Tobago

Earliest records show that Tobago- which Columbus never saw-was stumbled upon by some Englishmen who promptly claimed it for their King. The island was inhabited by Belicose Carib Indians who it is said first brought war to the West Indies.

Tobago: The cigar-shaped island which the Amerindians named after the leaf they loved to smoke lies 21 miles north east of Trinidad. Tobago is approximately 21 miles long and 7 miles wide, surrounded by coral reefs. The low-lying coral line south-west gradually rises to a central ridge of volcanic hills, reaching 1,890 ft at its highest point. The tranquil white and beaches, secluded bays and inlets of the leeward or Caribbean coast, and the rocky shoreline of the windward Atlantic coast, give way to dense rainforest covering the highlands, with river valleys and falls running south .

Climate: The climate is pleasantly tropical, with an average daytime temperature of 83deg.F/29deg.C;nights are cooler but never chilly; Thanks to the trade winds. Tobago tends to be cooler and drier than Trinidad, particularly in the south-west. The dry season lasts from January to May, with the wet season following in June through December.

History: Originally inhabited by Amerindians, Tobago became a much-swamped pawn on the the European colonial chessboard. Courtlanders from the present-day Latvia who settled in the 17th century were followed by successive waves of French and English invasions (some say31) until the ceded to Britain by the treaty of Paris. Tobago became a British Crown Colony and following the collapse of the sugar industry, was joined with Trinidad as a political unit in 1889.

People: The majority of the 50,000 strong population are descendants of African slaves transported to work sugar, cotton and indigo plantations from the late 17th century onwards. In recent years , and expatriates drawn to the laid-back lifestyle have added a new dimension.

Culture: Culturally, Tobago's roots are strictly Afro-Caribbean. African folklore and beliefs still flourish in the shade of massive silk cotton trees in the hillside hamlets, and the tambrin drum of folk music plays to African beats.

Money: The T&T dollar floats against the US dollar with the rate of exchange approximately TT$6.3 to US$1.Most hotels, car firms and business will accept payment in US currency or by major credit cards. Cash can be accessed from automatic bank machines (ABMs) around the island. Banking hours are Mondays-Thursdays,8am-2pm:Friday 8am-noon and 3pm -5pm.

Time zone: Although time moves at its own pace in Tobago, the official time is 4hours behind Greenwich Time,1hour ahead of US Eastern standard Time.

Government: Tobago is part of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, sending two members out of 36 elected every five years to the House of Representatives in the republic's capital, Port of Spain. Local affairs are dealt with by the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), which is elected every four years and which sits in the Tobago capital of Scarborough.

Language: The official language is English, but you'll mostly hear Tobago dialect, which sounds different from Trinidadian English. some of the colourful Tobagonian dialect goes into proverbs, parables as we call them.

Telephone: 868-645-3025

e-mail:tacaribe@tstt.net.tt