An
independent state in the lesser antilles in the
west indies, north of venezuela, comprising the islands of trinidad and tobago. Its capital is port of spain. Both islands were discovered by columbus in 1498. The spanish, english, dutch, and
french figure in their
history over four centuries. Trinidad and tobago
united in 1898 and were made
part of the british
colony of
trinidad and tobago in 1899. The
colony became an
independent state in 1962. Trinidad was so named by columbus
either because he arrived on
trinity sunday or because
three mountain peaks suggested the
holy trinity. Tobago was
given the name by columbus from the haitian tambaku, tube, from the natives'
habit of
smoking tobacco leaves.