Chaguanas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chaguanas
Borough
Borough of Chaguanas
Chaguanas Main Road and Price Plaza
Seal
Chaguanas Location in Trinidad and Tobago Show map of Trinidad and Tobago Chaguanas Location in Caribbean Show map of Caribbean Chaguanas Location in North America Show map of North America
Country	Trinidad and Tobago
Jurisdiction	Borough of Chaguanas
Settled	1797
Borough	13 September 1990
Named for	Chaguanes indigenous tribe
Borough Corporation seats	8 electoral districts
House seats	2/41
Area
• Borough	59 km2 (23 sq mi)
Elevation	48 m (157 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Borough	83,489
• Rank	1st
• Density	1,416/km2 (3,670/sq mi)
• Urban	101,297
Demonym(s)	Chaguanans
Time zone	UTC-4 (AST)
Postal Code	50xxxx, 52xxxx
Area code(s)	(868)
ISO 3166 code	TT-CHA
Telephone Exchanges	665, 671, 672, 693, 829
Website	www.chaguanasborough.com
HDI The HDI for Trinidad and Tobago is 0.814, which gives the country a rank of 19th out of 177 countries with data (2007/2008) – high

Chaguanas is the biggest and fastest-growing town in Trinidad and Tobago. It's located in west-central Trinidad, south of Port of Spain. The town is named after the Chaguanes, an indigenous tribe who first lived there.

Chaguanas grew a lot because it was close to the Woodford Lodge sugar refinery. It was a small town until the 1980s. Then, it started to grow quickly. Many people moved there for affordable homes and good shopping deals. This fast growth has made property prices go up a lot.

In 1990, Chaguanas became a borough, which is a type of local government area. Before that, it was part of Caroni County. The current mayor is Faaiq Mohammed. Chaguanas is also a key place for Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian culture.

History of Chaguanas

Chaguanas got its name from the Chaguanes Amerindian tribe. People were already living in this area when the British took over Trinidad in 1797. The town started on a sugar estate owned by H.E. Robinson. It was next to the Woodford Lodge sugar refinery.

In the early days, many people living there were of Indian descent. They called the town "Chauhan," after an old Indian dynasty. Later, the estate was sold to a company called Caroni (1975) Ltd. Sugar was a very important product for Trinidad and Tobago back then. The building of the Trinidad Government Railway also helped the town grow.

Chaguanas during World War II

During World War II, the Naval Base Trinidad military built the Princess Margaret Highway. This road connected to the Southern Main Road in Chaguanas. The Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway was later extended south to San Fernando.

The Carlsen Air Force Base was a United States Army Air Forces base built in 1942. It had two landing strips, "Edinburgh" and "Xerxes." This base was important for US bombers and airships. It was also used by the Royal Air Force. The base closed in 1950. Today, this area is mostly used for farming. You can still see street names like "Edinburgh" and "Xerxes."

Modern Growth of Chaguanas

In the late 1900s, Chaguanas grew quickly as a market town. In the 1980s, Lange Park was built. This attracted middle-class families from other parts of Trinidad. Its central location made it a good place for people working in different areas.

Over time, more Afro-Trinidadian people moved to Chaguanas. This happened especially with new housing projects like Edinburgh 500. Chaguanas has grown to be the main business and government center for Central Trinidad.

In October 1990, Chaguanas officially became a borough.

Geography and Climate

Chaguanas is a low-lying area. It is located just upstream from the Caroni Swamp. The Caparo River flows through the town. Main roads like the Chaguanas Main Road and the Southern Main Road help people get around. The North-South Highways also start and end near Chaguanas.

Chaguanas Climate

Chaguanas has a tropical climate. It has a wet season from June to November. The dry season lasts from January to May. Unlike Port of Spain, Chaguanas is usually hot and humid all year. It gets a bit cooler during the wet season.

Town Layout

Chaguanas is bordered by Munroe Road to the north. The Gandia River is to the east, and the Honda River to the south. To the west is the Gulf of Paria.

The town is divided by the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway and Uriah Butler Highway.

Chaguanas has several main areas:

• Downtown Chaguanas is the original town center. It is now the main business area.
• Montrose is a business area east of the highway.
• Edinburgh 500 and other housing areas are south of Montrose.
• Edinburgh Village is south of downtown Chaguanas.
• Lange Park is north of Montrose.
• Orchard Gardens is west of the Uriah Butler Highway.
• Charlieville is on both sides of the Uriah Butler Highway.
• Felicity is further north and west of downtown.
• Endeavour is northeast of Orchard Gardens.
• Enterprise is east of Endeavour.
• Longdenville is east of Montrose.
• Cunupia is northeast of Chaguanas.
• Carlsen Field was a US airbase. It is now mostly farmland.
• Woodford Gardens is a newer community established in 2015.

How Chaguanas is Governed

The Chaguanas Borough Corporation (CBC) is the local government for the area. It was created on September 13, 1990. The CBC follows the rules of the Municipal Corporations Act. In 2013, the CBC moved into its new main building.

The Chaguanas Borough Council has eight elected councillors. It also has four aldermen who are chosen. The mayor and deputy mayor are then selected from these members.

Chaguanas is part of several parliamentary areas. These include Chaguanas West, Chaguanas East, Couva North, Caroni Central, and Caroni East.

Economy and Business

Market on Chaguanas Main Road

Chaguanas grew as a market town. It is still known for its bargain shopping. Many shopping plazas have been built along the Chaguanas Main Road. This road continues to develop with many small and medium-sized businesses.

Shopping malls also grew in the 1980s. These included Centre City, Mid Centre, and Ramsaran Plaza. Centre City Mall has been updated. There are plans to make it even bigger.

Shopping mall on De Verteuil Street

More recently, Price Plaza was built in Endeavour. It offers more upscale shopping. Price Plaza has large stores, restaurants, and a food court.

ABEL (Alstons Building Enterprises Limited) is a big company in Longdenville. It makes clay building blocks and metal windows and doors. It is the largest manufacturer of these products in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Chaguanas has also become a financial center. Many banks and financial companies have offices there. These include Unit Trust Corporation (UTC), First Citizens Bank (FCB), Sagicor, Republic Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, Scotiabank, RBTT, and the Bank of Baroda.

The closing of the state-owned sugar company, Caroni (1975) Limited, affected Chaguanas. This company used to employ many people.

People of Chaguanas

Chaguanas has grown from a small village to the largest borough in Trinidad and Tobago. Historically, it was seen as an Indo-Trinidadian town. This was because of its original villages like Felicity and Charlieville. However, as it has grown, it has become more diverse.

Enterprise is a village that was historically Afro-Trinidadian. It has now become part of the growing city. Also, new government housing areas like Edinburgh 500 are largely Afro-Trinidadian.

Population by Race

Population by Religion

Culture and Fun Things to Do

Places to Visit

The Lion House, also known as Anand Bhavan, is in Chaguanas. This is the old home of the Capildeo family. It is also where Nobel Prize-winning author V.S. Naipaul was born. Many believe it inspired "Hanuman House" in his famous book A House for Mr Biswas.

The Caroni Swamp is the biggest mangrove wetland in Trinidad and Tobago. It is just north and west of Chaguanas. This swamp is a popular place for tourists. It is also where the scarlet ibis, Trinidad and Tobago's national bird, comes to rest.

The Divali Nagar site is in northern Chaguanas. It is a major attraction before the Diwali festival. The village of Felicity, on the west side of Chaguanas, is famous for its amazing Diwali celebrations.

Media and Entertainment

The Trinidad Publishing Company prints the Trinidad Guardian newspaper in Chaguanas. This is the country's oldest newspaper publisher.

Chaguanas has many malls like Price Plaza and Centre Pointe Mall. These malls have restaurants and bars. Some areas, like Rodney Road in Endeavour, are also becoming popular entertainment spots.

Infrastructure and Services

Education in Chaguanas

Chaguanas has many important primary and secondary schools. Montrose Vedic and Montrose Government are well-known primary schools.

Presentation College, Chaguanas is a Roman Catholic secondary school. It is known for being one of the best-performing high schools in Trinidad and Tobago. Students from this school have won the President's medal many times.

The University of the West Indies (UWI) is building a new campus in Chaguanas.

Transportation

Chaguanas is a key transportation hub. Buses, taxis, and maxi-taxis connect Chaguanas to Port of Spain, San Fernando, Curepe, and Couva. They also connect to smaller towns in central Trinidad.

Because the town grew so quickly, it often has traffic problems. This is a challenge for the town's future growth.

Sports and Utilities

The main sports venue in Chaguanas is the Central Regional Indoor Sport Arena Hall. Smaller sports grounds are found throughout the borough. Chaguanas also uses sports facilities in nearby towns like Couva.

Powergen handles electricity generation. The Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) distributes electricity. The Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (WASA) manages water and sewage.

All major phone and internet companies serve the town. These include TSTT, Flow, DirectTV, Digicel+, and Greendot.

Famous People from Chaguanas

• Erphaan Alves
• Marlon Asher
• Adrian Barath
• Damion Barry
• Mulchan Seuchan (first mayor of Chaguanas)
• Capildeo family
  • Pundit Capildeo
  • Rudranath Capildeo
  • Simbhoonath Capildeo
• Akeem García
• Asa Guevara
• Kevin Jared Hosein
• Satnarayan Maharaj
• Sparkle McKnight
• Vandana Mohit (mayor and MP)
• Ahkeela Mollon
• Seepersad Naipaul
• V. S. Naipaul
• Shiva Naipaul
• Nigel Paul
• Suruj Ragoonath
• Dinanath Ramnarine
• Ria Ramnarine
• Reyare Thomas
• Scott Sealy
• Patrice Superville

Sister City

• Lauderhill, Florida, United States of America

See also

In Spanish: Chaguanas para niños