Geography of Trinidad and Tobago
Region | Caribbean |
---|---|
Coordinates | 11°00′N 61°00′W / 11.000°N 61.000°W |
Area | |
• Total | 5,128 km2 (1,980 sq mi) |
Coastline | 362 km (225 mi) |
Highest point | El Cerro del Aripo 940 m |
Physical geography
Trinidad is traversed by three distinct mountain ranges that are a continuation of the Venezuelan coastal cordillera.
There are numerous rivers and streams on the island of Trinidad; the most significant are the Ortoire River, 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) long, which extends eastward into the Atlantic, and the 40-kilometre (24.9 mi)-long Caroni River, reaching westward into the Gulf of Paria.[1] Most of the soils of Trinidad are fertile, with the exception of the sandy and unstable terrain found in the southern part of the island.[1]
Tobago is mountainous and dominated by the
Tobago has several small satellite islands.[1] The largest of these, Little Tobago, is starfish shaped, hilly, and 1.2 km2 (0.46 sq mi).[1]
Because it was once part of continental South America, Trinidad has an assortment of tropical vegetation and wildlife considerably more varied than that of most Caribbean islands.[1] Tobago has a generally similar but less varied assortment.[1]
Geology
The Northern Range consists mainly of Upper Jurassic and
The Southern Lowlands consist of Miocene and
Political geography
Trinidad is split into 14
Climate
The country lies in the tropics, enjoying a generally pleasant maritime tropical climate influenced by the northeast trade winds.[1] In Trinidad the annual mean temperature is 26 °C (78.8 °F), and the average maximum temperature is 34 °C (93.2 °F).[1] The highest temperature ever was 37.8 degrees Celsius. The lowest (coldest felt) temperature recorded in Trinidad was 16.1 °C (61.0 °F) in January 1964.[citation needed] The humidity is high, particularly during the rainy season, when it averages 85 to 87%.[1] The island receives an average of 2,110 millimeters (83.1 in) of rainfall per year, usually concentrated in the months of June through December, when brief, intense showers frequently occur.[1] Precipitation is highest in the Northern Range, which may receive as much as 3,810 millimeters (150 in).[1] During the dry season, drought plagues the island's central interior.[1] Tobago's climate is similar to Trinidad's but slightly cooler.[1] Its rainy season extends from June to December; the annual rainfall is 2,500 millimeters (98.4 in).[1] The islands lie outside the hurricane belt;[1][3] despite this, Hurricane Flora damaged Tobago in 1963. The hurricane killed 18 people on Tobago and caused $30:million in crop and property damages (1963 USD).[4] Tropical Storm Alma hit Trinidad in 1974, causing damage before reaching full strength.[1] Wind gusts reached 91 mph (147 km/h) at the Savonette gas field during the storm.[5]
Climate data for Port of Spain | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 33.2 (91.8) |
33.0 (91.4) |
34.9 (94.8) |
34.9 (94.8) |
35.3 (95.5) |
34.4 (93.9) |
33.5 (92.3) |
34.2 (93.6) |
37.0 (98.6) |
35.5 (95.9) |
33.8 (92.8) |
33.2 (91.8) |
37.0 (98.6) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28.0 (82.4) |
28.9 (84.0) |
30.3 (86.5) |
31.0 (87.8) |
33.1 (91.6) |
31.5 (88.7) |
31.3 (88.3) |
31.7 (89.1) |
32.2 (90.0) |
32.2 (90.0) |
31.5 (88.7) |
31.1 (88.0) |
31.1 (87.9) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 17.0 (62.6) |
19.2 (66.6) |
20.7 (69.3) |
22.0 (71.6) |
23.0 (73.4) |
23.3 (73.9) |
23.0 (73.4) |
23.0 (73.4) |
23.1 (73.6) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.3 (72.1) |
21.0 (69.8) |
21.7 (71.0) |
Record low °C (°F) | 14.6 (58.3) |
16.1 (61.0) |
16.7 (62.1) |
17.2 (63.0) |
18.9 (66.0) |
19.7 (67.5) |
18.3 (64.9) |
18.9 (66.0) |
19.4 (66.9) |
19.4 (66.9) |
17.9 (64.2) |
15.7 (60.3) |
14.6 (58.3) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 42.9 (1.69) |
39.8 (1.57) |
16.9 (0.67) |
27.7 (1.09) |
67.5 (2.66) |
155.6 (6.13) |
193.6 (7.62) |
244.0 (9.61) |
190.5 (7.50) |
143.3 (5.64) |
210.5 (8.29) |
75.7 (2.98) |
1,408 (55.43) |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 11 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 166 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
81 | 80 | 77 | 77 | 79 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 84 | 82 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 241.3 | 231.3 | 248.3 | 237.5 | 233.2 | 183.7 | 205.9 | 212.5 | 197.1 | 207.4 | 197.7 | 214.5 | 2,610.4 |
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization[6] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: NOAA (sun, extremes and humidity)[7] |
Climate data for Scarborough, Tobago
| |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29 (85) |
30 (86) |
31 (87) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
31 (87) |
30 (86) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
30 (86) |
29 (85) |
30 (86) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22 (72) |
22 (72) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
24 (76) |
24 (76) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
23 (74) |
23 (73) |
23 (74) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 48 (1.9) |
48 (1.9) |
43 (1.7) |
46 (1.8) |
64 (2.5) |
150 (5.8) |
190 (7.4) |
160 (6.4) |
170 (6.7) |
220 (8.7) |
210 (8.1) |
160 (6.3) |
1,505 (59.27) |
Source: Weatherbase[8] |
Climate data for San Fernando | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.3 (84.7) |
29.7 (85.5) |
30.3 (86.5) |
31.2 (88.2) |
31.0 (87.8) |
30.2 (86.4) |
30.1 (86.2) |
30.6 (87.1) |
31.1 (88.0) |
30.9 (87.6) |
30.6 (87.1) |
29.8 (85.6) |
30.4 (86.7) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.0 (77.0) |
25.0 (77.0) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26.9 (80.4) |
26.3 (79.3) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.7 (80.1) |
26.6 (79.9) |
26.3 (79.3) |
25.5 (77.9) |
26.1 (79.0) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 20.7 (69.3) |
20.4 (68.7) |
20.9 (69.6) |
21.8 (71.2) |
22.8 (73.0) |
22.5 (72.5) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.3 (72.1) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.0 (71.6) |
21.2 (70.2) |
21.8 (71.3) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 77 (3.0) |
42 (1.7) |
43 (1.7) |
56 (2.2) |
84 (3.3) |
193 (7.6) |
214 (8.4) |
235 (9.3) |
182 (7.2) |
157 (6.2) |
184 (7.2) |
132 (5.2) |
1,599 (63) |
Source: Climate-data.org[9] |
Statistics
Area:
total: 5,128 km2[3]
land: 5,128 km2[3]
water: negligible[3]
Coastline: 362 km[3]
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nmi (44.4 km; 27.6 mi)[3]
continental shelf: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) or to the outer edge of the continental margin[3]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)[3]
territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)[3]
Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains[3]
Extreme points:
Northernmost point: Marble Island, Tobago[citation needed]
Southernmost point: Icacos,
Westernmost point: Icacos,
Easternmost point: Easternmost tip of Little Tobago, Tobago[citation needed]
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m[citation needed]
Highest point: El Cerro del Aripo, Trinidad 940 m[citation needed]
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt[3]
Land use:
arable land:
4.9%
permanent crops:
4.3%
permanent pasture: 1.4%
forest: 44%
other: 45.4% (2018 est.)[3]
Irrigated land: 70 km2 (2012)[3]
Total renewable water resources: 3.84 billion m³ (2017)[3]
See also
- Trinidad and Tobago dry forests
- Biota of Trinidad and Tobago
- List of rivers of Trinidad and Tobago
- List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago
References
- ^ OCLC 49361510. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.)
{{cite encyclopedia}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link - S2CID 131385286.
- ^ World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ C. B. Daniel; R. Maharaj; G. De Souza (2002). "Tropical Cyclones Affecting Trinidad and Tobago, 1725 to 2000" (PDF). Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 23, 2005. Retrieved November 28, 2006.
- ^ Tropical Cyclones Affecting Trinidad and Tobago 1725-2000 (PDF) (Report). Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service via the Internet Wayback Machine. 2002-05-02. Archived from the original on December 23, 2005. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
{{cite report}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "World Weather Information Service–Port of Spain". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "Piarco INTL AP Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on April 15, 2013.
- ^ "San Fernando climate". Climate-data.org. Retrieved February 29, 2020.