Tonga

• tropical;
• modified by trade winds;
• warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)

• cyclones (October to April);
• earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou volcanism: moderate volcanic activity;
• Fonualei (180 m) has shown frequent activity in recent years, while Niuafo'ou (260 m), which last erupted in 1985, has forced evacuations;
• other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua

• deforestation from land being cleared for agriculture and settlement;
• soil exhaustion;
• water pollution due to salinization, sewage, and toxic chemicals from farming activities;
• coral reefs and marine populations threatened

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

• the western islands (making up the Tongan Volcanic Arch) are all of volcanic origin;
• the eastern islands are nonvolcanic and are composed of coral limestone and sand

noun:

Tongan(s)

adjective:

Tongan

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.81 male(s)/female

total population:

1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

degree of risk:

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases:

malaria

conventional long form:

Kingdom of Tonga

conventional short form:

Tonga

local long form:

Pule'anga Fakatu'i 'o Tonga

local short form:

Tonga

former:

Friendly Islands

etymology:

"tonga" means "south" in the Tongan language and refers to the country's geographic position in relation to central Polynesia

name:

Nuku'alofa

geographic coordinates:

21 08 S, 175 12 W

time difference:

UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time:

+1hr, begins first Sunday in November; ends second Sunday in January

etymology:

composed of the words "nuku," meaning "residence or abode," and "alofa," meaning "love," to signify "abode of love"

• Official Birthday of King TUPOU VI, 4 July (1959);
• note - actual birthday of the monarch is 12 July 1959, 4 July (2015) is the day the king was crowned;
• Constitution Day (National Day), 4 November (1875)

history:

adopted 4 November 1875

amendments:

• proposed by the Legislative Assembly;
• passage requires approval by the Assembly in each of three readings, the unanimous approval of the Privy Council (a high-level advisory body to the monarch), the Cabinet, and assent to by the monarch;
• revised 1988;
• amended many times, last in 2016

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

the father must be a citizen of Tonga; if a child is born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Tonga

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

5 years

chief of state:

• King TUPOU VI (since 18 March 2012);
• Heir Apparent Crown Prince Siaosi Manumataogo 'Alaivahamama'o 'Ahoeitu Konstantin Tuku'aho, son of the king (born 17 September 1985);
• note - on 18 March 2012, King George TUPOU V died and his brother, Crown Prince TUPOUTO'A Lavaka, assumed the throne as TUPOU VI

head of government:

Prime Minister Pohiva TU'I'ONETOA (since 27 September 2019)

cabinet:

Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch

elections/appointments:

• the monarchy is hereditary;
• prime minister and deputy prime minister indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly and appointed by the monarch;
• election last held on 27 September 2019 (next to be held in November 2020)

election results:

Pohiva TU'I'ONETOA (Peoples Party) elected prime minister by parliament receiving 15of 23 votes cast

note: a Privy Council advises the monarch

description:

• unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (up to 30 seats; - 26 for the 2017-19 term);
• 17 people's representatives directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, and 9 indirectly elected by hereditary leaders;
• members serve 3-year terms)

elections:

last held on 16 November 2017 (next to be held in 2020)

election results:

• percent of vote - NA;
• seats by party - Democratic Party 14, nobles' representatives 9, independent 3;
• composition - men 24, women 2, percent of women 7.7%

highest courts:

• Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and a number of judges determined by the monarch);
• note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are brought before the King in Privy Council, the monarch's advisory organ that has both judicial and legislative powers

judge selection and term of office:

judge appointments and tenures made by the King in Privy Council and subject to consent of the Legislative Assembly

subordinate courts:

• Supreme Court;
• Magistrates' Courts;
• Land Courts

• Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands [Samuela 'Akilisi POHIVA]
• People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tesina FUKO]
• Sustainable Nation-Building Party [Sione FONUA]
• Tonga Democratic Labor Party
• Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM

chief of mission:

Ambassador Mahe'uli'uli Sandhurst TUPOUNIUA (since 17 September 2013)

chancery:

250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022

telephone:

[1] (917) 369-1025

FAX:

[1] (917) 369-1024

consulate(s) general:

San Francisco

• 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, and white signifies purity

name:

"Ko e fasi `o e tu"i `o e `Otu Tonga" (Song of the King of the Tonga Islands)

lyrics/music:

Uelingatoni Ngu TUPOUMALOHI/Karl Gustavus SCHMITT

note: in use since 1875; more commonly known as "Fasi Fakafonua" (National Song)

agriculture:

2,006% (2006 est.)

industry:

27.5% (2006 est.)

services:

2,006% (2006 est.)

lowest 10%:

NA

highest 10%:

NA

• 1 state-owned TV station and 3 privately owned TV stations;
• satellite and cable TV services are available;
• 1 state-owned and 5 privately owned radio stations;
• Radio Australia broadcasts available via satellite (2019)

total:

680 km (2011)

paved:

184 km (2011)

unpaved:

496 km (2011)

• the Tonga military's inventory includes mostly light weapons and equipment from European (primarily the UK) countries and the US, as well as naval patrol vessels from Australia;
• Australia is the only supplier of military systems since 2010 (2019)