Tonga

Kingdom of Tonga

hereditary constitutional monarchyIndependence 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

Tonga as the 2002 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 109 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

Position20 00 S, 175 00 W

Area748 sq km

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

Populationas each edition published it

106,137 people July 2002 est. · 101,313 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.85% 2002 est. · 0.8% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

68.56 years 2002 est. · 67.79 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3 children per woman 2002 est. · 3.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

13.72 deaths per 1,000 live births 2002 est. · 24 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,200 2000 est. · $900 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5.3% 2000 est. · 0.4% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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.

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 748 sq km

arable land 23.61%permanent crops 43.06%other 33.33% (1998 est.)

Area

748sq km

water: 30 sq kmland: 718 sq kmfour times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

419km

land boundaries: 0 kmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationterritorial sea: 12 NMexclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Highest point

1,033m

unnamed location on Kao Islandlowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

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 references

Oceania

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Natural hazards

cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

People

18 fields

Population

106,137

(July 2002 est.)growth rate: 1.85% (2002 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2002 est.)

Birth

24.08Death

5.63Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2002 est.)68.56

66.13 · 71.11

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1996 est.)98.5%

98.4% · 98.7%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English

Age structure

0-14 years:: 39.5% (male 21,374; female 20,555)
15-64 years:: 56.4% (male 29,519; female 30,322)
65 years and over:: 4.1% (male 1,945; female 2,422) (2002 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate

13.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

3 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS - deaths

Nationality

noun:: Tongan(s)
adjective:: Tongan

Ethnic groups

Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Religions

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

Languages

Tongan, English

Government

Hereditary constitutional monarchy; King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965); Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU (since NA January 2001)

18 fields

Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea, 9 seats, elected 7 March 2002one dot, one seat

pro-democratic 7traditionalist 2

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

Independence

4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 June (1970)

Constitution

4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Legal system

based on English law

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)

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
cabinet:: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members
head of government:: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU (since NA January 2001)

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms)

elections:: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results:: percent of vote - pro-democratic 70%; seats - pro-democratic 7, traditionalist 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

Political pressure groups and leaders

Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Akilisi POHIVA, president]

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU
chancery:: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022
telephone:: [1] (917) 369-1136
consulate(s) general:: San Francisco
FAX:: [1] (917) 369-1024

Diplomatic representation 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

Economy

Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export base in agricultural goods.

32 fields

Real growth rate

5.3%

(2000 est.)industrial production growth: 8.6% (FY98/99)

Inflation, consumer prices

9.4%

(2001 est.)

Unemployment rate

13.3%

(1996 est.)

Labor force

33,908

(1996)

GDP - composition by sector(2001 est.)

agriculture 30%industry 10%services 60% (2001 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

50.4%

Japan

18.6%

31.6%

12.7%

New Zealand

29.8%

2.1%

Australia

12.7%

1.7%

Fiji

12.2%

4.1%

Exports $9.3 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)Imports $70 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)(2000 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$39.9 millionExpenditures

$52.4 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.)

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · other 0% · nuclear 0%

Electricity production

30 million (2000)Electricity consumption

27.9 million (2000)

Economy - overview

Tonga has a small, open economy with 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 reasonable basic infrastructure and well-developed social services.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $225 million (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Industries

tourism, fishing

Agriculture - products

squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Exports

$9.3 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Imports

$70 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Debt - external

$57.5 million (June 2001)

Economic aid - recipient

Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)

Currency

pa'anga (TOP)

Currency code

TOP

Exchange rates

pa'anga per US dollar - 2.1920 (January 2002), 2.1236 (2001), 1.7585 (2000), 1.5991 (1999), 1.4920 (1998), 1.2635 (1997)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

10 fields

Mobile cellular

302

(1996)

Internet users

(2000)

Fixed lines

8,000

(1996) · country code .to

Telephone system

general assessment:: NA
domestic:: NA
international:: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios

61,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

2 (2001)

Televisions

2,000 (1997)

Internet users

1,000 (2000)

Transportation

8 fields

Merchant marine, 80 ships by typeone square, one ship · ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 292,139 GRT/421,221 DWT

bulk 10cargo 54liquefied gas 4petroleum tanker 8roll on/roll off 4note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 1, Australia 4, Austria 1, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 1, Djibouti 1, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Lebanon 2, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2, Morocco 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 1, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 3, Syria 5, Ukraine 1, United Arab Emirates 16, United States 4 (2002 est.)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

2,438 to 3,047 m

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

1,524 to 2,437 m

1914 to 1,523 m

2under 914 m

Networkskm

Highways

680Railways

Highways: paved: 184 km · unpaved: 496 km (1996)

Highways

total:: 680 km
paved:: 184 km
unpaved:: 496 km (1996)

Military

3 fields

Military branches

Tonga Defense Services (made up of three operational command components and two support elements, including the Royal Marines, Royal Guards, Maritime Force, a support/logistics group, and a training group), Police;
note - a new air wing that will be subordinate to the Ministry of Defense is being developed