Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago

Updated July 28, 2023
Trinidad and Tobago
Political and Economic Environment
Among the principal challenges facing the Rowley
Trinidad and Tobago, the second-most-populous English-
administration are the lingering economic effects of the
speaking Caribbean country after Jamaica, is located in the
Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic and fluctuating natural
southeast Caribbean, just seven miles from Venezuela at its
gas revenues. The World Bank classifies Trinidad and
closest point. The country’s population is largely of African
Tobago as a high-income economy due to its relatively high
and East Indian descent, each comprising about 35% of the
per capita income level, estimated at $15,000 in 2021. Even
total, with those of mixed descent and other ethnic groups
before the pandemic, however, the global decline in
comprising the rest. In 1962, the country gained
commodity prices negatively affected the country’s energy-
independence from the United Kingdom (UK), becoming
based economy (especially natural gas and petrochemicals,
one of the first British territories in the Caribbean to do so
which account for nearly half of gross domestic product
and retaining the parliamentary political system it inherited
[GDP]). With the pandemic’s onset, the economy
from the UK. In 1976, Trinidad and Tobago became a
contracted 7.7% in 2020, followed by an estimated 1%
parliamentary republic, with a president elected by
contraction in 2021, according to the International
parliament replacing the British monarch as head of state (a
Monetary Fund (IMF).
largely ceremonial role).
Figure 1. Trinidad and Tobago Map
Trinidad and Tobago at a Glance
Population: 1.42 mil ion (2023, IMF est.)
Area: 1,980 square miles, slightly smaller than Delaware
GDP: $28.2 bil ion (2023, est., current prices, IMF)
Real GDP Growth: -7.7% (2020), -1.0% (2021); 2.5% (2022);
3.2% (2023, forecast) (constant prices, IMF)
U.S. Imports: $5.4 bil ion (2022) (TDM)
U.S. Exports: $3.6 bil ion (2022) (TDM)
Legislature: Bicameral Parliament, with 41-member elected
House of Representatives and 31-member appointed Senate
Sources: International Monetary Fund (IMF); World
Economic Outlook Database, April 2023; and Trade Data
Monitor (TDM), which presents U.S. trade statistics.
The economy grew 2.5% in 2022, and the IMF projects
3.2% growth in 2023. To respond to the ebbs and flows of

Source: CRS.
revenue from the natural gas sector—and to prevent
overreliance on energy—over the longer term, the
Note: The large majority of the population lives on Trinidad.
government has plans to diversify the economy through
Current Prime Minister Keith Rowley, of the center-left
efforts to improve the business climate and attract new
People’s National Movement (PNM), is serving his second
industries, including in the agriculture and manufacturing
consecutive term as head of government since 2015. He
sectors.
was most recently reelected in 2020. In the 2020 elections,
the PNM maintained a slight majority in parliament after
Another challenge for the Rowley government is
securing 22 out of 41 seats in the House of Representatives.
contending with persistently high crime rates, including
The opposition center-left United National Congress (UNC)
homicides and other violent crimes. In 2022, Trinidad and
won the remaining 19 seats, with Kamla Persad-Bissessar,
Tobago reported 502 murders, a 22% increase over 2021
the country’s first female prime minister (2010-2015),
and equivalent to about 39 murders per 100,000 people, the
serving as leader of the opposition. The PNM and the UNC
sixth-highest rate in Latin America and the Caribbean.
are Trinidad and Tobago’s two major political parties, and
political affiliations are often tied to ethnicity. The PNM,
In terms of foreign relations, Trinidad and Tobago has been
first established in 1955, tends to receive its support from
a major proponent of Caribbean economic integration and
Afro-Trinidadians, and the UNC, established in 1989,
plays a leading role in the Caribbean Community
receives a majority of its support from Indo-Trinidadians.
(CARICOM). Relations with the People’s Republic of
Next elections in Trinidad and Tobago are slated for 2025.
China (PRC) have increased over the past decade, with
Trinidad and Tobago signing on to the PRC’s Belt and
Road Initiative, focused on infrastructure development, in
https://crsreports.congress.gov

Trinidad and Tobago
2018. Trinidad and Tobago also has continued relations and
country’s proximity to Venezuela; porous borders; limited
bilateral cooperation with neighboring Venezuela under the
law enforcement capacity and resources; and corruption
government of Nicolás Maduro.
within the ranks of law enforcement, border security
entities, and the postal system.
U.S. Relations with Trinidad and Tobago
According to the Department of State, U.S. relations with
Nevertheless, the State Department maintains that Trinidad
Trinidad and Tobago are cordial and cooperative,
and Tobago continues to make progress in efforts to
characterized by a shared commitment to democracy. The
investigate and dismantle drug networks. The State
Biden Administration cites mutually beneficial trade, and
Department characterizes bilateral cooperation with
close security cooperation via the Caribbean Basin Security
Trinidad and Tobago on drug trafficking and transnational
Initiative (CBSI). Cultural ties are strong in part because of
crime as productive and recommends that the government
large Trinidadian communities in New York and Florida
continue to strengthen border security and increase efforts
and more than 13,000 U.S. citizens residing in the country.
to combat public corruption, which facilitates such crime.
Economic Linkages. The United States has traditionally
U.S. Foreign Aid. The United States provided $2.8 million
run a trade deficit with Trinidad and Tobago because of the
in aid to Trinidad and Tobago in FY2021 from all U.S.
country’s energy exports to the United States. In 2022, the
agencies (https://www.foreignassistance.gov, latest full-
United States imported $5.4 billion in goods, with mineral
year data available). Top sectors included peace and
fuels and mineral oils accounting for 46.6%. In the same
security, health, and humanitarian assistance aimed at
year, the United States exported $3.6 billion in goods, with
supporting Venezuelan migrants; there are currently an
refined petroleum products making up nearly 29%. Since
estimated 35,300 Venezuelan migrants residing in the
1984, Trinidad and Tobago has been a beneficiary of the
country. In September 2022, the U.S. Agency for
Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (P.L. 98-67, as
International Development (USAID) established a
amended, with no expiration), a U.S. preferential trade
permanent office in Port of Spain to bolster Eastern and
program for Caribbean imports. Since 2001, it has been a
Southern Caribbean efforts to promote climate resilience
beneficiary of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act
and citizen security.
(Title II of P.L. 106-200, extended through September
2030), which expanded preferential tariff treatment for
Since FY2010, Trinidad and Tobago has received
petroleum products and qualifying textile and apparel
assistance through the CBSI, a U.S. regional initiative
products. The United States and CARICOM countries,
supporting the efforts of Caribbean countries to reduce
including Trinidad and Tobago, signed a Trade and
illicit trafficking, increase public safety and security, and
Investment Framework Agreement in 2013 that provides a
promote social justice through crime-prevention programs.
forum for discussing commercial issues.
Under the CBSI, Trinidad and Tobago has received law
enforcement training; support for increasing port security
Gas Development. In January 2023, Trinidad and Tobago
and maritime interdiction capabilities; and assistance for the
received a two-year license from the U.S. Department of
criminal justice sector, including judicial mechanisms for
the Treasury to engage with Venezuela on developing the
juveniles and educational opportunities for at-risk youth. In
Dragon natural gas field, which is in Venezuelan waters.
June 2023, the State Department announced its support for
The Maduro government, which is subject to U.S.
the Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CGIU) in Trinidad and
sanctions, is not permitted to receive any cash payments
Tobago, which facilitates regional efforts against arms
from the project and is to be paid in humanitarian supplies.
trafficking.
Trinidad reportedly is petitioning the U.S. Department of
the Treasury to be allowed to pay the Venezuelan state-
Trafficking in Persons. The State Department kept
owned oil and natural gas company (PdVSA) in cash.
Trinidad and Tobago on its Tier 2 Watch List in its 2023
Trafficking in Persons Report. The State Department
Environment. In June 2023, Vice President Kamala Harris
maintained that Trinidad and Tobago expanded its counter-
announced new initiatives to strengthen relations with the
trafficking unit, opened shelters for adult trafficking victims
Caribbean—notably the U.S.–Caribbean Partnership to
and female child trafficking victims, and tried to prevent
Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030). Through
trafficking of Venezuelan migrants and other vulnerable
PACC 2030, the United States aims to help promote
groups. Nevertheless, the government has never convicted a
Caribbean energy security and advance clean energy.
trafficker under its 2011 anti-trafficking law.
Trinidad and Tobago seeks to reduce greenhouse gas
For additional information, see CRS In Focus IF10789,
emissions by at least 15% in 2030; the United States
Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, and CRS Report
recently announced support for renewable energy and solar
R47432, Caribbean Trade Preference Programs.
integration initiatives in Trinidad and Tobago.
This In Focus updates an earlier version written by former
Drug Trafficking Issues. The State Department’s 2023
CRS Specialist Mark Sullivan.
International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR)
describes Trinidad and Tobago as a transshipment point for
Karla I. Rios, Analyst in Latin American Affairs
illegal drugs (cocaine and marijuana) destined for Europe,
IF10914
North America, and the rest of the Caribbean. Drug
trafficking organizations reportedly take advantage of the
https://crsreports.congress.gov

Trinidad and Tobago

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10914 · VERSION 7 · UPDATED