel. The export commodities include machinery, food, electronics, beverages, and tobacco. Their main trading partners include the U.S., UK, and the CARICOM nations.
There are two airports on Saint Kitts and Nevis, along with 58 km of railways. The islands have 320 km of highways (136 km paved). The two main ports are Basseterre and Charlestown.
St. Lucia is a small island north of Trinidad and Tobago, approximately 3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C (620 sq. km). It has mountainous terrain with some broad fertile valleys. It has a tropical climate and the main natural hazards are hurricanes and volcanic activity.
St. Lucia has a population of about 154,000, most of whom are black and practice Catholicism. English is the official language, but French patois is also spoken.
Although granted its independence from the UK in 1979, St. Lucia still considers the British monarch as the head of state. A prime minister and a bicameral legislature govern it. Judicial matters are handled by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines).
St. Lucia's primary exports are bananas and clothing. It imports foodstuffs and machinery. Its main trading partners are the U.S., UK, and CARICOM.
St. Lucia has no railways and only about 1,200 km of highway, less than 100 km of which are paved. It has two airports, both of which have paved runways.
Suriname is a small country (163,270 sq. km; 63,037 sq. mi.) slightly larger than Georgia, on the northern coast of South America. Besides the North Atlantic Ocean, it borders on Guyana to the west, French Guiana to the east, and Brazil to the south. Suriname consists of mostly tropical rain forest, with most of its population living on the coast. Its terrain varies from coastal swamps to savanna to rolling hills. Its climate is tropical but tempered by trade winds.
Suriname's relatively small population of about 405,000 includes Hindustani, Javanese, Bush Negro, Amerindians, and Chinese ethnic groups. There are several religions including Hinduism, Roman Catholicism, Dutch Reformed, Muslim, Jewish Moravian, and several other Christian groups. The official language is Dutch, but English, Sranan Tongo (Creole language), Hindustani, and Javanese are also spoken.
Suriname's legal system is based on the Dutch. It is a republic with three branches of government: executive (headed by the president), unicameral legislature, and judicial branch.
Suriname exports alumina, aluminum, shrimp and fish, rice, and bananas. It imports capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, and consumer goods. Most of its exports go to Norway and the Netherlands, while most of the imports come from the United States and the Netherlands. Other countries with which Suriname trades include Japan, Brazil, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Suriname has a relatively small amount of railways (<200 km), over 4,500 km of roads (<2,000 km paved), about six main seaports, and approximately 45 airports (only five with paved runways).
This dual island nation at the southern end of the Lesser Antilles has an area of about 5,100 sq. km (slightly smaller than Delaware). It is mostly plains with some hills and low mountains. It has a tropical climate but is outside the usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms.
The population of Trinidad and Tobago numbers about 1.1 million. They are mostly black (40%), East Indian (a local term—primarily immigrants from northern India) (40.3%), and mixed (14%). A variety of religions are practiced, with the largest groups being Catholic (32%) and Hindu (24%). The official language is English, but Hindi, French, and Spanish are also spoken.
Trinidad and Tobago is a parliamentary democracy with a president (head of state) and a prime minister (head of government), a bicameral legislature, and judicial branch.
Trinidad and Tobago's economy is improving although over 20% of the population lives below the poverty level. It has become an excellent investment site for international businesses. Its main exports are petroleum and petroleum products. Its main imports are machinery, transportation equipment, and manufactured goods. Its main trading partners are the U.S., UK, E.U., and CARICOM/Latin America.
Trinidad and Tobago's railways are minimal and primarily for agricultural use. Over half of its more than 8,000 km of highways are paved. It has over 1,000 km of pipeline for petroleum and petroleum products. There are several ports and harbors. Three of its six airports have paved runways.
Two island groups in the North Atlantic, they are located southeast of the Bahamas. The total area of these islands is 430 sq. km, which is about 2.5 times the area of Washington, D.C. The islands are composed of limestone, with extensive marshes and mangrove swamps. The climate of Turks and Caicos varies from tropical to marine and is moderated by the trade winds. It is sunny and relatively dry. The islands are subjected to frequent hurricanes.
The population of these islands is 16,863, with only eight of the 30 islands inhabited. The population growth is fairly high at 3.65%. The ethnic background is black, and the official language is English. The predominant religious affiliation is Baptist at 41.2%.
Turks and Caicos is a territory of the UK. The capital is Cockburn Town on the island of Grand Turk. The government consists of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch is made up of the chief of state (monarch of the UK), a governor who is appointed by the monarch, and a chief minister appointed by the governor. The legislative branch is unicameral, in which 13 of the 19 seats are filled by popular election. The judicial branch consists of a supreme court.
The economy of these islands is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most of the capital goods and food for domestic use are imported. The major sources of government revenue are fees from customs receipts and offshore financial activity. The main trading partners for both exports and imports are the U.S. and the UK.
The infrastructure of the islands consists of 121 km of highways of which 24 km are paved. Of the seven airports, four have paved runways. There are two main harbors, one on Grand Turk and the other on Providenciales.