one of the West India Islands, belonging to Great Britain, lying off the coast of Venezuela, between N. Lat. 10.5. and 10.50.; W. Long. 61. and 62. It is of an oblong form, with three projecting capes at the N.E., N.W., and S.W.; its length is about 50 miles; its breadth from 30 to 35; and its area is estimated at 2020 square miles. Between the island and the mainland lies the Gulf of Paria, into which fall the northern mouths of the Orinoco. The northern entrance to this gulf, called the Dragon's Mouth, lies west of the N.W. promontory of the island; and the opposite entrance, the Serpent's Mouth, lies between the mainland and the S.W. promontory. The northern, eastern, and southern coasts of Trinidad are steep and lofty, and are indented with few creeks or harbours; but the Gulf of Paria on the west forms one vast harbour, and has several smaller creeks running into the land from it. The coast is here low, and the ground gradually rises towards the interior, presenting a beautiful expanse of green plains, hills, and valleys in all directions. Three chains of hills traverse the island from east to west, thus forming two wide plains. The most rugged and lofty of these is quite close to the northern shore; it is interrupted by many valleys and passes, and reaches in some places the height of 3000 feet. The central chain, about the middle of the island, consists of rounded hills or knolls from 600 to 1000 feet high; and the third chain is nearly of the same height extending along the southern shore and close to it. All these chains may be regarded as continuations of similar ranges in Venezuela, from which the island seems to have been detached by some volcanic or aqueous convulsion. The surface between the ridges of hills is occupied by plains and undulating tracts; and along the west coast lies a low sandy region, partly interrupted by marshes. The northern of the two plains is watered by two principal rivers, both navigable, the Caroni flowing into the Gulf of Paria, and the Oropuche into the Atlantic. Further south the Atlantic receives the waters of the Lebranche, Nariva, and Horteire; while the Gulf of Paria receives the Guaracaro; and several smaller streams flow into the sea on the north and south of the island. The Trinidad. geological structure of Trinidad consists chiefly of clay slate and mica slate. Extensive tracts are occupied with limestone rocks covered with thin layers of soil; and gneiss, quartz, gypsum, and other deposits are found in the island. The most abundant mineral is asphalt, of which there is a remarkable lake near the west coast, occupying an area of 150 acres. Towards the outside the mineral is cold and hard, but further in it rises up from below in a heated and liquid state. The depth of the lake has never been ascertained, nor have its contents been made use of to any profit, except in the making of roads. In the neighbourhood of this lake the sea throws up bitumen; and various other traces of volcanic action are to be seen in the island, among the rest an active volcano, near the S.W. promontory, and several submarine ones around the coasts. Arsenic, alum, sulphate of copper, plumbago, and sulphur, are the chief other minerals in the island. The soil is very various; but in general it is fertile, especially in the plains and valleys. The hills are covered with dense forests and brushwood, which in some places stretch down to the very edge of the water. The climate is more healthy than that of most other parts of the West Indies. Though the heat is great, the temperature ranging usually from 70° to 85°, and sometimes higher, the island is free from excessive droughts; and the winds are frequent and regular. The rainy and dry seasons are well marked, the former beginning in June and continuing till the middle of November, while the latter occupies the remainder of the year. About 60,000 acres are in cultivation in the island, which is but a small proportion of the whole extent. Sugar, coffee, and cocoa are the most important productions; and cotton, tobacco, and indigo are also raised. The timber of the forests is useful for shipbuilding and for ornamental purposes; and in them red cedar and palms are the most remarkable trees. Various spices have been introduced into the island; and vines from France and Spain grow well here. Various wild animals exist in Trinidad; and the shores abound in fish of different kinds. The principal articles exported are cocoa, raw cotton, sugar, molasses, rum, and hides; and the total value of the exports in 1856 was L574,767. The imports for the same year consisted of cotton, linen and woollen cloth, flour, rice, hardware, leather, meat, fish, cattle, horses and mules, butter, silk, coals, and many other articles; and amounted in value to L666,474. The imports and exports were distributed among different countries as follows:

| Imports | Exports | |---------|---------| | United Kingdom | L396,888 | L450,762 | | British Colonies | 122,074 | 27,190 | | United States | 158,038 | 94,191 | | France | 45,938 | 10,550 | | Other countries | 37,138 | 9,434 | | **Total** | **666,474** | **574,767** |

The number and tonnage of the vessels that entered and cleared at the ports of Trinidad, in the same year, to and from different countries was as follows:

| Countries | Entered | Cleared | |-----------|---------|---------| | No. | Tonnage | No. | Tonnage | | United Kingdom | 62 | 20,273 | 71 | 23,774 | | British Colonies | 311 | 17,384 | 317 | 14,584 | | United States | 89 | 15,748 | 44 | 8,951 | | Other countries | 179 | 8,677 | 220 | 18,563 | | **Total** | **641** | **62,082** | **652** | **65,872** |

Of these, 620 vessels, with 59,824 tons, entered, and 627, with 62,091 tons, cleared at Port of Spain; while 21 vessels, with 2258 tons, entered, and 25, with 3781 tons, cleared, at San Fernando. These are the principal places in the island; the former, which is the capital, standing on the north-west coast, and the latter about 20 miles further south. About this region lie most of the settled portions of the island, divided into eight counties. The colony is administered by a governor, an executive council of three, and a legislative council of thirteen members, all appointed by the crown. The public revenue, derived chiefly from the customs, amounted in 1856 to L93,213, and the public expenditure to L80,304. The laws are partly Spanish and partly English, and are administered by a chief-justice and a puisne judge. The Church of England has eleven clergymen, and the Church of Rome, which has a majority of the population, eighteen in the colony, besides whom there are several belonging to other sects. There were in 1856 thirty schools, attended by 2175 pupils. Trinidad was discovered by Columbus in 1498; and first colonised in 1588 by the Spaniards. In 1676 the French possessed it for a short time, but it was speedily restored to Spain; and in 1797 it was captured by the British, who have retained it ever since. Pop. (1851) 68,600, of whom 39,913 were natives of the island; 10,800 British West Indian colonies; 3993 East Indies (coolies); 8010 Africans; and 727 British.