Map of Tonga | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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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 reference: Oceania

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

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
Arable land: 23.61%
Permanent crops: 43.06%
Other: 33.33% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA

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 169 islands (36 inhabited)


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Population: 112,422 (July 2005 est.)
Growth rate: 1.98% (2005 est.)
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: Tongan
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
0-14 years: 36.2% (male 20,738/female 19,907)
15-64 years: 59.7% (male 33,226/female 33,853)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,031/female 2,667) (2005 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 20.46 years
Male: 19.93 years
Female: 21.02 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.98% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 25.18 births/1000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 5.35 deaths/1000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2005 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female (2005 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 12.62 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 13.97 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 11.2 deaths/1000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 69.53 years
Male: 67.05 years
Female: 72.14 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

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: 98.9%
Male: 98.8%
Female: 99% (1996 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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: 3 island groups; Ha'apai Tongatapu Vava'u

Dependent areas

Independence: 4 June 1970 (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)
Head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since 3 January 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister James C. COCKER (since NA January 2001)
Cabinet: cabinet consists of 16 members, 12 appointed by the monarch for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly including 2 each from the Nobles and Peoples representatives serving three year terms
Note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the Cabinet, and two governors
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008)
Election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties

International organization participation: ACP AsDB C FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO IMF IMO Interpol IOC ITU OPCW PIF Sparteca UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Fekitamoeloa 'UTOIKAMANU
In the us chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10,022
In the us telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025
In the us fax: [1] (917) 369-1024
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 symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Tonga a small open South Pacific island economy has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. 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. Tourism is the second largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector especially the encouragement of investment and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High unemployment among the young a continuing upturn in inflation and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $244 million (2002 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 1.5% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2002 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 23%
Industry: 13%
Services: 64% (2002 est.)

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

Industries: tourism fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 8.6% (FY98/99)

Labor force: 33,910 (1996)
By occupation: agriculture 65% (1997 est.)