Trinidad

1. Trinidad & Tobago By Ifeaye S. Murray

2. Trinidad and Tobago The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of north-eastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. It shares maritime boundaries with other nations including Barbados to the northeast, Guyana to the southeast, and Venezuela to the south and west.

3. History - Trinidad • Christopher Columbus rediscovered the island of Trinidad on 31 July 1498. • Spain colonises Trinidad in 1532. • The island of Trinidad was surrendered to the British on 21 February 1797. • Slavery was abolished in 1834 • Indentured workers from India were brought to work on the sugar plantations in 1845 • The island of Tobago was annexed to Trinidad in 1889. • Trinidad and Tobago becomes independent on 31 August 1962. • Trinidad and Tobago becomes a Republic on 24 September 1976.

4. History - Tobago • Columbus reported seeing Tobago on the distant horizon in 1498, naming it Bellaforma, but did not land on the island. • The present name of Tobago is thought to probably be a corruption of its old name, "Tobaco". • The Dutch colonise Tobago in the 1630s and plant sugar cane. • The world’s oldest protected rainforest was set aside in Tobago in 1776. • Tobago changed hands over 33 times for about 200 years among the British, Dutch and French until it was ceded to Britain in 1814 for the final time. • Tobago was annexed to Trinidad in1889. • Trinidad and Tobago becomes independent on 31 August 1962. • Trinidad and Tobago becomes a Republicon 24 September 1976.

5. Tourism • There are many things for a tourist to do once he/she arrives in Trinidad and Tobago. • Some tourist attractions in T&T are: • Buccoo Reef, Tobago • Store Bay, Tobago • Maracas Bay, Trinidad • Asa Wright Nature Centre • Botanical Gardens • Emperor Valley Zoo • Caroni Bird Sanctuary • Carnival • Tobago Heritage Festival • Goat and Crab Races in Tobago • Pitch Lake at La Brea, South Trinidad

6. Transport • The National airline of T&T, Caribbean Airlines(predecessor was BWIA), operates routes from Trinidad to the USA, Canada and regionally. • There is a ferry service from Port of Spain(Trinidad) to Scarborough(Tobago). There are two vessels that operate the route; The T&T Express and the T&T Spirit • There is a water taxi service from Port of Spain to San Fernando. • The Public Transport Service Corporation(PTSC)operates buses all over the country. • There are ‘maxi taxis’ that operate all over the country. Just stop one and it will take you to any destination on its route. • You can rent a car from many places in this country.

7. Main Cities There are 4 main cities in T&T. Those cities are: Port of Spain San Fernando Chaguanas Scarborough

8. Food There are many tasty delicacies to try out in T&T. Here are a few of them. • Doubles • Roti • Bake an’ Shark • Pelau

9. Culture In Trinidad and Tobago we have a diverse culture. Here are a few aspects of it. • Calypso, a type of music heard especially around Carnival • Carnival, dubbed the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ • The Steelpan the National Instrument of T&T • And many others!

10. Problems Unfortunately, Trinidad and Tobago has a problem with crime. So if you decide to visit, here are some precautions to take to ensure your safety. • Don’t walk around with large sums of money. • Don’t accept anything from strangers. • Be aware of your surroundings • Secure your precious belongings. • Always walk together in groups, remember tere is STRENGH IN NUMBERS!

11. WATCHING FOR THANKS

12. Bibliography • Bing and Google for the images. • Wikipedia for most of the info. • YouTube for the excellent steel pan music.