Statistical information Tonga 1999

Tonga in the World
Tonga - Introduction 1999
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: 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 reference:
OceaniaAreaTotal: 748 km²
Land: 718 km²
Water: 30 km²
Comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 419 km
Maritime claimsContinental 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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m
Natural resources: fish, fertile soil
Land useArable land: 24%
Permanent crops: 43%
Permanent pastures: 6%
Forests and woodland: 11%
Other: 16% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: cyclones (October to April; earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
GeographyNote: archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)
top of pagePopulation: 109,082 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 0.8% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
NationalityNoun: Tongan(s)
Adjective: Tongan
Ethnic groups: Polynesian, Europeans about 300
Languages: Tongan, English
Religions: Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.8% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 25.92 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.19 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 37.93 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 69.78 years
Male: 67.73 years
Female: 72.22 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.56 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: 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 educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional 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 areasIndependence: 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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)
Head 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 monarch
Note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch and the Cabinet
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch
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 March 1999)
Election results: percent of vote_NA; seats_7 proreform, 2 traditionalist
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the monarch; Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court sits as the Court of Appeal
Political parties and leadersInternational 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 representationIn the us Tonga does not have an embassy in the US; Ambassador Akosita FINEANGANOFO resides in London; address: Embassy of the Kingdom of Tonga, c/o Tonga High Commission, 36 Molyneux Street, London W1H 6AB, telephone [44] (171) 724-5,828, FAX [44] (171) 723-9,074
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 description
: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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 remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: -1.5% (FY97/98 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $2,100 (FY97/98 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 32%
Industry: 10%
Services: 58% (1996)
Agriculture products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish
Industries: tourism, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (FY95/96)
Labor force: 36,665 (1994)
By occupation: agriculture 65% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 11.8% (FY93/94)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $49 million
Expenditures: $120 million, including capital expenditures of $75 million (FY96/97 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 July_30 June
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $11.9 million (f.o.b., FY97/98)
Commodities: squash, fish, vanilla, root crops, coconut oil
Partners: Japan 43%, US 19%, Canada 14%, NZ 5%, Australia 5% (1996 est.)
Imports: $78.9 million (f.o.b., FY97/98)
Commodities: 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 goldDebt external: $62 million (1998)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: pa'anga (T$) per US$1: 1.6171 (December 1998), 1.4921 (1998), 1.2635 (1997), 1.2323 (1996), 1.2709 (1995), 1.3202 (1994)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 30 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 30 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaTonga - Communication 1999
top of pageTelephones: 6,000 (1994 est.)
Telephone systemDomestic: NA
International: satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $NA
Percent of gdp: NA%
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsTonga - Transportation 1999
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 6 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (1998 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 (1998 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailways: 0 km
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marineTotal: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,754 GRT/25,969 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)
Ports and terminalsTonga - Transnational issues 1999
top of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs