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ABOUT TRINIDAD & TOBAGO WHY TRINIDAD & TOBAGO? Soft beaches - waterfalls - world's oldest rainforest preserve and more... ABOUT TRINIDAD & TOBAGO? The country is one of the most prosperous island nations in the Caribbean, primarily due to its offshore petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism is a significant industry here, with most visitors favoring the idylic island of Tobago. PEOPLE / CULTURE: Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other Christian 5.8%, Muslim 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000 census) Trinidad and Tobago (History) Trinidad was visited by COLUMBUS in 1498 and was a Spanish outpost until it was taken by Britain in 1797. Tobago, which had been held by the Dutch and French, became British in 1803, and the islands were joined politically in 1888. After a brief period in the WEST INDIES Federation, they became an independent state in 1962 and a republic with a parliamentary system of government in 1976. Prime Min. Eric Williams and his People's National Movement (PNM) dominated Trinidadian politics from independence until his death in 1981. In 1987 A.N.R. Robinson, leader of the National Alliance for Reconstruction, became prime minister. He survived an attempted coup in 1990, but discontent with his economic austerity program returned the PNM to power in 1991, and Patrick Manning become prime minister.