Capital: Port-of-Spain
Administrative divisions: 8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**; Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria

Independence: 31 August 1962 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Constitution: 1 August 1976

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Noor Mohammed HASSANALI (since 18 March 1987)
head of government: Prime Minister Patrick Augustus Mervyn MANNING (since 17 December 1991)
cabinet: Cabinet; responsible to parliament

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
Senate: consists of a 31-member body appointed by the president
House of Representatives: elections last held 16 December 1991 (next to be held by December 1996); results - PNM 32%, UNC 13%, NAR 2%; seats - (36 total) PNM 21, UNC 13, NAR 2

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: People's National Movement (PNM), Patrick MANNING; United National Congress (UNC), Basdeo PANDAY; National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), Selby WILSON; Movement for Social Transformation (MOTION), David ABDULLAH; National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), Makandal DAAGA; Republic Party, Nello MITCHELL; National Development Party (NDP), Carson CHARLES
Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Corinne Averille McKNIGHT
chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: (202) 467-6490
FAX: (202) 785-3130
consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sally G. COWAL
embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain
mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain
telephone: (809) 622-6372 through 6376, 6176
FAX: (809) 628-5462

Flag: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side

NOTE: The information regarding Trinidad and Tobago on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Trinidad and Tobago Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Trinidad and Tobago Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.