As a result of its proximity to the South American continent, Trinidad has a wide variety of plant and animal life. A large part of Trinidad is covered with forests, the majority of which is tropical rainforest. There are also many different kinds of plants found on all parts of the island. Pink and yellow poui trees and orange immortelles grow along the hillsides. More than 700 kinds of orchids grow here as well. Other kinds of trees that grow on the island include palm, almond, banyan, breadfruit, flamboyant, cassia, African tulip, silk cotton, matchwood and teak. There is also an abundance of beautiful flowers that grow in Trinidad, such as amaryllis lilies, hibiscus, bougainvillea, giant anthuriums and heliconias.

Trinidad has more differing varieties of bats than any other place in the world. There are about 100 different kinds of mammals native to the island, and 60 of these are bats. The numbers of different species of animals that have been reported living on the island include 108 mammals, 400 birds, 55 reptiles, 25 amphibians, and 617 butterflies. Some of the animals found there include the agouti, paca, armadillo, opossum, deer, wild dogs, ocelot, and anteater. Amazon parrots, iguanas, manatees, capuchin and howler monkeys also live on the island. Endangered leatherback turtles, green loggerhead turtles and hawksbill turtles all nest on the beaches of Trinidad. Again, as a result of its location, the island is also a stopping point for Northern or Southern migratory birds and butterflies. Also, as the island is located where the cool North Atlantic currents come together with the warmer Caribbean waters and the Orinoco River, the waters along the coasts have many different kinds of marine animals.

Trinidad and Tobago's is a major player in the world of natural gas. Reflecting a period of successful exploration, Trinidad’s proved reserves of natural gas, as assessed by Cédigaz, increased by 32% between end-1996 and end-1999. Marketed production of gas has increased rapidly during the last two years, as exports from the Atlantic LNG plant (inaugurated in 1999) have built up.

The ALNG Train II commenced operations in August with Train III on track for completion in the second quarter of 2003. The ammonia sub-sector saw the commissioning of Caribbean Nitrogen (CNC) plant. Before the dust settled, CNC’s owners–CL Financial–announced plans to build the world’s largest ammonia plant Nitro 2000. By year-end, the local energy giant announced that it had acquired financing for M 5000, the worlds largest methanol plant. 

The petroleum industry of Trinidad is flourishing though several oil fields have been discovered in the first decade of the 20^th century. The remaining recoverable reserves are small in regional terms, at just over 600 million barrels. The oil fields that have been discovered are virtually all in the southern part of the island, or in the corresponding offshore areas (in the Gulf of Paria to the west and off Galeota Point at the south-east tip of the island).

Output of crude oil and condensate has remained on a plateau of about 140 000 b/d for the past few years; production of gas-plant NGL's began in 1991 and averaged about 11 000 b/d in 1999. Approximately one-third of Trinidad's crude output is exported.

The culture of Trinidad is defined by the ethnic and religious diversity of the country. This diversity is strongly attributed to the constant changes that occured during the country's vast and ever-varying history, in which the Europeans brought with them their practicies as well as slaves and indentured workers, from various regions of the world, who in turn brought with them their own beliefs and cultures.

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