Trinidad and Tobago
Introduction
Trinidad and Tobago is a lovely tropical Caribbean twin island nation of 5,131 square kilometers (1,981 square miles) just 11 kilometers from Venezuela. Arawak and Carib people inhabited these islands when Christopher Columbus landed there in 1498. African and Indian slaves and indentured servants arrived in these British colonies, which became independent in 1962. A Commonwealth-type parliamentary government was retained with elections held every five years.
In 2005, the estimated population was 1,088,600 with 37.6% African-descent, 40% East Indian-descent, and 21% mixed. In terms of religion, 26% were Roman Catholic, 22.5% were Hindu, 8% were Anglican, 6% were Muslim, 3.3% did not state their religion and the rest were divided mainly into other branches of Protestantism.
Trinidad's major trading partner was the United States (petroleum, sugar) in 1986. The nation was moving from a primarily rural orientation toward an urban one, and from an agricultural society toward a technological society. Most agricultural work was still performed with hand labor, however. Primary school education was available to all children, but limited facilities and teachers did not permit all children to go on to secondary school. Part of the University of the West Indies was located in Trinidad. In the 1970s educational and health facilities and services were expanded with funds from the oil boom.
Mennonites in Trinidad and Tobago
Mennonite Church (MC) broadcasting and medical work, beginning in 1969, led to the formation of the Mennonite Church of Trinidad and Tobago.
2020 Update
In 2020 the following Anabaptist denomination was active in Trinidad and Tobago:
| Denomination | Churches in 2000 |
Membership in 2000 |
Churches in 2006 |
Membership in 2006 |
Churches in 2012 |
Membership in 2012 |
Churches in 2020 |
Membership in 2020 |
| Mennonite Church of Trinidad and Tobago |
3 | 155 | 4 | 138 | 5 | 280 | 4 | 250 |
Bibliography
Mennonite World Conference. "Mennonite and Brethren in Christ Churches Worldwide, 2009: Latin America & The Caribbean." 2010. Web. 28 October 2010. [broken link].
Mennonite World Conference. "MWC - 2003 Caribbean, Central & South America Mennonite & Brethren in Christ Churches." Web. 3 April 2006. [broken link].
Mennonite World Conference. "Global Map: Trinidad and Tobago." Mennonite World Conference. Web. 10 April 2021. https://mwc-cmm.org/global-map.
Mennonite World Handbook Supplement. Strasbourg, France, and Lombard, IL: Mennonite World Conference, 1984: 103.
| Author(s) | Richard F Keeler |
|---|---|
| Date Published | April 2020 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Keeler, Richard F. "Trinidad and Tobago." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. April 2020. Web. 23 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Trinidad_and_Tobago&oldid=174626.
APA style
Keeler, Richard F. (April 2020). Trinidad and Tobago. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 23 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Trinidad_and_Tobago&oldid=174626.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 892. All rights reserved.
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