Tonga
Kingdom of TongaPule'anga Fakatu'i 'o Tonga
constitutional monarchyIndependence 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate status)
Tonga as the 2021 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 163 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The first humans arrived in Tonga around 1000 B.C. The islands’ politics were probably highly centralized under the Tu’i Tonga, or Tongan king, by A.D. 950, and by 1200, the Tu’i Tonga had expanded his influence throughout Polynesia and into Melanesia and Micronesia. The Tongan Empire began to decline in the 1300s, descending into civil wars, a military defeat to Samoa, and internal political strife that saw successive leaders assassinated. By the mid-1500s, some Tu’i Tongans were ethnic Samoan and day-to-day administration of Tonga was transferred to a new position occupied by ethnic Tongans.
Dutch sailors explored the islands in the 1600s and British Captain James COOK visited Tonga three times in the 1770s, naming them the Friendly Islands for the positive reception he thought he received, even though the Tongans he encountered were plotting ways to kill him. In 1799, Tonga fell into a new round of civil wars over succession. Wesleyan missionaries arrived in 1822, quickly converting the population. In the 1830s, a low-ranking chief from Ha’apai began to consolidate control over the islands and won the support of the missionaries by declaring that he would dedicate Tonga to God.
The chief soon made alliances with leaders on most of the other islands and was crowned King George TUPOU I in 1845, establishing the only still-extant Polynesian monarchy. Tupou I declared Tonga a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and his successor, King George TUPOU II, agreed to enter a protectorate agreement with the UK in 1900 after rival Tongan chiefs tried to overthrow him. As a protectorate, Tonga never completely lost its indigenous governance, but it did become more isolated and the social hierarchy became more stratified between a group of nobles and a large class of commoners. Today, about one third of parliamentary seats are reserved for nobles.
Queen Salote TUPOU III negotiated the end of the protectorate in 1965, which was achieved under King TUPOU, who in 1970 withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations. A prodemocracy movement gained steam in the early 2000s, led by future Prime Minister ‘Akilisi POHIVA, and in 2006, riots broke out in Nuku’alofa to protest the lack of progress on prodemocracy legislation. To appease the activists, in 2008, King George TUPOU V announced he was relinquishing most of his powers leading up to parliamentary elections in 2010; he died in 2012 and was succeeded by his brother ‘Aho’eitu TUPOU VI. Tropical Cyclone Gita, the strongest-ever recorded storm to impact Tonga, hit the islands in February 2018 causing extensive damage.
Geography
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
17 fieldsLand useshare of 747 sq km
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
mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock
Population distribution
over two-thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied
Natural hazards
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
Geography - note
- 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
People and Society
36 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2020 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2021 est.)
Male · female
Religions(2016 est.)
Languages
Tongan and English 76.8%, Tongan, English, and other language 10.6%, Tongan only (official) 8.7%, English only (official) 0.7%, other 1.7%, none 2.2% (2016 est.) note: data represent persons aged 5 and older who can read and write a simple sentence in Tongan, English, or another language
Population distribution
over two-thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied
Sex ratio
- 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.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- high (2020)
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial diarrhea
- vectorborne diseases:
- malaria
Environment
11 fieldsLand use(2018 est.)
Environment - current issues
- 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
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants
- particulate matter emissions:
- 10.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
- carbon dioxide emissions:
- 0.13 megatons (2016 est.)
- methane emissions:
- 0.12 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
- tropical;
- modified by trade winds;
- warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 23.1% of total population (2021)
- rate of urbanization:
- 0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- high (2020)
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial diarrhea
- vectorborne diseases:
- malaria
Government
Constitutional monarchy; King TUPOU VI (since 18 March 2012); Prime Minister-Designate Siaosi SOVALENI (since 15 November 2021)
21 fieldsCountry name
- 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
Capital
- 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"
National holiday
- 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)
Constitution
- history:
- adopted 4 November 1875, revised 1988, 2016
- 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 2013
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
- 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
Executive branch
- 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-Designate Siaosi SOVALENI (since 15 November 2021)
- 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 15 November 2021 (next to be held in in November 2025)
- election results:
- Siaosi SOVALENI elected prime minister-designate by the Legislative Assembly; Siaosi SOVALENI 16 votes, Aisake EKE 10
note: a Privy Council advises the monarch
Legislative branch
- description:
- unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (up to 30 seats; - 26 for the 2021-25 term);
- 17 people's representatives directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, and 9 indirectly elected by hereditary leaders;
- members serve 4-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 18 November 2021 (next to be held in November 2025)
- election results:
- percent of vote - NA;
- seats by party (elected members) - Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands 3, Tonga People's Party 1, independent 13;
- composition (elected members) - men 17, women 0, percent of women 0%
Judicial branch
- 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
Political parties and leaders
- Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands
- 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
- Tonga People's Party or PAK ( Paati ʻa e Kakai ʻo Tonga ) [Pohiva TU'I'ONETOA] (split from Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands)
International organization participation
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Viliami Va’inga TONE (since 20 April 2021)
- chancery:
- 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022
- telephone:
- [1] (917) 369-1025
- FAX:
- [1] (917) 369-1024
- email address and website:
- [email protected]
- consulate(s) general:
- San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the US 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;
- the cross reflects the deep-rooted Christianity in Tonga, red represents the blood of Christ and his sacrifice, and white signifies purity
National anthem
- 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)
Economy
Tonga has a small, open island economy and is the last constitutional monarchy among the Pacific Island countries.
33 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2017 est.)
By end use% of GDP · (2017 est.)
Budget(2017 est.)
Economic overview
Tonga has a small, open island economy and is the last constitutional monarchy among the Pacific Island countries. It has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, vanilla beans, and yams are the main crops. Agricultural exports, including fish, make up two-thirds of total exports.
Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. Tonga had 53,800 visitors in 2015. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand.
The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from overseas Tongans to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, encouraging investment, and is committing increased funds for health care and education. Tonga's English-speaking and educated workforce offers a viable labor market, and the tropical climate provides fertile soil. Renewable energy and deep-sea mining also offer opportunities for investment.
Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well developed social services. But the government faces high unemployment among the young, moderate inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures.
Agricultural products
coconuts, gourds, cassava, sweet potatoes, vegetables, yams, taro, roots/tubers nes, plantains, lemons/limes
Labor force - by occupation
- agriculture:
- 2,006% (2006 est.)
- industry:
- 27.5% (2006 est.)
- services:
- 2,006% (2006 est.)
Exports
$90 million note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.) · $110 million note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) · $100 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Exports - partners
United States 38%, South Korea 18%, Australia 14%, New Zealand 14%, Japan 6%, (2019)
Imports
$300 million note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.) · $330 million note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) · $320 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Imports - partners
Fiji 29%, New Zealand 23%, China 14%, United States 8%, Australia 6%, Japan 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, poultry meats, audio equipment, mutton, goat meat, broadcasting equipment (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$198.5 million (31 December 2017 est.) · $176.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates
pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar - 2.27015 (2020 est.) · 2.29095 (2019 est.) · 2.22717 (2018 est.) · 2.106 (2014 est.) · 1.847 (2013 est.)
Energy
23 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2018)
Installed generating capacity, 20,300 kW(2016 est.)
Communications
7 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2019–21 est.)
Telecommunication systems
- general assessment:
- high speed Internet provided by 3 MNOs, has subsequently allowed for better health care services, faster connections for education and growing e-commerce services;
- in 2018 new 4G LTE network;
- fixed-line teledensity has dropped given mobile subscriptions;
- mobile technology dominates given the island's geography;
- satellite technology is widespread and is important especially in areas away from the city;
- the launch in 2019 of the Kacific-1 broadband satellite has made broadband more widely available for around 89 remote communities (2020)
- domestic:
- fixed-line 6 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity 59 telephones per 100; fully automatic switched network (2019)
- international:
- country code - 676;
- landing point for the Tonga Cable and the TDCE connecting to Fiji and 3 separate Tonga islands;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2020)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production;
many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes;
the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media
- 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)
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine, 32 ships by typeone square, one ship · (2021)
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1
Military and Security
Tonga Defense Services (His Majesty's Armed Forces): Joint Force headquarters, Territorial Forces, Land Force, Tonga Navy, Training Wing, Air Wing, and Support Unit (2021)
5 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 100 people · (2021)
Military and security forces
Tonga Defense Services (His Majesty's Armed Forces): Joint Force headquarters, Territorial Forces, Land Force, Tonga Navy, Training Wing, Air Wing, and Support Unit (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- 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 (2020)
Military - note
- Tonga participated in World War I as part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, but the Tonga Defense Force (TDF) was not established until 1939 at the beginning of World War II;
- in 1943, New Zealand helped train about 2,000 Tongan troops who saw action in the Solomon Islands;
- the TDF was disbanded at the end of the war, but was reactivated in 1946 as the Tonga Defense Services (TDS);
- in 2013, the name of the TDS was changed to His Majesty’s Armed Forces of Tonga (HMAF);
- Tongan troops deployed to Iraq from 2004-2008 and Afghanistan to support UK forces from 2010-2014
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Tonga.” The World Factbook 2021. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tonga/2021.