Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is an island country in North America with its capital in Port-of-Spain and about 1.4 million people. Steelpan was invented in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1930s and 1940s, when players turned metal containers into tuned instruments, and it is the heart of the islands’ Carnival.

Trinidad and Tobago in purple, with Port-of-Spain marked. Outline from the same detailed coastlines the games use.

Capital: Port-of-Spain
Continent: North America
Population (2025): 1.4 million
Land area: 5,128 km² (1,980 sq mi)
Island country: Yes, all on islands

Find it among 23 North America countries →Explore Trinidad and Tobago on the map Name difficult islands

The story of Trinidad and Tobago

Where the name comes from

Trinidad is Spanish for the Christian “Trinity”, named by Columbus in 1498; Tobago is often linked to tobacco, but its origin is uncertain.

First people

Indigenous societies lived on the islands for thousands of years.¹

Known for

Steelpan was invented in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1930s and 1940s, when players turned metal containers into tuned instruments, and it is the heart of the islands’ Carnival.^2,3

Outside contact

Spain settled Trinidad in 1592, and Britain captured it in 1797; Tobago passed between Dutch, Courlander, British and French hands from 1628 until Britain kept it in 1814.⁴