Emergency Declared in Trinidad and Tobago | 11 Jan 2025

Source: IE 

Trinidad and Tobago has declared a state of emergency following a surge in gang violence in the country, which has led to raising the annual death toll to the highest since 2013. 

  • Trinidad and Tobago has a population of 1.5 million and records one of the highest murder rates.  
  • Previous states of emergency were declared in 2014 for gang violence and in 2021 for Covid-19 restrictions. 

Engagements with India: 

  • Trinidad and Tobago became the first Caribbean country to adopt India’s UPI platform. 
  • Both countries granted each other Most Favored Nation (MFN) status in1997.  
  • Bilateral trade reached a record USD 368.96 million in FY 2023-24.  
  • The Indian Diaspora constitutes about 42% of the total population of the country. 

About Trinidad and Tobago: 

  • Capital: Port of Spain. 
  • Location: Island nation in the southeastern West Indies, near Venezuela and Guyana. 
  • Independence: Gaining independence from the UK on 31st August 1962, and becoming a republic in 1976, the nation is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). 
  • Geographical Features:  
    • Highest Point: Mount Aripo. 
    • Major Rivers: Ortoire and Caroni. 
    • Natural Resource: Pitch Lake, the world’s largest asphalt reservoir. 
    • Mountain Range: Northern Range, part of the Andes extension. 

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