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

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Background: Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of 'The Friendly Islands' were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga 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

Area
Rank: 190
Land: 717 km²
Water: 30 km²
Comparative: four times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 419 km

Maritime claims
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 highest point: unnamed elevation on Kao Island 1033 m

Natural resources: fish fertile soil

Land use
Permanent crops: 14.67%
Other: 64% (2011)

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
Volcanism: moderate volcanic activity; Fonualei (elev. 180 m) has shown frequent activity in recent years while Niuafo'ou (elev. 260 m) which last erupted in 1985 has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua

Geography
Note: archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)


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Population: 106,322 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 192
Growth rate: 0.14% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 184
Below poverty line: 24% (FY03/04)

Nationality
Adjective: Tongan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian Europeans

Languages: Tongan (official) English (official)

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 19.2% (male 10,432/female 9,935)
25-54 years: 33% (male 17,549/female 17,562)
55-64 years: 5.4% (male 2,779/female 2,994)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 3,034/female 3,565) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 65.4 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 10.3 %
Potential support ratio: 9.7 (2013)

Median age
Male: 21.3 years
Female: 22.2 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.14% (2013 est.)
Rank: 184

Birth rate: 24.12 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 65

Death rate: 4.87 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 192

Net migration rate: -17.87 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 218

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

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 signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 127
Male: 13.2 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 12.34 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 90
Male: 74.16 years
Female: 77.09 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.46 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 48

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.56 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density: 2.6 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

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

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 57.6% (2008)
Rank: 5

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 3.9% of GDP (2004)
Rank: 116

Literacy
Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99.1% (2006 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 14 years
Female: 14 years (2007)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: Tonga
Local long form: Pule'anga Tonga
Local short form: Tonga
Former: Friendly Islands

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 21 08 S 175 12 W
Time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 5 island divisions; 'Eua Ha'apai Ongo Niua Tongatapu Vava'u

Dependent areas

Independence: 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

National holiday: National Day 4 November (1875)

Constitution: adopted 4 November 1875; amended many times last in 2013 (2013)

Legal system: English common law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister Lord Siale'ataonga TU'IVAKANO (since 22 December 2010)
Cabinet: Cabinet is nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members of parliament and appointed by the monarch
Election results: Lord Siale'ataonga TU'IVAKANO elected by parliament on 21 December 2010 with 14 of 26 votes

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (26 seats - 9 for nobles elected from among the country's 29 nobles 17 members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 25 November 2010 (next to be held in 2014)
Election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - independents 67.3% Democratic Party 28.5% other 4.2%; seats - Democratic Party 12 independents 5

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: judge appointments and tenures made by the King in Privy Council judge appointments subject to consent of the Legislative Assembly
Subordinate courts: Supreme Court; Magistrate's Courts; Land Courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP ADB AOSIS C FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC ITU ITUC (NGOs) OPCW PIF Sparteca SPC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 800 Second Avenue Suite 400B New York NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] (800) 345-6,541
In the us consulate general: San Francisco
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the US ambassador to Fiji currently Ambassador Frankie A. REED is accredited to Tonga

Flag description: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner; the cross reflects the deep-rooted Christianity in Tonga; red represents the blood of Christ and his sacrifice; white signifies purity

National symbols: red cross on white field; arms equal length

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Uelingatoni Ngu TUPOUMALOHI/Karl Gustavus SCHMITT

National heritage


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Economy overview: Tonga has a small open South Pacific island economy. It has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash vanilla beans and yams are the main crops. Agricultural exports including fish make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food mainly from New Zealand. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. Tonga had 39,000 visitors in 2006. 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 moderate inflation pressures for democratic reform and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 208

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 167

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 130

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 17.4%
Investment in fixed capital: 29.8%
Investment in inventories: -0.9%
Exports of goods and services: 18.3%
Imports of goods and services: -61.9%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 23.3%
Services: 56% (2012 est.)

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

Industries: tourism construction fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (2012 est.)
Rank: 131

Labor force: 39,960 (2007)
Rank: 196
By occupation industry: 30.6%
By occupation services: 2003% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate: 13% (FY03/04 est.)
Rank: 133

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 24% (FY03/04)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Expenditures: $116.3 million (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit: 0% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 49

Taxes and other revenues: 25% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 127

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6.3% (2011 est.)
Rank: 21

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 11.21% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 72

Stock of narrow money: $66.56 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 185

Stock of broad money: $177.3 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 187

Stock of domestic credit: $132.1 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 176

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: $-36.4 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 67

Exports: $8 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 212
Commodities: squash fish vanilla beans root crops
Partners: South Korea 18.5% US 17% NZ 15.6% Fiji 10.2% Japan 9.5% Samoa 8.6% American Samoa 5.4% Australia 5.1% (2012)

Imports: $131 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 209
Commodities: foodstuffs machinery and transport equipment fuels chemicals
Partners: Fiji 35.7% NZ 24.4% US 10.5% China 10.2% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $143.3 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 163

Debt external: $190.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 187

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $61.47 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 105

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 41 million kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 207
Consumption: 38.13 million kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 207
Exports: 0 kWh (2012)
Exports rank: 136
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 140
Installed generating capacity: 12,000 kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 202
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 37
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 186
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 203
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 128

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 136
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 190
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 127
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2010 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 192

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 133
Products consumption: 1221 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 196
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 133
Products imports: 1202 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 191

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 197
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 198
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 190
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 135
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 es)
Proven reserves rank: 197

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 154,600 Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 198

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 30,000 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 175
Mobile cellular: 56,000 (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 201

Telephone system
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about 80 telephones per 100 persons; fully automatic switched network
International: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2011)

Broadcast media: 2 state-owned TV stations and 2 privately owned TV stations; satellite and cable TV services are available; 2 state-owned and 3 privately owned radio stations; Radio Australia broadcasts available via satellite (2009)

Internet
Country code: .to
Hosts: 5,367 (2012)
Hosts rank: 144
Users: 8,400 (2009)
Users rank: 203

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.9% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 135

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary enlistment (with parental consent); no conscription; the king retains the right to call up 'all those capable of bearing arms' in wartime (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 6 (2013)
Rank: 175
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways: 1 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Rank: 189
Paved: 184 km
Unpaved: 496 km (2011)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Rank: 122
By type: cargo 4 carrier 1 passenger/cargo 2
Foreign owned: 2 (Australia 1 UK 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Nuku'alofa Neiafu Pangai


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs