Tonga

hereditary constitutional monarchyIndependence 4 June 1970 (from UK

Tonga as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 69 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalNukualofa

Area748 km2

Populationas each edition published it

101,313 people July 1990 · 104,519 in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.8% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 67.79 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.9 children per woman 1990 · 2.59 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

24 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 11.5 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $900 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.4% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Land useshare of 748 km2

arable land 25%permanent crops 55%meadows and pastures 6%forest and woodland 12%other 2%

Total area

748km2

land area: 718 km2Comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

419km

land boundaries: noneTerritorial 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

Environment

archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited);
subject to cyclones (October to April);
deforestation

Note

located about 2,250 km north-northwest of New Zealand, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and New Zealand

People

14 fields

Population

101,313

(July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

27Death

Religion

Christian; Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents

Literacy

90-95%; compulsory education for children ages 6 to 14

Labor force

NA;
70% agriculture;
600 engaged in mining

Government

Hereditary constitutional monarchy

17 fields

Administrative divisions

three island groups; Haapai, Tongatapu, Vavau

Independence

4 June 1970 (from UK; formerly Friendly Islands)

Executive branch

monarch, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet), Privy Council

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State--King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Prince Fatafehi TU'IPELEHAKE (since 16 December 1965)

Suffrage

all literate, tax-paying males and all literate females over 21 Legislative Assembly--last held 14-15 February 1990 (next to be held NA February 1993);
results--percent of vote NA;
seats--(29 total, 9 elected) 6 proreform, 3 traditionalist

Member of

ACP, ADB, Commonwealth, FAO, ESCAP, GATT (de facto), IFAD, ITU, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Siosaia a'Ulupekotofa TUITA resides in London;
US--the US has no offices in Tonga;
the Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga and makes periodic visits

Flag

red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy

The economy's base is agriculture, which employs about 70% of the labor force and contributes 50% to GDP. Coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops and make up two-thirds of exports.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$86million

per capita $850; real growth rate 3.6% (FY89 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

8.2%

(FY87)

External debt

$31.8million

(1987)

Budget

Revenues

$54.8 millionExpenditures

$56.2 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $16.9 million (FY88 est.)

The economy's base is agriculture, which employs about 70% of the labor force and contributes 50% to GDP. Coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops and make up two-thirds of exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The manufacturing sector accounts for only 10% of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard currency earnings, but the island remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to sustain its trade deficit.

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$9.1 million (f.o.b., FY88 est.);
commodities--coconut oil, desiccated coconut, copra, bananas, taro, vanilla beans, fruits, vegetables, fish;
partners--NZ 54%, Australia 30%, US 8%, Fiji 5% (FY87)

Imports

$60.1 million (c.i.f., FY88 est.);
commodities--food products, beverages and tobacco, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, building materials;
partners--NZ 39%, Australia 25%, Japan 9%, US 6%, EC 5% (FY87)