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.

Census population and average annual growth rate
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1851	82,978	—
1861	99,848	+1.87%
1871	126,692	+2.41%
1881	171,179	+3.06%
1891	218,381	+2.47%
1901	273,899	+2.29%
1911	333,552	+1.99%
1921	365,913	+0.93%
1931	412,783	+1.21%
1946	563,222	+2.09%
1960	834,350	+2.85%
1970	945,210	+1.26%
1980	1,079,791	+1.34%
1990	1,213,733	+1.18%
2000	1,262,366	+0.39%
2011	1,328,019	+0.46%
Source:

Population

The total population of Trinidad and Tobago was 1,328,019 according to the 2011 census, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. According to the 2012 revision of the World Population Prospects the total population was estimated at 1,328,000 in 2010, 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 (x 1000)	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 (09.01.2011) (Census) :

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

Age group	Male	Female	Total	Percent
0-14	139 179	134 236	273 415	20,59
15-64	472 665	462 915	935 580	70,45
65+	54 461	64 563	119 024	8,96

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 (medium fertility scenario of The 2012 Revision of the World Population Prospects).

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 (0.48%).

Vital statistics

	Average population (x 1000)	Live births	Deaths	Natural change	Crude birth rate (per 1000)	Crude death rate (per 1000)	Natural change (per 1000)
1934	428	12 743	7 970	4 773	29.8	18.6	11.2
1935	435	14 352	7 618	6 734	33.0	17.5	15.5
1936	442	14 625	7 230	7 395	33.1	16.4	16.7
1937	450	14 226	7 848	6 378	31.6	17.4	14.2
1938	458	15 119	7 283	7 836	33.0	15.9	17.1
1939	466	14 525	7 491	7 034	31.2	16.1	15.1
1940	476	16 535	7 499	9 036	34.7	15.8	19.0
1941	492	16 494	7 906	8 588	33.5	16.1	17.5
1942	510	17 729	9 028	8 701	34.8	17.7	17.1
1943	525	20 210	8 699	11 511	38.5	16.6	21.9
1944	536	20 944	8 055	12 889	39.1	15.0	24.0
1945	547	21 616	7 959	13 657	39.5	14.6	25.0
1946	561	21 767	7 734	14 033	38.8	13.8	25.0
1947	578	22 342	7 828	14 514	38.7	13.5	25.1
1948	600	23 940	7 293	16 647	39.9	12.2	27.7
1949	616	22 931	7 487	15 444	37.2	12.2	25.1
1950	646	23 722	7 665	16 057	37.5	12.1	25.4
1951	659	23 804	7 815	15 989	36.7	12.0	24.6
1952	676	22 923	8 000	14 923	34.6	12.1	22.5
1953	695	25 565	7 262	18 303	37.7	10.7	27.0
1954	717	29 253	6 807	22 446	41.9	9.8	32.2
1955	740	30 216	7 462	22 754	41.9	10.3	31.6
1956	763	27 447	7 136	20 311	36.9	9.6	27.3
1957	786	28 848	7 283	21 565	37.7	9.5	28.2
1958	809	29 667	7 288	22 379	37.6	9.2	28.4
1959	829	30 592	7 476	23 116	37.4	9.2	28.3
1960	848	32 858	6 608	26 250	39.1	7.9	31.2
1961	865	32 880	6 891	25 989	37.9	7.9	30.0
1962	880	34 107	6 465	27 642	37.9	7.2	30.7
1963	893	32 898	6 668	26 230	35.6	7.2	28.4
1964	903	32 955	6 675	26 280	34.7	7.0	27.6
1965	912	31 953	6 731	25 222	32.8	6.9	25.9
1966	920	30 079	7 060	23 019	30.2	7.1	23.1
1967	926	28 462	6 775	21 687	28.2	6.7	21.5
1968	931	28 107	7 116	20 991	27.5	7.0	20.6
1969	938	25 130	7 068	18 062	24.4	6.9	17.6
1970	946	25 151	6 956	18 120	24.4	6.8	17.6
1971	956	26 116	7 044	18 473	24.6	6.8	17.9
1972	969	28 049	6 955	20 099	26.3	7.0	19.2
1973	983	26 231	7 517	18 714	24.8	7.1	17.7
1974	997	26 138	6 716	19 422	24.5	6.3	18.2
1975	1 011	25 673	6 899	18 774	25.4	6.8	18.6
1976	1 026	27 149	7 388	19 761	26.5	7.2	19.3
1977	1 040	27 895	7 311	20 584	26.8	7.0	19.8
1978	1 054	28 295	6 824	21 471	27.0	6.5	20.5
1979	1 069	29 698	7 060	22 638	27.9	6.6	21.3
1980	1 085	29 869	7 506	22 363	27.6	6.9	20.7
1981	1 103	32 177	7 355	24 822	29.4	6.7	22.7
1982	1 121	32 537	7 641	24 896	29.2	6.8	22.3
1983	1 139	33 208	7 546	25 662	29.2	6.6	22.5
1984	1 156	31 599	7 819	23 780	27.0	6.7	20.3
1985	1 171	33 719	8 026	25 693	28.8	6.9	21.9
1986	1 184	31 886	7 699	24 187	26.9	6.5	20.4
1987	1 195	29 167	8 054	21 113	24.4	6.7	17.7
1988	1 205	26 983	8 036	18 947	22.4	6.7	15.7
1989	1 214	25 072	8 213	16 859	20.7	6.8	13.9
1990	1 222	23 960	8 196	15 764	19.6	6.7	12.9
1991	1 230	22 368	8 192	14 176	18.2	6.7	11.5
1992	1 237	23 064	8 533	14 531	18.6	6.9	11.7
1993	1 244	21 094	8 807	12 287	17.0	7.1	9.9
1994	1 250	19 682	9 265	10 417	15.7	7.4	8.3
1995	1 255	19 258	9 042	10 216	15.3	7.2	8.1
1996	1 258	17 992	9 376	8 616	14.3	7.5	6.8
1997	1 261	18 452	9 157	9 295	14.6	7.3	7.4
1998	1 263	17 898	9 365	8 533	14.2	7.4	6.8
1999	1 265	18 321	10 014	8 307	14.5	7.9	6.6
2000	1 268	18 160	9 478	8 682	14.3	7.5	6.8
2001	1 272	18 078	9 753	8 325	14.2	7.7	6.5
2002	1 278	16 990	9 797	7 193	13.3	7.7	5.6
2003	1 284	17 989	10 206	7 783	14.0	7.9	6.1
2004	1 290	17 235	9 872	7 363	13.4	7.7	5.7
2005	1 297	17 264	9 885	7 379	13.3	7.6	5.7
2006	1 303	18 090	9 668	8 422	13.9	7.4	6.5
2007	1 310	18 889	9 654	9 235	14.4	7.4	7.0
2008	1 316	19 888	10 463	9 425	15.1	7.9	7.2

Ethnic groups

Population of Trinidad and Tobago according to ethnic group

Ethnic group	Census 1946		Census 1960		Census 1980		Census 1990		Census 2000		Census 2011
	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
Indian	195,747	35.1	301,946	36.5	426,660	40.3	453,069	40.3	446,273	40.0	468,524	37.6
African	261,485	46.9	358,588	43.3	434,730	41.1	445,444	39.6	418,268	37.5	452,536	36.3
Mixed	78,775	14.1	134,749	16.3	175,150	16.5	207,558	18.4	228,089	20.5	301,866	24.2
White	15,283	2.7	15,718	1.9	9,850	0.9	7,254	0.6	7,034	0.6	7,832	0.7
Chinese	5,641	1.0	8,361	1.0	5,670	0.5	4,314	0.4	3,800	0.3	4,003	0.3
Amerindian											1,394	0.1
Syrian, Lebanese or Arab	889	0.2	1,590	0.2	1,010	0.1	934	0.1	849	0.1	1,029	0.1
Other			6,714	0.8	2,900	0.3	1,724	0.2	1,972	0.2	2,280	0.2
Unknown	150	0.0	291	0.0	2,350	0.2	4,831	0.4	8,487	0.8	5,472	0.4
Total	557,970		827,957		1,058,320		1,125,128		1,114,772		1,322,546

Indo-Trinidadian

Indo-Trinidadians make up the country's largest ethnic group (approximately 37.6%). They are primarily descendants from indentured workers from India, brought to replace freed African slaves who refused to continue working 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 and rites.

Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonians

Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonian make up the country's second largest ethnic group (approximately 36.3%). Although African slaves were first imported in 1517, they constituted only 11 percent of the population (310) in 1783. The majority of the African slaves 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. During this time there were many African slave owners. In 1807, the UK Parliament passed the Slave Trade Act 1807 that abolished the trading of slaves, and the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 abolished the practice of slavery.

White-Trinidadians

The White-Trinidadian (or Euro Trinidadian) population is primarily descended from early settlers and immigrants. The recent census counted 8,669 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 were brought to replace freed African slaves when they refused to accept low wages. The majority however arrived as religious refugees in mid nineteenth century and more came at the turn of the century for economic reasons. The Europeans who remained in Trinidad live in areas in and around Port of Spain. Furthermore, descendants of English indentured workers brought in as overseers following the end of the Second World War. In Tobago, many Europeans are retirees from Germany the United Kingdom and Scandinavia 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, Liberian, Indian, Scottish people, Irish, German, Swiss, Portuguese, English, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Arab, Lebanese, and Russian ancestors. Additionally, there are also nationals of Hispanic ancestry, mainly from Venezuela along with a small number from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Common ethnic mixtures include people of European and African descent, mulattos, and Indian and African descent (often colloquially known as dougla). 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 Black based on physical appearance, for instance, but he or she might be genetically more similar to a person of Indian descent (dougla).

Sino-Trinidadians and Arab-Trinidadians

There are groups of Chinese who, like the Portuguese and 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 [i.e. about 1886], 4,000 or 5,000 Chinese, but they have decreased to probably about 2,000 or 3,000, [2,200 in 1900]. They used to work in sugar plantations, but are now principally shopkeepers,as well as general merchants, miners and railway builders,etc.

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 while fleeing religious persecution received 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. 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 (21.6% of the total population), having declined from a membership of 289,711 in 2000 (26% of the population). Other religious denominations that experienced decreases in their membership in 2011 were Hinduism (from 22.5% in 2000 to 18.2% in 2011), Anglican (from 7.8% to 5.7%), Presbyterian/Congregational (from 3.3% to 2.5%) and Methodist (from 0.9% to 0.7%). The number of persons claiming affiliation to Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel more than doubled from 76,327 in 2000 (6.8%) to 159,033 in 2011 (12.0%). 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.