Trinidad Tobago is diversified, based to a large extent on oil, natural gas, industry and agriculture. It is one of the leading gas-based export centres in the world, being the leading exporter of ammonia and methanol and among the top five exporters of liquefied natural gas. This has allowed Trinidad to capitalise on the biggest mineral reserves within its territories. It is an oil-rich country and stable economically. The Venezuela Tertiary Basin is a subsidence basin formed between the Caribbean and South American plates, and is bounded on the north by the coast ranges of Venezuela and the Northern Range of
Geology of Trinidad and Tobago Geology of Trinidad and Tobago The geology of Trinidad includes two different islands with different rock forms. The oldest rocks in Trinidad are low-grade metamorphosed phyllite, limestone and quartzite from the late Jurassic. Cretaceous quartzite, phyllite, shale and limestone outcrops around the Toco district. The east of the island is the only area with volcanic rocks exposed at the surface, including basalt, ash and breccia. Phyllite shale spans the north coast. Laventille Formation limestone is associated with these rocks and contains a gypsum layer. Flysch, dark shale and quartzite deposited during the Cretaceous, followed by Naparina Hill Formation argillite. During