Customs and culture of Trinidad and Tobago
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, abbreviated as Trinidad and Tobago, abbreviated as "Tedo", is located at 11°18'00.00"N, 60°32'00.00"W, located in the southern part of the Central American Caribbean Sea, immediately off the coast of Venezuela. Consisting of two major large islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and 21 other smaller islands, it has a tropical rainforest climate. The total area of the country is 5128 square kilometers, including 4828 square kilometers in Trinidad and 300 square kilometers in Tobago. Most of the country's population is concentrated on Trinidad.
Port of Spain, the seaport city on the west bank of Trinidad, is the capital of the Republic. It is currently the most preferred city on the candidate list for the headquarters of the permanent representative office of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), and occupies an important position in the economic circle of Central and North America. English is the official language of the country, but the most commonly spoken among the people is a mixed language based on English. It is also the largest economy in the English-speaking Caribbean.
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is divided into 8 counties, 5 cities and 1 semi-autonomous administrative region (Tobago Island). The eight counties are St Andrew, St David, St George, Karoni, Nariva, Mayaro, Victoria and St Patrick. The five cities are Port of Spain, San Fernando, Arima, Cape Fortin and Chaguanas. Tobago is a semi-autonomous administrative region.
As of June 2013, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has a total population of 1.2275 million, mainly Indians, blacks and mestizo people. In addition, there are also European descent, Arab descent and Chinese. There are also about 2000 Arawak and Caribbean Indians in northern Trinidad. Among them, 56.7% of the residents live in the two major cities of Port of Spain and San Fernando. People speak English generally, and some speak Hindi and Urdu. Residents in northern Trinidad speak a French local language. Mainly Christian Protestantism and Hinduism.
The vast majority of residents in Tobago are black, usually oil workers and civil servants, and are mostly Protestant Christians. The birth rate of people of Indian descent is high, and their proportion is still growing. They are mostly engaged in sugarcane and rice production, accounting for the majority of the agricultural population. Most of them believe in Hinduism and basically still retain their original language, religion, customs and even caste system, which has a significant impact on island society. Since the customs and habits of Trinidad and Tobago mainly stem from religious beliefs, attention must be paid to respecting living habits based on Catholic and Hindu teachings.
The locals are polite and courteous, and will hold each other's hands and say hello when meeting. They love music very much, and the impromptu singing of "Calipso" minor with the theme of political current affairs is popular. The steel drum that emerged after the Second World War is also the most national musical instrument of Trinidad and Tobago people.
In different historical periods, Spain, France and the United Kingdom all occupied Trinidad. These colonists used American Indians, the island's original residents, as labor and enslaved labor from Africa, India and China. Later, people from the Middle East and Portugal also came here, and American social customs and culture also had a profound impact on Trinidad. The fusion of different cultures and food traditions in these areas has given rise to Trinidad's food and cultural customs.
African slaves also came to Trinidad with their mellow stews and delicious dishes. Over the course of generations, these dishes were developed into Trinidadian delicacies such as pelau, macaroni pie and callaloo (a thick soup made with crab meat, vegetables, and various seasonings). Any meat or beans can be stewed to create a Trinida-style dish, but chicken and red beans are the most delicious.
Special attention should be paid to the fact that the public security situation in Trinidad and Tobago has deteriorated in recent years. Cases such as murder, kidnapping, and robbery have occurred frequently. Cases of foreigners being robbed and killed also occur from time to time. Therefore, you must pay attention to personal safety when you go to Trinidad and Tobago.