Tonga

Kingdom of Tonga

hereditary constitutional monarchyIndependence 4 June 1970 (emancipation from UK protectorate)

Tonga as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 77 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 sq km

LocationOceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about

Populationas each edition published it

105,600 people July 1995 est. · 101,313 in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.78% 1995 est. · 0.8% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

68.16 years 1995 est. · 67.79 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.56 children per woman 1995 est. · 3.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

20.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 24 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,050 1994 est. · $900 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5% 1994 est. · 0.4% in 1993

Geography

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about | two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

14 fields

Land useshare of 748 sq km

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

Area

748sq km

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

Coastline

419km

land boundaries: 0 kmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

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

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
natural hazards:: cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
international agreements:: party to - Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban

Note

archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)

People

15 fields

Population

105,600

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 0.78% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

24.37Death

6.75Net migration

-9.87

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years68.16

65.8 · 70.62

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy100%

100% · 100%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write simple message in Tongan or English (1976)

Age structure

0-14 years:: NA
15-64 years:: NA
65 years and over:: NA

Infant mortality rate

20.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Tongan(s)
adjective:: Tongan

Religions

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

Labor force

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

Government

Hereditary constitutional monarchy; King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965); Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991)

20 fields

Names

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

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

4 June 1970 (emancipation from UK protectorate)

Executive branch

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)
cabinet:: Cabinet; appointed by the king

Legislative branch

unicameral; consists of twelve cabinet ministers sitting ex-officio, nine nobles selected by the country's thirty-three nobles, and nine people's representatives elected by the populace

Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea)

elections last held 3-4 February 1993 (next to be held NA February 1996);
results - percent of vote NA;
seats - (30 total, 9 elected) 6 proreform, 3 traditionalist

Member of

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in US

Ambassador Sione KITE, resides in London; consulate(s) general: San Francisco

US diplomatic representation

the US has no offices in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Flag

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

Economy

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$2,050

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 1.5% (FY91/92); accounts for 11% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

(1993)

External debt

$47.5million

(FY90/91)

Budget

Revenues

$36.4 millionExpenditures

$68.1 million (1991 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $33.2 million

Installed generating capacity, 6,000 kW

Electricity production

30 millionElectricity consumption per capita

231 (1993)

The economy's base is agriculture, which employs about 70% of the labor force and contributes 40% 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 manufacturing sector accounts for only 11% of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard currency earnings, but the country also remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to offset its trade deficit. The economy continued to grow in 1993-94 largely because of a rise in squash exports, increased aid flows, and several large construction projects. The government is now turning its attention to further development of the private sector and the reduction of the budget deficit.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $214 million (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$11.3 million (f.o.b., FY92/93)

commodities:: squash, vanilla, fish, root crops, coconut oil
partners:: Japan 34%, US 17%, Australia 13%, NZ 13% (FY90/91)

Imports

$56 million (c.i.f., FY92/93)

commodities:: food products, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, fuels, chemicals
partners:: NZ 33%, Australia 22%, US 8%, Japan 8% (FY90/91)

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

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