Statistical information Tonga 1998Tonga

Map of Tonga | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year:  | More stats

Tonga in the World
Tonga in the World



Tonga - Introduction 1998
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Background: The archipelago of 'The Friendly Islands' was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.


Tonga - Geography 1998
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Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 175 00 W

Map referenceOceania

Area
Total: 748 km²
Land: 718 km²
Water: 30 km²
Comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 419 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)

Terrain: most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Natural resources: fish, fertile soil
Land use

Land use
Arable land: 24%
Permanent crops: 43%
Permanent pastures: 6%
Forests and woodland: 11%
Other: 16% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: cyclones (October to April; earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou

Geography
Note: archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)


Tonga - People 1998
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Population: 108,207 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 0.81% (1998 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Tongan(s)
Adjective: Tongan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Languages: Tongan, English

Religions: Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Demographic profile
Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.81% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 26.43 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 6.07 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.23 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations
International agreements party to: Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 38.57 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 69.54 years
Male: 67.51 years
Female: 71.96 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.63 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
Total population: 98.5%
Male: 98.4%
Female: 98.7% (1996 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


Tonga - Government 1998
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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
Conventional short form: Tonga
Former: Friendly Islands

Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital: Nuku'alofa

Administrative divisions: three island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Dependent areas

Independence: 4 June 1970 (emancipation from UK protectorate)

National holiday: Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Constitution: 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Legal system: based on English law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965): ead of
Government: Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991) and Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the king
Note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the king and the Cabinet
Elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the king

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats_12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms)
Elections: last held 24-25 January 1996 (next to be held NA February 1999)
Election results: percent of vote_NA; seats_7 proreform, 2 traditionalist

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the king; Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court sits as the Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Tonga does not have an embassy in the US; Ambassador Akosita FINEANGANOFO, resides in London
In the us consulates general: San Francisco
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Flag descriptionflag of Tonga: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


Tonga - Economy 1998
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Economy overview: The economy's base is agriculture, which contributes 32% to GDP. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The industrial sector accounts for only 10% of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard currency earnings; the country also remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to offset its trade deficit. The economy grew at a declining rate in 1993-96. The government has been turning its attention to further development of the private sector and the reduction of the budget deficit.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $2,250 (1996 est.)

Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 32%
Industry: 10%
Services: 58% (1996)

Agriculture products: coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Industries: tourism, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (FY95/96)

Labor force
Total: 36,665 (1994)
By occupation: agriculture 65% (1997 est.)
Labor force

Unemployment rate: 11.8% (FY93/94)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $49 million
Expenditures: $120 million, including capital expenditures of $75 million (FY96/97 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July_30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: total value:$15.3 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodoties: squash, fish, vanilla, root crops, coconut oil
Partners: Japan 43%, US 19%, Canada 14%, NZ 5%, Australia 5% (1996 est.)

Imports: total value:$82.9 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodoties: food products, live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, fuels, chemicals
Partners: NZ 34%, Australia 16%, US 10%, UK 8%, Japan 6% (1996 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $70 million (1995)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: pa'anga (T$) per US$1: 1.3112 (November 1997), 1.2323 (1996), 1.2709 (1995), 1.3202 (1994), 1.3841 (1993)


Tonga - Energy 1998
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Electricity
Capacity: 7,000 kW (1995)
Production: 30 million kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 284 kWh (1995)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


Tonga - Communication 1998
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Telephones: 6,000 (1994 est.)

Telephone system
Domestic: NA
International: satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


Tonga - Military 1998
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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $NA
Percent of gdp: NA%

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


Tonga - Transportation 1998
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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 6 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 5
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,278 GRT/16,441 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Ports and terminals


Tonga - Transnational issues 1998
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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs


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