Trinidad Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. Though geographically part of the South American continent, from a socio-economic standpoint it is often referred to as the southernmost island in the Caribbean. With an area of , it is also the fifth largest in the West Indies. The original name for the island in the Arawaks' language was "Iëre" which meant "Land of the Hummingbird". Christopher Columbus renamed it "La Isla de la
History of Trinidad and Tobago of Paria via the Serpent's Mouth and the Caribbean Sea via Dragon's Mouth. Trinidad is reported to have been densely populated at the beginning of the colonial period. Although in 1510 Trinidad was said to have the only "peaceful Indians" along the whole South American coast, demand for slaves to supply the pearl-fisheries in nearby Isla Margarita led to them being declared "Caribs" (and thus, fair game for slavers) in 1511. As a consequence of this, Trinidad and Tobago became the focus of Spanish slaving raids, primarily to supply Margarita's pearl fisheries. In 1530 Antonio Sedeño was appointed governor. Granted