Geographical Perspective
Tobago lies at the southern most end of the Caribbean archipelago, approximately twenty-three miles north east of her sister isle Trinidad. The area of Tobago is 300 sq. km. (120 sq. miles). Tobago shares maritime boundaries with neighbouring Barbados, which lies to the north-east and the South American mainland, Guyana to the south-east.
Tobago’s breathtaking topography is a geological wonderland of undulating fold mountains and rolling plains, white, gray and variegated beach sands, fascinating coral reefs, deep limestone caves, rich fertile loams and mysterious mangroves.
Historical Perspective
Like most of our Caribbean neighbours, Tobago was the home of several Amerindian tribes including the Ciboneys, Arawaks, and Caribs. In 1498, on his third voyage, Christopher Columbus sighted the island and claimed it for Spain. Tobago remained in the hands of the Amerindians until the year 1652, when the first European settlers arrived and established sugar, cocoa and coconut plantations on the island. Faced with shortages in the labour force, the Europeans brought in African slaves. East Indians came to Trinidad under the Indentureship system to work the sugar plantations and a small percentage settled in Tobago. The Cedula of population of 1783 brought an influx of Portuguese, Chinese and Syrian-Lebanese settlers and others immigrated from several other Caribbean islands, primarily Barbados, Grenada and Trinidad.
As a prized colony, Tobago changed hands often in the European contest for supremacy in the late eighteenth and early ninteenth centuries. It was formally ceded to Britain by the treaty of Paris in 1814. Initially, the island formed part of the administration of the colonies of Grenada, the Grenadines, Dominica, St. Vincent and Tobago, and was later annexed to Trinidad on January 1st 1899. |
Demographics
Although the population of 55,000 is comprised mainly of people of African descent, its history of early settlement has left it with a very diverse population. While Islam and Hinduism are practised, Christianity remains the dominant religion on the island.
English is the official language of Tobago, but most Tobagonians speak the unique Tobagonian English dialect. This vernacular syncretises elements from a variety of African and European languages.
Economy
Tobago’s economy is heavily dependent on Tourism. Essentially the Tourism Industry is the largest employer on the island, absorbing approximately 60% of the workforce. There is abundance of local private entrepreneurial activity in the Tourism Sector including large and luxurious hotels run by international conglomerates, small hotel holdings, Guest Houses, Inns, other private properties, including automobile, boat and cycle rentals. The air, sea and ground transportation services also absorb a significant number of the workforce as do the support services, especially importers of food products and local agricultural holdings.
Festivals
Tobagonians honour their African and European ancestry by participating in the yearly held Tobago Heritage Festival. Other annual festivals include the Blue Food Festival, the Muhtadi Drum Festival, the Culinary Festival, the Jazz Festival and Carnival where they enjoy the pulsating rhythm of the indigenous Calypso, Chutney and Soca music. Tobagonians also take part in village harvest celebrations throughout the calendar year and engage in goat and crab racing festivities at Easter time.
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