Trinidad and Tobago lie in the Caribbean Sea off the northeast coast
of Venezuela, off the coast of Venezuela. It
consists of two islands, Trinidad and Tobago. The larger and more populated
island is Trinidad, while the island of Tobago is a lot smaller and less
populous. The tallest building in Trinidad and Tobago is the recently
constructed Nicholas Tower.
Tobago and its twin island, Trinidad, are the Caribbean's odd couple. 'Little
sister' Tobago is relaxed, slow-paced and largely undeveloped. Trinidad is a
densely populated, thriving island with a cosmopolitan population and strong
regional influence.
The capital city is Port-of-Spain in Trinidad. Scarborough is the main urban
centre and port in Tobago. Ports and harbours in the Gulf of Paria (Trinidad)
are Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Pointe-a-Pierre and Port-of-Spain.
Trinidad is the larger of the two islands. The terrain consists of plains
with hills and three low mountain ranges. Tobago has a central mountain chain.
The Ortoire and the Caroni are the longest rivers in Trinidad and the Courland
is the longest river in Tobago.There are a variety of landscapes: mountains,
rainforests, savannah, coastline, rivers, mangrove swamps, lakes and waterfalls.
Tobago's Main Ridge Forest Reserve was established in 1776. Other protected
areas include the Asa Wright Nature Centre and the Caroni Bird Sanctuary on the
island of Trinidad. "Little Tobago", a small island northeast of
Tobago, is a bird sanctuary for almost sixty species of birds.
The Nariva Swamp on the Ramsar list of Wetlands of International Importance
is an "extensive complex of freshwater swamp forest, permanent herbaceous
swamp, seasonally flooded marshes, and mangrove forest. The area supports a rich
fauna: at least thirteen species of birds, various mammals and reptiles."
Over four hundred species of birds inhabit the islands, a migratory crossing
point. Birds include the ibis, heron, kingfisher, pelican and the blue-footed
booby. Over sixteen types of hummingbirds live in Trinidad, a fact that gave
Trinidad its name before the arrival of the Europeans: "Land of the
Hummingbirds".
There are over six hundred species of butterflies and a number of different
species of mammals and reptiles. Wildlife includes anteaters, armadillos, deer,
monkeys, ocelot, wild pig, porcupine, iguanas, frogs and toads. Manatees and
turtles (loggerhead, hawksbill and leatherback) are also inhabitants of the
islands and the coral reefs support many small fish. Other sea life includes
seahorses, flying fish, groupers, seabass, rays, blue marlins, whale sharks and
sharks.