II.

Land and Resources

Trinidad lies about 11 km (7 mi) north of the coast of Venezuela on the South American continent, opposite the mouth of the Orinoco River. The Gulf of Paria separates Trinidad from the mainland of South America. By far the larger island, Trinidad covers an area of 4,828 sq km (1,864 sq mi). Tobago, 32 km (20 mi) northeast of Trinidad, has an area of 300 sq km (120 sq mi). The country’s total area is 5,128 sq km (1,980 sq mi).

A.

Geography

Although relatively small, Trinidad has a varied geography. Three ranges of hills run roughly east to west across the island. They reach their highest point of 940 m (3,084 ft) above sea level at El Cerro del Aripo in the north. The Northern Range, where El Cerro rises, is a continuation of mountains that form the Paria peninsula of Venezuela. Thousands of years ago Trinidad and Tobago formed part of the South American mainland.

Apart from the hills, most of the rest of Trinidad is lowland, generally below 300 m (1000 ft) in elevation. Crops are grown on the lowlands between the hills. The flat central plain is used for growing sugarcane. Swamps, particularly mangrove swamps, adjoin much of the low-lying coastal area. Rice is grown in parts of these wetlands.

Trinidad has only one natural harbor, at Chaguaramas on the western coast, but the entire Gulf of Paria provides safe anchorage. The northern coast of the island is rocky and indented with sandy bays, the southern coast is steep, and the eastern coast is exposed to heavy surf. In southwestern Trinidad is an asphalt lake, filled with crude oil that has seeped up from the ground. The 42-hectare (104-acre) Pitch Lake is the world’s largest natural reservoir of asphalt.

The island of Tobago is of volcanic origin. Tobago is the summit of a single mountain mass that rises from the sea floor and reaches an elevation of 550 m (1,804 ft) above sea level. The southwestern part of the island, however, is flat or rolling and formed of coral. The coastline is broken by inlets and sheltered beaches.

B.

Climate

Trinidad and Tobago has a tropical climate with little seasonal variation. Temperatures are a little higher than in the Caribbean islands farther north, but northeasterly trade winds provide a moderating influence. Temperatures seldom rise above 32°C (90°F) and range from 21° to 26°C (the 70°s F) in January and from 26° to 32°C (the 80°s F) in July.

Although no month is dry, Trinidad and Tobago has less rainfall from January to May than from June to November. The amount of rain that falls is strongly influenced by topography. For example, the windward eastern slopes of the Northern Range on Trinidad receive more than 3,600 mm (140 in) a year, and the leeward west coast receives less than 1,500 mm (60 in). Trinidad and Tobago lies south of the principal Caribbean hurricane path, and hurricanes are infrequent. There have, however, been damaging tropical storms.

B.1.

Plants and Animals

Trinidad’s diverse plant and animal life includes both Caribbean and South American species. Habitats range from the rain forests in the Northern Range region to the wetlands of the eastern and western coasts. Forest reserves and government-owned lands cover almost one-fourth of the country, and many areas of both islands have been declared national parks, wildlife reserves, or protected areas. The wetlands of Trinidad include mangrove swamps, fresh swamps, grassy freshwater marshes, palm marshes, and waterlogged savannah land. They are inhabited by caimans, iguanas, snakes, and various kinds of monkeys, including howler monkeys and capuchin monkeys. Other mammals include the protected manatee and dozens of species of bats.

The slopes of the Northern Range are covered with hardwoods, palms, and flowering trees, such as the silk-cotton tree (see ceiba), mahogany, balata, poui, and immortelle, which provide cover for the giant bromeliads and orchids growing among them. Animals include the brown brocket deer, collared peccary, manicou (a kind of opossum), agouti, ocelot, and armadillo. The islands attract leatherback turtles and also have hundreds of species of butterflies.

The range of habitats means that Trinidad is a birdwatcher’s paradise. Many parrots and macaws, the savannah hawk, and the red-breasted blackbird are to be found in the lowlands. The Caroni Swamp is famous as the roosting place of hundreds of scarlet ibis, the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago, and egrets. The entire island of Little Tobago, off Tobago’s northeastern coast in the Caribbean Sea, is dedicated to the Bird of Paradise Sanctuary, home to nearly 60 species of birds including birds of paradise brought from Indonesia.