Demographics of Trinidad and Tobago

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Trinidad and Tobago, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Population

The total population of Trinidad and Tobago was 1,328,018 according to the 2011 census, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census.
According to the total population was estimated at in, compared to only 646,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 20.7%, 71% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 8.3% was 65 years or older.

	Total population	Proportion aged 0–14	Proportion aged 15–64	Proportion aged 65+
1950	646	39.9	56.1	4.0
1955	740	42.2	54.2	3.7
1960	848	42.8	53.7	3.5
1965	912	43.4	53.2	3.4
1970	946	41.4	54.3	4.2
1975	1 011	37.6	57.5	4.8
1980	1 085	34.0	60.6	5.5
1985	1 171	34.3	60.2	5.6
1990	1 222	33.6	60.7	5.8
1995	1 255	30.8	63.2	6.1
2000	1 268	25.6	67.9	6.5
2005	1 297	21.8	70.9	7.2
2010	1 328	20.7	71.0	8.3

Structure of the population

Structure of the population :

Age Group	Male	Female	Total	%
Total	666 305	661 714	1 328 019	100
0-4	47 847	46 274	94 121	7,09
5-9	46 379	44 952	91 330	6,88
10-14	44 953	43 010	87 963	6,62
15-19	49 709	48 670	98 378	7,41
20-24	57 407	56 833	114 240	8,60
25-29	62 268	61 250	123 517	9,30
30-34	53 897	51 683	105 580	7,95
35-39	46 862	45 677	92 538	6,97
40-44	43 491	42 672	86 163	6,49
45-49	48 685	47 429	96 113	7,24
50-54	43 981	43 203	87 184	6,56
55-59	36 719	36 496	73 215	5,51
60-64	29 645	29 002	58 647	4,42
65-69	21 582	23 055	44 639	3,36
70-74	14 209	16 079	30 289	2,28
75-79	9 286	11 463	20 750	1,56
80+	9 384	13 966	23 351	1,76

Due to decreasing fertility, the proportion of children below the age of 15 is decreasing, while the proportion of elderly is increasing. The median age has increased from 21.6 in 1980, 24.1 in 1990, 28.1 in 2000 to 32.6 in 2011.
The estimated mid-year population of 2014 is 1,344,000. As of January 2019, the estimated population is 1,383,368.

Emigration

Emigration from Trinidad and Tobago, as with other Caribbean nations, has historically been high; most emigrants go to the United States, Canada, and Britain. Emigration has continued, albeit at a lower rate, even as the birth-rate sharply dropped to levels typical of industrialised countries. Largely because of this phenomenon, as of 2011, Trinidad and Tobago has been experiencing a low population growth rate. More recently, there has been some return migration, chiefly from the United States after the recession of 2008, which caused a population jump in the last census in 2011.

Vital statistics

	Average population	Live births	Deaths	Natural change	Crude birth rate	Crude death rate	Natural change	TFR
1934	428,000	12,743	7,970	4,773	29.8	18.6	11.2	-
1935	435,000	14,352	7,618	6,734	33.0	17.5	15.5	-
1936	442,000	14,625	7,230	7,395	33.1	16.4	16.7	-
1937	450,000	14,226	7,848	6,378	31.6	17.4	14.2	-
1938	458,000	15,119	7,283	7,836	33.0	15.9	17.1	-
1939	466,000	14,525	7,491	7,034	31.2	16.1	15.1	-
1940	476,000	16,535	7,499	9,036	34.7	15.8	19.0	-
1941	492,000	16,494	7,906	8,588	33.5	16.1	17.5	-
1942	510,000	17,729	9,028	8,701	34.8	17.7	17.1	-
1943	525,000	20,210	8,699	11,511	38.5	16.6	21.9	-
1944	536,000	20,944	8,055	12,889	39.1	15.0	24.0	-
1945	547,000	21,616	7,959	13,657	39.5	14.6	25.0	-
1946	561,000	21,767	7,734	14,033	38.8	13.8	25.0	-
1947	578,000	22,342	7,828	14,514	38.7	13.5	25.1	-
1948	600,000	23,940	7,293	16,647	39.9	12.2	27.7	-
1949	616,000	22,931	7,487	15,444	37.2	12.2	25.1	-
1950	646,000	23,722	7,665	16,057	37.5	12.1	25.4	-
1951	659,000	23,804	7,815	15,989	36.7	12.0	24.6	-
1952	676,000	22,923	8,000	14,923	34.6	12.1	22.5	-
1953	695,000	25,565	7,262	18,303	37.7	10.7	27.0	-
1954	717,000	29,253	6,807	22,446	41.9	9.8	32.2	-
1955	740,000	30,216	7,462	22,754	41.9	10.3	31.6	-
1956	763,000	27,447	7,136	20,311	36.9	9.6	27.3	-
1957	786,000	28,848	7,283	21,565	37.7	9.5	28.2	-
1958	809,000	29,667	7,288	22,379	37.6	9.2	28.4	-
1959	829,000	30,592	7,476	23,116	37.4	9.2	28.3	-
1960	848,000	32,858	6,608	26,250	39.1	7.9	31.2	-
1961	865,000	32,880	6,891	25,989	37.9	7.9	30.0	-
1962	880,000	34,107	6,465	27,642	37.9	7.2	30.7	-
1963	893,000	32,898	6,668	26,230	35.6	7.2	28.4	-
1964	903,000	32,955	6,675	26,280	34.7	7.0	27.6	-
1965	912,000	31,953	6,731	25,222	32.8	6.9	25.9	-
1966	920,000	30,079	7,060	23,019	30.2	7.1	23.1	-
1967	926,000	28,462	6,775	21,687	28.2	6.7	21.5	-
1968	931,000	28,107	7,116	20,991	27.5	7.0	20.6	-
1969	938,000	25,130	7,068	18,062	24.4	6.9	17.6	-
1970	946,000	25,151	6,956	18,120	24.4	6.8	17.6	-
1971	956,000	26,116	7,044	18,473	24.6	6.8	17.9	-
1972	969,000	28,049	6,955	20,099	26.3	7.0	19.2	-
1973	983,000	26,231	7,517	18,714	24.8	7.1	17.7	-
1974	997,000	26,138	6,716	19,422	24.5	6.3	18.2	-
1975	1,011,000	25,673	6,899	18,774	25.4	6.8	18.6	-
1976	1,026,000	27,149	7,388	19,761	26.5	7.2	19.3	-
1977	1,040,000	27,895	7,311	20,584	26.8	7.0	19.8	-
1978	1,054,000	28,295	6,824	21,471	27.0	6.5	20.5	-
1979	1,069,000	29,698	7,060	22,638	27.9	6.6	21.3	-
1980	1,085,000	29,869	7,506	22,363	27.6	6.9	20.7	-
1981	1,103,000	32,177	7,355	24,822	29.4	6.7	22.7	-
1982	1,121,000	32,537	7,641	24,896	29.2	6.8	22.3	-
1983	1,139,000	33,208	7,546	25,662	29.2	6.6	22.5	-
1984	1,156,000	31,599	7,819	23,780	27.0	6.7	20.3	-
1985	1,171,000	33,719	8,026	25,693	28.8	6.9	21.9	-
1986	1,184,000	31,886	7,699	24,187	26.9	6.5	20.4	-
1987	1,195,000	29,167	8,054	21,113	24.4	6.7	17.7	-
1988	1,205,000	26,983	8,036	18,947	22.4	6.7	15.7	-
1989	1,214,000	25,072	8,213	16,859	20.7	6.8	13.9	-
1990	1,222,000	23,960	8,196	15,764	19.6	6.7	12.9	2.45
1991	1,230,000	22,368	8,192	14,176	18.2	6.7	11.5	2.34
1992	1,237,000	23,064	8,533	14,531	18.6	6.9	11.7	2.23
1993	1,244,000	21,094	8,807	12,287	17.0	7.1	9.9	2.13
1994	1,250,000	19,682	9,265	10,417	15.7	7.4	8.3	2.04
1995	1,255,000	19,258	9,042	10,216	15.3	7.2	8.1	1.96
1996	1,258,000	17,992	9,376	8,616	14.3	7.5	6.8	1.90
1997	1,261,000	18,452	9,157	9,295	14.6	7.3	7.4	1.84
1998	1,263,000	17,898	9,365	8,533	14.2	7.4	6.8	1.80
1999	1,265,000	18,321	10,014	8,307	14.5	7.9	6.6	1.77
2000	1,268,000	18,160	9,478	8,682	14.3	7.5	6.8	1.75
2001	1,272,000	18,078	9,753	8,325	14.2	7.7	6.5	1.74
2002	1,278,000	16,990	9,797	7,193	13.3	7.7	5.6	1.74
2003	1,284,000	17,989	10,206	7,783	14.0	7.9	6.1	1.75
2004	1,290,000	17,235	9,872	7,363	13.4	7.7	5.7	1.76
2005	1,294,000	17,264	9,885	7,379	13.3	7.6	5.7	1.77
2006	1,297,000	18,090	9,668	8,422	13.9	7.5	6.4	1.78
2007	1,303,000	18,889	9,654	9,235	14.5	7.4	7.1	1.79
2008	1,308,000	19,888	10,463	9,425	15.2	8.0	7.2	1.80
2009	1,310,000	17,499	9,693	7,806	13.4	7.4	6.0	1.80
2010	1,317,000	19,092	10,477	8,615	14.5	8.0	6.5	1.81
2011	1,328,000	18,141	10,007	8,134	13.7	7.5	6.2	1.80
2012	1,335,000	19,801	9,627	10,174	14.8	7.2	7.6	1.80
2013	1,340,000	18,741	10,376	8,365	14.0	7.7	6.3	1.79
2014	1,345,000	18,431	10,642	7,789	13.7	7.9	5.8	1.78
2015	1,350,000	18,896	11,580	7,316	14.0	8.6	5.4	1.77
2016	1,354,000	18,373	11,145	7,228	13.6	8.2	5.4	1.75
2017	1,356,000	17,393	11,655	5,738	12.8	8.6	4.2	1.74
2018	1,359,000	17,218	11,658	5,560	12.7	8.6	4.1	1.73
2019	1,364,000	16,058	11,266	4,792	11.8	8.2	3.6

Life expectancy at birth

Source: UN World Population Prospects

Ethnic groups

Indo-Trinidadian

make up the country's largest ethnic group. They are primarily descendants from indentured workers from South Asia, or the then British India, brought to replace emancipated Africans who refused to continue working under the violent, exploitative conditions on the sugar plantations. The Indian community is divided roughly half-and-half between those who maintained their original religions, and those who have converted to Christianity or have no religious affiliation. Through cultural preservation groups, Trinidadians of Indian descent maintain many of their customs, traditions, and language.

African-Trinidadian and Tobagonians

make up the country's second largest ethnic group. Although enslaved Africans were first imported in 1517, they constituted only 11 percent of the population in 1783.
The majority of the enslaved Africans were brought in the last few years of Trinidad's Spanish Colonial era, and the beginning of the British colonial period. The Cedula of Population transformed a small colony of 1,000 in 1773 to 18,627 by 1797. In the census of 1777 there were only 2,763 people recorded as living on the island, including some 2,000 Arawaks. In 1807, the UK Parliament passed the Slave Trade Act 1807 that abolished the trading of enslaved persons, and the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 abolished the practice of slavery itself.

European Trinidadians

The European Trinidadian population is primarily descended from early settlers and immigrants. The recent census counted 7,832 people of European descent. These numbers do not include people who have at least some European ancestry or self-identify as African or Indian.
The French arrived mostly during the Spanish period to take advantage of free agricultural lands. Some Portuguese arrived in mid nineteenth century and more came at the turn of the century. The Europeans who remained in Trinidad live in areas in and around Port of Spain. Furthermore, British rule led to an influx of settlers from the United Kingdom and the British colonies of the Eastern Caribbean and descendants of English indentured workers brought in as overseers following the end of the Second World War.
The Portuguese came to Tobago and Trinidad as early as the 17th century, including groups of Portuguese Jews, Catholics and Protestants. For over 140 years, from 1834 up to 1975, the ancestors of the modern Portuguese community in Trinidad and Tobago hailed mostly from the archipelago of Madeira, starting from 1846, with the earliest registers being from the Azores in 1834.
The Portuguese came directly from Madeira, and also via Guyana, St Vincent, Antigua and St Kitts.
Important communities settled in Port of Spain, Arima, Arouca, Chaguanas, San Fernando and Scarborough.
In 2011, the Madeiran Portuguese Community of Trinidad and Tobago celebrated their 165th Anniversary of arrival of the first Madeirans in Trinidad back in 1846.
Recalling the presence of the Portuguese in the nation today are over 100 Portuguese surname, some of which have become street nomenclature. As an independent nation, the country has recognised several members of the Portuguese community, through official awards.
In Tobago, many white residents are retirees who have recently arrived there.

Mixed ethnicity

Given the large number of ethnic identities in Trinidad and Tobago, many citizens have a mixed ethnic heritage due to influences from French, West African, Creole, Chinese, Indians, Scots, Irish, Welsh, German, Swiss, Portuguese, English, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Arab, Jewish, and Russian ancestors. Additionally, there are also nationals of Hispanic Spaniard, Mestizo, Mulatto, and Pardo ancestry, mainly from Venezuela and Colombia, along with a small number from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Common ethnic mixtures include people of European and African descent, mulatto-creoles, and Indian and African descent. This mixed population is estimated at around 22.8%; however, it is much higher when considering the various degrees of African, Indian, European, and indigenous Amerindian ancestry of the total population. A person might self identify as African based on physical appearance, for instance, but he or she might be genetically more similar to a person of Indian descent.

Chinese-Trinidadians and Tobagonians

There are groups of Chinese who, like the Indians, are descended from indentured labourers. They account for about 4,003 people and live mostly in Port-of-Spain and San Fernando.

In Trinidad there were, about twenty years ago , 4,000 or 5,000 Chinese, but they have decreased to probably about 2,000 or 3,000, . They used to work in sugar plantations, but are now principally shopkeepers,as well as general merchants, miners and railway builders,etc.

Arab-Trinidadians and Tobagonians

There are also about 1,062 Arabs, originating from Syria and Lebanon who live mostly in Port-of-Spain. The Syrian and Lebanese communities of Trinidad are predominantly Christian, migrating from the Middle East in the 19th century from the Ottoman Empire later landing in the Caribbean and Latin America. Other Lebanese and Syrians came in the early to middle 20th century to escape the war and turmoil in the region.

Indigenous (Caribs)

Finally there are the mixed raced Caribs who are descended from the native, precolonial people of the islands. They are organized around the Santa Rosa Carib Community and live mostly in and around Arima.

Religion

In 2011, according to census, Roman Catholicism was again the largest religious denomination with 285,671 followers, having declined from a membership of 289,711 in 2000. Other religious denominations that experienced decreases in their membership in 2011 were Hinduism, Anglican, Presbyterian/Congregational and Methodist. The number of persons claiming affiliation to Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel more than doubled from 76,327 in 2000 to 159,033 in 2011. The number of Muslims slightly increased but as proportion of the total population there was a decrease from 5.8% in 2000 to 5.0% in 2011. The category ‘None’ witnessed a small increase from 1.9% to 2.2%, while those who did not state a religion increased significantly, from 1.4% to 11.1%. 1.2% of the population are adherents of Baha'i. The African religions and specifically Orisha have become institutions in Trinidad and Tobago's society.They serve not only the obvious religious needs but also as a source of inspiration for personal identity. Many people, motivated by the need to re-claim their African heritage can now openly support these religions because they see in them a source of understanding and a coming to terms with their enslavement and the colonial past.

Language

English and Creoles

English is the country's official language, but the main spoken language is either of two English-based creole languages, which reflects the Amerindian, European, African, and Asian heritage of the nation. Both creoles contain elements from a variety of African languages; Trinidadian English Creole, however, is also influenced by French and French Creole. Spanish is estimated to be spoken by around 5% of the population and has been promoted by recent governments as a "first foreign language" since March 2005 due to its proximity to Venezuela.

Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu)

A majority of the early Indian immigrants spoke the Bhojpuri and Awadhi dialect of Hindustani, which later formed into Trinidadian Hindustani, which became the lingua franca of Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians. In 1935, Indian movies began showing to audiences in Trinidad. Most of the Indian movies were in the Standard Hindustani dialect and this modified Trinidadian Hindustani slightly by adding Standard Hindi and Urdu phrases and vocabulary to Trinidadian Hindustani. Indian movies also revitalized Hindustani among Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians. Around the mid to late 1970s the lingua franca of Indo-Trinidaian and Tobagonians switched from Trinidadian Hindustani to a sort of Hindinized version of English. Today Hindustani survives on through Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian musical forms such as, Bhajan, Indian classical music, Indian folk music, Filmi, Pichakaree, Chutney, Chutney soca, and Chutney parang. Presently there are about 15,633 Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians who speak Trinidadian Hindustani and there are 10,000 who speak Standard Hindi. Many Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians today speak a type of Hinglish that consist of Trinidadian and Tobagonian English that is heavily laced with Trinidadian Hindustani vocabulary and phrases and many Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians can recite phrases or prayers in Hindustani today. There are many places in Trinidad and Tobago that have names of Hindustani origin. Some phrases and vocabulary have even made its way into the mainstream English and English Creole dialect of the country. World Hindi Day is celebrated each year with events organized by the National Council of Indian Culture, Hindi Nidhi Foundation, Indian High Commission, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, and the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha.

Tamil

The Tamil language is spoken by some of the older Tamil Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian population. It is mostly spoken by the few remaining children of indentured Indian laborers from the present-day state of Tamil Nadu in India. Other speakers of the language are recent immigrants from Tamil Nadu.

Chinese

The Chinese language first came to Trinidad and Tobago in 1806, when the British had brought Chinese laborers in order to determine if they were fit to use as laborers after the abolition of slavery. About 2,645 Chinese immigrants arrived in Trinidad as indentured labour between 1853 to 1866. A majority of the people who immigrated in the 19th century were from southern China and spoke the Hakka and Yue dialects of Chinese. In the 20th century after the years of indetureship up to the present-day more Chinese people have immigrated to Trinidad and Tobago for business and they speak the dialects of the indenturees along with other Chinese dialects, such as Mandarin and Min.

Indigenous languages

The indigenous languages were Yao on Trinidad and Karina on Tobago, both Cariban, and Shebaya on Trinidad, which was Arawakan. These languages have been extinct for over a century, but there are attempts to revive the Carib language by the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community.

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