Trinidad and Tobago特立尼達和多巴哥(拉丁美洲島國)
The home of carnival, steel bands, calypso and limbo dancing, Trinidad and Tobago's blend of different cultures gives them an air of cosmopolitan excitement. Liming, or talking for talking's sake, is a popular pastime, as is chatting about, watching and playing cricket.
Trinidad and Tobago is one of the wealthiest countries in the Caribbean, thanks to its considerable reserves of oil and gas. Along the north of Trinidad runs the Northern Range of mountains, looming over the country's capital, Port of Spain. On the north and east coasts lie beautiful beaches.
Port of Spain, surrounded by lush green hills, is the capital and business hub of oil-rich Trinidad. Bazaars throng beneath modern skyscrapers and mosques rub shoulders with cathedrals. San Fernando is the island's second town and the main commercial centre in the south. Close by is the fascinating natural phenomenon of the Pitch Lake, a 90-acre (36.4 hectares) lake of asphalt which constantly replenishes itself.
Tobago is very different from her sister isle, some 32km (20 miles) away. The island is so beautiful and fertile that just about every western European colonial power has fought to have it. It is a tranquil island with calm waters and a number of fine beaches, each with their own flavour. They include Pigeon Point on the southwest coast. Buccoo Reef, an extensive coral reef, lies offshore.
The history of Trinidad & Tobago has been one of invasion and conquest since its discovery by Christopher Columbus, who claimed it for Spain in 1498. In 1888, Tobago was amalgamated with Trinidad and administered as a single colony thereafter. The British sponsored the West Indies Federation as a potential post-colonial model, in the belief that most of the Caribbean islands would be unable to survive politically or economically on their own. The Caribbean peoples thought otherwise and the Federation collapsed in the early-1960s. By this time, Trinidad and Tobago had already been granted internal self-government and achieved full independence in 1962.
The only shadow on the paradisiacal image of the islands is the negative impact of drugs. As with other nations in the region, Trinidad and Tobago - a major transshipment point for cocaine - has become ridden with drugs, gang-related violence and corruption, which is threatening the increasingly important tourism industry.
獨立日：８月３１日（１９６２年） 國慶日：８月３１日（１９６２年）
國旗：呈長方形，長與寬之比爲５∶３。旗地爲紅色，一道從左上角斜貫至右下角的黑色寬帶將紅色旗面分成兩個相等的直角三角形，黑色寬帶兩側有兩道細白邊。紅色代表國家和人民的生命力，還象徵溫暖和太陽的熱能；黑色象徵人民的力量和獻身精神，也象徵國家的統一和財富；白色象徵國家的未來和海洋。兩個三角形代表特立尼達島和多巴哥島。
國徽：中心圖案爲盾徽。盾面上部爲黑地上兩隻蜂鳥，爲該國國鳥，象徵人民不畏強權、酷愛獨立和自由的精神；下部爲紅地上三隻帆船，代表１４９８年哥倫布抵達該島國時的船隊。盾徽上端爲一頂頭盔；頭盔之上有一個舵輪和一棵棕櫚樹，象徵該島國海運業的重要性。盾徽左側是一隻朱鷺，鳥爪下爲有三座山峯的山巒，象徵特立尼達島；右側是一隻火烈鳥，象徵多巴哥島。下端的綬帶上用英文寫着“我們共同追求, 我們共同獲勝”。
自然地理：５１２８平方公里。位於小安的列斯羣島東南端，在委內瑞拉岸外。由小安的列斯羣島中的特立尼達和多巴哥兩個加勒比島組成。特立尼達島面積４８２７平方公里，多巴哥島３０１平方公里。
人口：１２７萬（１９９５年統計）。黑人佔３６．９％，印度人佔４０．３％，其餘爲其他種族人。官方語言爲英語。居民中３４％信奉天主教，２５％信奉基督教新教，２５％信奉印度教，６％信奉伊斯蘭教。
首都：西班牙港（Port of Spain）
簡史：特立尼達島原爲印第安人阿拉瓦克族和加勒比族的居住地。１４９８年哥倫布經過該島附近，宣佈該島爲西班牙所有。１７８１年被法國佔領。１８０２年據《亞眠條約》劃歸英國。多巴哥島歷經西、荷、法、英多次爭奪，１８１２年據《巴黎條約》淪爲英國殖民地。１８８９年兩島成爲一個統一的英國殖民地。１９５６年實行內部自治。１９５８年參加西印度聯邦。１９６２年８月３１日宣佈獨立，成爲英聯邦成員國，英國女王爲國家元首。１９７６年８月１日新憲法生效，廢除君主立憲制，改製爲共和國，仍是英聯邦成員國。
政治：總統是國家元首，由參、衆兩院議員組成的選舉團選舉產生，任期５年。全國至少每五年舉行一次大選，政府由大選中獲衆議院數席位的政黨組成，對議會負責。議會是國家立法機構，由參、衆兩院組成，任期均爲５年。參議院３１席，由總統任命，其中總理提名１６人，反對黨領袖提名６人，另９人由總統在社會名流中選任。衆議院３６席，由普選產生。
外交：奉行獨立自主和不結盟的外交政策，維護民族獨立和國家主權，堅持不干涉別國內政原則，反對殖民主義和種族主義，主張建立國際經濟新秩序，發展平等互利的國際經濟合作，積極推進加勒比一體化進程。在與西方保持密切關係的同時，強調加強與發展中國家的聯繫，特別是加強同加勒比及拉美國家的合作。重視與亞洲國家發展經貿關係。
與中國關係：１９７４年６月２０日，特立尼達和多巴哥與中國建交。
