flag Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago: Trade Profile

Foreign Trade in Figures

Trinidad and Tobago enjoys a high level of free trade, with a trade-to-GDP ratio of 99% in 2016 (Last available data, World Bank). The country's main exports include petroleum gas (33.7%), acyclic alcohols (14.6%), crude petroleum (12%), ammonia (10.6%), and iron reductions (5.7%). Trinidad and Tobago has an undiversified economy and depends heavily on imports, which are led by refined petroleum (15.7%), excavation machinery (5.75%), shipping containers (4.8%), iron ore (4.25%), and cars (4.12%). According to IMF Foreign Trade Forecasts, the volume of exports of goods and services increased by an estimated 22.4% in 2021 and is expected to increase by 16% in 2022, while the volume of imports of goods and services decreased by an estimated 10.4% in 2021 and is expected to increase by 2.5% in 2022.

Trinidad and Tobago's main trade partners include the United States, Guyana, China, Spain, the Netherlands, Brazil, and Peru. The island, a member of the WTO since 1995, has few non-tariff barriers but relatively high customs duties. The country's national policy intends to make Trinidad and Tobago a manufacturing and financial hub in the Caribbean and the Americas.

The island has a positive trade balance. According to last available figures from the WTO, in 2020, Trinidad and Tobago exported USD 5.2 billion worth of goods, while it imported USD 4.6 billion, resulting on a trade balance of USD 545 million. As for services, exports totalled USD 481 million, whereas imports stood at USD 1.3 billion.

 
Foreign Trade Indicators 20172018201920202021
Imports of Goods (million USD) 6,9107,7106,3274,6715,763
Exports of Goods (million USD) 9,15310,5307,1925,2168,619
Imports of Services (million USD) 3,1522,4891,8551,3962,081
Exports of Services (million USD) 1,088800791481343
Trade Balance (million USD) 3,1934,1382,7329844,712

Source: WTO – World Trade Organisation ; World Bank - Latest available data.

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Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2021
United States 41.6%
Guyana 6.7%
Mexico 4.3%
France 3.7%
Belgium 3.6%
See More Countries 40.2%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2021
United States 34.6%
China 10.5%
Mexico 7.0%
Brazil 5.6%
Canada 4.5%
See More Countries 37.7%

Source: Comtrade, Latest Available Data

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Main Products

8.6 bn USD of products exported in 2021
Ammonia, anhydrous or in aqueous solutionAmmonia, anhydrous or in aqueous solution 19.6%
Acyclic alcohols and their halogenated,...Acyclic alcohols and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives 17.8%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 13.7%
Ferrous products obtained by direct reduction of...Ferrous products obtained by direct reduction of iron ore and other spongy ferrous products, in lumps, pellets or similar forms; iron having a minimum purity by weight of 99,94%, in lumps, pellets or similar forms 9.2%
Mineral or chemical nitrogenous fertilisers (excl....Mineral or chemical nitrogenous fertilisers (excl. those in pellet or similar forms, or in packages with a gross weight of <= 10 kg) 8.7%
See More Products 31.0%
5.8 bn USD of products imported in 2021
Iron ores and concentrates, incl. roasted iron...Iron ores and concentrates, incl. roasted iron pyrites 9.3%
Structures and parts of structures "e.g., bridges...Structures and parts of structures "e.g., bridges and bridge-sections, lock-gates, towers, lattice masts, roofs, roofing frameworks, doors and windows and their frames and thresholds for doors, shutters, balustrades, pillars and columns", of iron or steel; plates, rods, angles, shapes, sections, tubes and the like, prepared for use in structures, of iron or steel (excl. prefabricated buildings of heading 9406) 5.8%
Cruise ships, excursion boats, ferry-boats, cargo...Cruise ships, excursion boats, ferry-boats, cargo ships, barges and similar vessels for the transport of persons or goods 3.3%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 2.5%
Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed...Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses "incl. those in the form of transdermal administration" or in forms or packings for retail sale (excl. goods of heading 3002, 3005 or 3006) 2.4%
See More Products 76.8%

Source: Comtrade, Latest Available Data

 

To go further, check out our service Import controls and Export controls

To go further, check out our service Import Export Flows

 
 

Main Services

1.1 bn USD of services exported in 2017
42.32%
31.48%
16.47%
6.90%
1.26%
1.01%
0.27%
0.17%
0.06%
0.05%
3.2 bn USD of services imported in 2017
55.29%
18.95%
11.11%
5.50%
3.06%
1.72%
1.66%
1.24%
1.01%
0.45%
0.01%

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, Latest Available Data

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List of tariffs and local taxes that apply to your product on our service Customs duties

 

Trade Compliance

International Conventions
Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
International Economic Cooperation
Member of CARICOM - Caribbean Community

 

Member of FTAA - Free Trade Area of the Americas

Useful Resources
National Organisation of Intellectual Property
The Intellectual Property Office.
 
 
 

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Latest Update: April 2023