l branch: Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court
of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by
the president on the advice of the prime minister and the leader of the
opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of
the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Court
of Appeals the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London

Political parties and leaders: National Alliance for Reconstruction
or NAR [Hochoy CHARLES]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [leader NA];
People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Team Unity or TUN
[Ramesh MAHARAJ]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Jamaat-al Musilmeen [Yasin BAKR]

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mackisack LOGIE chancery: 1708 Massachusetts
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Roy AUSTIN embassy: 15 Queen's Park West,
P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain telephone:
Flag description: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the
upper hoist side

Economy Trinidad and Tobago

Economy - overview: Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation
as an excellent investment site for international businesses. A
leading performer in the past 4 years has been the booming natural gas
sector. Tourism is a growing sector, although not proportionately as
important as in many other Caribbean islands. The expected recovery of
the global economy, along with anticipated higher oil prices, are plus
factors for 2002. Negative factors are persistent high unemployment and
the political uncertainties following the contentious selection of a
new government in December 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $10.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.6% industry: 43.2% services:
55.2% (2000