Long-form name: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Type: parliamentary democracy

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)

Constitution: 31 August 1976

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

National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Branches: bicameral legislature (36-member elected House of Representatives and 31-member appointed Senate); executive is Cabinet led by the prime minister; judiciary is headed by the chief justice and includes a Court of Appeal, High Court, and lower courts

Leaders: Arthur Napoleon Raymond ROBINSON, Prime Minister (since December 1986); Noor HASSANALI, President (since February 1987)

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Elections: elections to be held at intervals of not more than five years; last election held 15 December 1986

Political parties and leaders: National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), A. N. R. Robinson; People's National Movement (PNM), Patrick Manning

Voting strength: (1986 election) 62% of registered voters cast ballots; House of Representatives--NAR 33 seats, PNM 3 seats

Communists: People's Popular Movement (PPM), Michael Als; February 18 Movement (F/18), James Millette

Other political pressure groups: National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), radical antigovernment black-identity organization; Trinidad and Tobago Peace Council, leftist organization affiliated with the World Peace Council; Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce; Trinidad and Tobago Labor Congress, moderate labor federation; Council of Progressive Trade Unions, radical labor federation; Committee for Labor Solidarity, militant Marxist umbrella group

Member of: CARICOM, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, International Coffee Agreement, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador J. R. P. DUMAS; Chancery at 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 467-6490; Trinidad and Tobago has a Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador Charles A. GARGANO; Embassy at 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain (mailing address is P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain); telephone �809� 622-6372 or 6376, 6176

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 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Trinidad and Tobago Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Trinidad and Tobago Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.