Tonga

Kingdom of Tonga

hereditary constitutional monarchyIndependence 4 June 1970 (from UK)

Tonga as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 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.

CapitalNuku alofa
Area748 km2
LocationOceania, 2,250 km north-northwest of New Zealand, about two-thirds of the
1993

Every edition of Tonga

Populationas each edition published it
103,949 people July 1993 est. · 101,313 in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.8% 1993 est. · -0.37% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 19.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
67.79 years 1993 est. · 78 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.68 children per woman 1993 est. · 3.9 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
21.38 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 24 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$900 $7,100 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
0.4% 2.1% in 2025

Geography

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

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Land useshare of 748 km2

arable land 25%permanent crops 55%meadows and pastures 6%forest and woodland 12%other 2%
Area
748km2
land area: 718 km2comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
419km
land boundaries: 0 kmcontinental shelf: not specifiedexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

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

Map references

Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World

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

Natural resources

fish, fertile soil

Environment

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

People

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Population
103,949
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 0.8% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
25.16Death
6.75Net migration
-10.4

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years67.79
65.5 · 70.24
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy57%
60% · 60%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1976)

Infant mortality rate

21.38 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.68 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Tongan(s)
adjective:
Tongan

Ethnic divisions

Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Religions

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

Languages

Tongan, English

Labor force

NA; by occupation: agriculture 70%, mining (600 engaged in mining)

Government

Hereditary constitutional monarchy

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Names

conventional long form:
Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form:
Tonga
former:
Friendly Islands

Type

hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital

Nuku alofa

Administrative divisions

three island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Independence

4 June 1970 (from UK)

Constitution

4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

National holiday

Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Reform Movement, 'Akilisi POHIVA; Christian Democratic Party, leader NA

Suffrage

all literate, tax-paying males and all literate females over 21

Elections

Legislative Assembly:
  • last held 14-15 February 1990 (next to be held 3-4 February 1993);
  • results - percent of vote NA;
  • seats - (29 total, 9 elected) 6 proreform, 3 traditionalist

Executive branch

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State:
King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991); Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991)

Member of

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in US

Ambassador Sione KITE, resides in London

US diplomatic representation

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 40% to GDP. Coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are | the main crops and make up two-thirds of exports.

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Real growth rate
0.4%
(FY92 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 1.7% (FY90); accounts for 11% of GDP
External debt
$47.5million
(FY91)

Budget

Revenues
$36.4 millionExpenditures
$68.1 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $33.2 million (FY91 est.)

Overview

The economy's base is agriculture, which employs about 70% of the labor force and contributes 40% 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 11% of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard currency earnings, but the island remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to offset its trade deficit.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $92 million (FY90)

Exports

$18.8 million (f.o.b., FY92 est.)

commodities:
coconut oil, desiccated coconut, copra, bananas, taro, vanilla beans, fruits, vegetables, fish
partners:
Japan 34%, US 17%, Australia 13%, NZ 13% (FY91)

Imports

$68.3 million (c.i.f., FY92 est.)

commodities:
food products, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, fuels, chemicals
partners:
NZ 33%, Australia 22%, US 8%, Japan 8% (FY91)

Electricity

6,000 kW capacity; 8 million kWh produced, 80 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

tourism, fishing

Agriculture

  • accounts for 40% of GDP;
  • dominated by coconut, copra, and banana production;
  • vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $16 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $258 million

Currency

1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti

Exchange rates

pa'anga (T$) per US$1 - 1.3996 (January 1993), 1.3471 (1992), 1.2961 (1991), 1.2809 (1990), 1.2637 (1989), 1.2799 (1988)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June

Communications

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Merchant marine, 3 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 1roll-on/roll-off cargo 1liquefied gas 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,765 GRT/10,597 DWT

Highways

  • 198 km sealed road (Tongatapu);
  • 74 km (Vava'u);
  • 94 km unsealed roads usable only in dry weather

Ports

Nukualofa, Neiafu, Pangai

Airports

total:
6
usable:
6
with permanent-surface runways:
1
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
1

Telecommunications

  • 3,529 telephones;
  • 66,000 radios;
  • no TV sets;
  • broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV;
  • 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Tonga Defense Force, Tonga Maritime Division, Royal Tongan Marines, Royal | Tongan Guard, Police

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Branches

Tonga Defense Force, Tonga Maritime Division, Royal Tongan Marines, Royal Tongan Guard, Police

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

Central Intelligence Agency. “Tonga.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tonga/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →