18 Facts About Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean.

The steel pan originated in Trinidad. Steel Pan, Trinidad and Tobago's national instrument, is the only acoustic musical instrument invented in the twentieth century.

Peter Minshall, a world-renowned artist and Carnival Designer, collaborated on the opening ceremonies for the 1987 Pan American Games, the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the 1994 Football World Cup, and the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Carnival! The World's Greatest Show - Yes, there are Carnivals all over the Caribbean, but none as grand, spectacular, and alluring as our own.  The "Greatest Show on the Planet!" Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago is a celebration of history, culture, fashion, and art that results in sensational music, sweet sounds of steel-pan, and vibrant, colourful costumes.

Trinidad and Tobago has the largest Divali celebration in the Western Hemisphere. This Hindu religious festival, known as the "Festival of Lights," is enjoyed by the entire population of Trinidad and Tobago, who participate in prayer, reenactments, and the lighting of deyas (clay lamps) to symbolise the victory of light over darkness and the return of Rama from his exile in the forests of Ayodhya.

Tobago has the World's Largest Brain Coral - A magnificent world can be discovered with just a breath and a dive. Divers in the waters of Tobago can discover the world's largest single brain coral colony measuring 10ft (3M) high and 16ft (5.3M) across among the fish of all sizes and colours, stingrays, turtles, eels, plants, and sponges!

Pitch Lake in La Brea - Pitch Lake, a destination of wonder and mystery, is the world's largest natural deposit of asphalt. It is the world's largest commercial deposit of natural asphalt, one of only three known to exist, and contains approximately 10 million tonnes of asphalt.

Trinidad has the World's Largest Roundabout - The Queen's Park Savannah is the centre stage for Trinidad's Carnival, cultural competitions and shows, sports, local food, and other forms of entertainment, and it is surrounded by many famous attractions such as the Hollows, the Botanic Gardens, and the Magnificent Seven.

First Caribbean Olympic 100-meter champion - Before Usain Bolt (a long time ago), Hasely Crawford of Trinidad and Tobago shocked the world by winning the Olympic 100m gold medal and becoming the first Caribbean national to do so in 1976.

Trinidad and Tobago is the Best Caribbean Nature Vacation Destination - With over 470 bird species, 600 tropical butterflies, including the spectacular Emperor, hundreds of rivers and waterfalls, and an abundance of eco-adventures, it's no surprise Trinidad and Tobago won the 2015 UK Telegraph Caribbean Travel Award for Best Nature Holiday Destination.

The best Caribbean destination to see Leatherback Turtles is Trinidad and Tobago. Over 10,000 giant Leatherback turtles visit our shores each year to nest, prompting Time magazine to name Trinidad and Tobago the best place in the world to see Leatherback Turtle hatchlings in 2015.

The Nylon Pool is a natural, 1 metre-deep crystal clear swimming pool with a sandy bottom in the middle of the sea created by an offshore sandbar and a still lagoon in Tobago. Swim in the deep ocean on one side and the palm-fringed beaches on the other.

T&T is the Caribbean's Happiest Country - The United Nations' Sustainable Development Solutions Network named Trinidad and Tobago the Caribbean's happiest country in 2015 (and 2013).

Trinidad and Tobago invented the limbo dance.

Over 100 Carnival Fetes (parties) take place from early night into the wee hours of the morning during the Carnival season (January to early March).

CNN named the Trinidadian accent one of the sexiest in the world in 2012. In the same year, Gallup ranked Trinis as the fifth most positive person in the world!

Miss Trinidad and Tobago 1977, Janelle Penny Commissiong, was the first black contestant to be crowned Miss Universe in the Miss Universe Competition's chronology. Wendy Fitzwilliam went on to become the second Miss Universe from Trinidad and Tobago in history, and the third woman of African descent to win the title.

Beauty Borrowed - Sintra Arunte-Bronte, the beautiful model in the wet red t-shirt featured in the Jamaica Tourist Board's iconic 1972 promotional poster, is actually a Trinidad and Tobago born national.