Tunapuna–Piarco

Tunapuna–Piarco is one of the 9 regions of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the most populous region in the country by total population and the fifth-largest by total land area. Geographically located in Northern Trinidad, Tunapuna–Piarco shares its borders with the regions of San Juan–Laventille to the west, Couva–Tabaquite–Talparo to the south, the Borough of Chaguanas to the south-west, Sangre Grande to the east and the Caribbean Sea to the north. The region also completely surrounds the Royal Chartered Borough of Arima, which is located in the south-eastern corner of the region.

Tunapuna–Piarco
TPRC
Region
Region of Tunapuna–Piarco
Coat of arms of Tunapuna–Piarco
Coat of arms
Motto: 
Serving the Burgesses of our Region.
Location of Tunapuna–Piarco in Trinidad
Location of Tunapuna–Piarco in Trinidad
Tunapuna–Piarco is located in Trinidad and Tobago
Tunapuna–Piarco
Tunapuna–Piarco
Coordinates: 10.6333°N 61.3833°W / 10.6333; -61.3833
Country Trinidad and Tobago
Former CountiesSaint George
Caroni
Former RegionsTunapuna
Piarco
CoastlineCaribbean Sea
Founded17 July 1992[1]
CapitalTunapuna
Area
 • Total527.23 km2 (203.56 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total212,825
 • Density400/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−4 (Atlantic Standard Time)
Area code(s)+1 (868) 827, 640, 643, 826, 663, 662, 645, 669, 828, 646, 642, 696
ISO 3166-2TT-TUP
WebsiteOfficial website

Tunapuna–Piarco is one of the most geographically diverse regions in Trinidad and Tobago. It features the country's two highest mountain peaks, El Cerro del Aripo at 3,084 feet and El Tucuche standing at a soaring 3,070 feet, which both tower the north of the region and the Northern Coast of Trinidad forming a part of the Northern Range.

Geography
Aerial view over the Northern Range looking west.
The Northern Range meeting the Caribbean Sea in the north.

Tunapuna–Piarco is the fifth largest region in Trinidad and Tobago accounting for an area of 527.23 square kilometres (200 sq mi). The region has approximately 30 km (19 miles) of rugged coastline with the Caribbean Sea to the north.

The Northern Range which covers 25% of the land area of Trinidad stretches the entire Northern Coast of Trinidad from the regions of Diego Martin and San Juan–Laventille in the west and through Tunapuna–Piarco to Sangre Grande in the east, is located to the north of the region and is the largest mountain range in the country. It is home to the nation's two tallest mountain peaks, El Cerro del Aripo and El Tucuche which both exceeds 3,070 feet and is considered to be a continuation of the Andes Mountain Range on the mainland South American continent which is only 6.8 miles away from Trinidad.

Biodiversity

The densely forested peaks of the north are home to over 100 species of mammals and 430 species of birds as well as the Red Howler Monkeys, Capuchin Monkeys, Neotropical River Otters, Collared Peckaries, Ocelots and Red Brocket Deers to name a few.

The nation's largest cave system, the Aripo Caves which are inhabited by oil birds as well as the country's highest waterfall, Maracas Waterfall at 300 feet high are also located in the region.

The terrain consist mainly of sedimentary rocks-schists and limestones as well as volcanic rocks in the east.

Climate

Tunapuna–Piarco is mainly tropical for the most, but changes to being mildly temperate in the highest elevations to the north in the mountains where the elevation is about 2,500 feet at a moderately high elevation outside of the astronomical tropical zone where it is considered temperate land.

Cloud Forest and heavy fog covers the mountains to the north while the rest of the region experiences cloudy skies and heavy rainfall with moderately cool daytime temperatures during the rainy season and dry spells and abundant sunshine in the dry season. The region as well as the rest of the country does not fully observe winter, spring and autumn but experiences similar characteristics of the seasonal changes.

Demographics

Population

The population of the Tunapuna–Piarco region was reported to be 212,825 by the Trinidad and Tobago Central Statistical Office on January 9, 2011.

Ancestry
Tunapuna–Piarco racial breakdown
Racial composition2011[2]
Black (Afro-Trinidadian/Tobagonian)31.6%
South Asian (Indo-Trinidadian)27.4%
Multiracial19.31%
Dougla (South Asian and Black)6.6%
European (White Trinidadian)0.31%
East Asian (Chinese)0.21%
Native American (Amerindian)0.8%
Arab (Syrian/Lebanese)0.3%
Other0.16%
Not stated14.30%

Urban Centers and Towns
 
 
Largest cities or towns in Tunapuna–Piarco
Rank Historic County Pop.
Tunapuna
Tunapuna		 1TunapunaSaint George16,626 Arouca
Arouca
2La HorquettaSaint George13,594
3AroucaSaint George10,869
4Maloney GardensSaint George10,768
5TrincitySaint George10,075
6CurepeSaint George8,681
7Saint JosephSaint George8,001
8Pinto RoadSaint George6,802
9D’AbadieSaint George5,827
10Bon Air DevelopmentSaint George5,743

Areas

Other areas within the Tunapuna–Piarco Region include

Government

Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago has its head office at Piarco International Airport, Piarco.[3]

Businesses in Tunapuna–Piarco Regional Corporation area

Caribbean Airlines had its headquarters in Iere House, Piarco.[4] Prior to the establishment of Caribbean Airlines, BWIA West Indies Airways was headquartered at Piarco International Airport in Piarco.[5]

  • CLICO
  • Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards

References
  1. "Act No.8 of 1992". DIGITAL LEGISLATIVE LIBRARY. Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  2. Central Statistical Office. "NON-INSTITUTIONAL POPULATION BY SEX, AGE GROUP, ETHNIC GROUP AND MUNICIPALITY" (PDF).
  3. "Contact Us Archived 2010-08-20 at the Wayback Machine." Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago. Retrieved on 12 January 2011. "Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago Airports Administration Centre Piarco International Airport South Terminal Golden Grove Road, Piarco."
  4. "Contact Us > Caribbean Archived 2010-01-03 at the Wayback Machine." Caribbean Airlines. Retrieved on 13 September 2012. "Iere House Golden Grove Road Piarco Trinidad, West Indies"
  5. "World Airline Directory." Flight International. March 23, 1999. 66. Retrieved on September 30, 2009.
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