Tonga
Kingdom of TongaPule'anga Fakatu'i 'o Tonga
constitutional monarchyIndependence 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate status)
Tonga as the 2024 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 141 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 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, with civil wars, a military defeat to Samoa, and internal political strife. 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 navigators explored the islands in the 1600s, followed by the British in the 1770s, who named them the Friendly Islands. Between 1799 and 1852 Tonga went through a period of war and disorder. In the 1830s, a low-ranking chief from Ha’apai began to consolidate control over the islands and was crowned King George TUPOU I in 1845, establishing the only still-extant Polynesian monarchy. During TUPOU's reign (1845–93), Tonga became a unified and independent country with a modern constitution (1875), legal code, and administrative structure.
In separate treaties, Germany (1876), Great Britain (1879), and the US (1888) recognized Tonga’s independence. His son and 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.
Tonga regained full control of domestic and foreign affairs and became a fully independent nation within the Commonwealth in 1970. A pro-democracy movement gained steam in the early 2000s, led by ‘Akilisi POHIVA, and in 2006, riots broke out in Nuku’alofa to protest the lack of progress on reform. 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 and henceforth most of the monarch’s governmental decisions, except those relating to the judiciary, were to be made in consultation with the prime minister.
The 2010 Legislative Assembly was called Tonga’s first democratically elected Parliament. King George TUPOU V died in 2012 and was succeeded by his brother Crown Prince Tupouto‘a Lavaka who ruled as George TUPOU VI. In 2015, ‘Akalisi POHIVA became Tonga’s first non-noble prime minister.
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 · (2024 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2024 est.)
Male · female
Religions(2021 est.)
Ethnic groups
Tongan 96.5%, other (European, Fijian, Samoan, Indian, Chinese, other Pacific Islander, other Asian, other) 3.5% (2021 est.)
Languages
Tongan only 85%, Tongan and other language 13.9%, Tongan not used at home 1.1% (2021 est.) note: data represent language use at home of persons aged 5 and older
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
- 15-64 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.83 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- total:
- 11.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
- male:
- 12.8 deaths/1,000 live births
- female:
- 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Child marriage
- women married by age 15:
- 0.4%
- women married by age 18:
- 10.1%
- men married by age 18:
- 2.8% (2019 est.)
Environment
10 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
Climate
- tropical;
- modified by trade winds;
- warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 23.2% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
- particulate matter emissions:
- 7.52 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- carbon dioxide emissions:
- 0.13 megatons (2016 est.)
- methane emissions:
- 0.12 megatons (2020 est.)
Government
Constitutional monarchy; King TUPOU VI (since 18 March 2012); Acting Prime Minister Samiu VAIPULU (since 9 December 2024
21 fieldsLegislative Assembly or Fale Alea, 27 seats, elected 18 November 2021one dot, one seat
Composition: men 26, women 2, percentage women 7.1%
Country 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 alof a, 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)
- head of government:
- Acting Prime Minister Samiu VAIPULU (since 9 December 2024; note - former Prime Minister Siaosi SOVALENI resigned on 9 December 2024)
- 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 18 November 2021 (next to be held on 24 December 2024)
- election results:
- 2021: Siaosi SOVALENI elected prime minister by the Legislative Assembly; Siaosi SOVALENI 16 votes, Aisake EKE 10; 2019: Pohiva TU'I'ONETOA (Peoples Party) elected prime minister by parliament receiving 15 of 23 votes cast
note: a Privy Council advises the monarch
Legislative branch
- description:
- unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats statutory, 28 current);
- 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 - independent 12, nobles' representatives 9, DPFI 3, TPPI 3;
- composition - men 26, women 2, percentage women 7.1%
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- 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
Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands or DPFI or PTOA; Tonga People's Party (Paati ʻa e Kakai ʻo Tonga) or PAK or TPPI
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 Viliana 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
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Marie DAMOUR (since 6 December 2022);
- note - Ambassador DAMOUR is based in the US Embassy in the Republic of Fiji and is accredited to Tonga as well as Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu
- embassy:
- although the US opened an embassy in Tonga on 9 May 2023, the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga while the Embassy is being staffed
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
31 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2021 est.)
Budget(2020 est.)
Economic overview
- upper middle-income Pacific island economy;
- enormous diaspora and remittance reliance;
- key tourism and agricultural sectors;
- major fish exporter;
- rapidly growing Chinese infrastructure investments;
- rising methamphetamine hub
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture:
- 16.3% (2021 est.)
- industry:
- 15.9% (2021 est.)
- services:
- 49.7% (2021 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Agricultural products
coconuts, pumpkins/squash, cassava, sweet potatoes, vegetables, yams, taro, root vegetables, plantains, lemons/limes (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Labor force
38,000 (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Unemployment rate
2.3% (2023 est.) · 2.35% (2022 est.) · 2.11% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- total:
- 6.7% (2023 est.)
- male:
- 4.4% (2023 est.)
- female:
- 10.5% (2023 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
27.1 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Remittances
45.03% of GDP (2022 est.) · 46.95% of GDP (2021 est.) · 38.26% of GDP (2020 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Current account balance
-$28.84 million (2022 est.) · -$33.414 million (2021 est.) · -$36.294 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports
$59.926 million (2022 est.) · $57.534 million (2021 est.) · $99.78 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
fish, scrap copper, processed crustaceans, vegetables, perfume plants (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$332.743 million (2022 est.) · $299.094 million (2021 est.) · $314.803 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, plastic products, poultry, sheep and goat meat, cars (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$396.53 million (2023 est.) · $375.564 million (2022 est.) · $361.812 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Debt - external
$152.877 million (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar - 2.364 (2023 est.) · 2.328 (2022 est.) · 2.265 (2021 est.) · 2.3 (2020 est.) · 2.289 (2019 est.)
Energy
6 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 33,000 kW(2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
131,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.); from petroleum and other liquids: 131,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
Communications
7 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2020–21 est.)
Telecommunication systems
- general assessment:
- Tonga was only connected to the global submarine telecommunication network in the last decade;
- though this system is more stable than other technologies such as satellite and fixed infrastructure;
- the January 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai severed Tonga’s connection to the submarine telecommunication network (2023)
- domestic:
- fixed-line 10 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity 61 telephones per 100 (2021)
- 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)
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
6 fieldsMerchant marine, 29 ships by typeone square, one ship · (2023)
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1
Ports
- total ports:
- 3 (2024)
- large:
- 0
- medium:
- 0
- small:
- 0
- very small:
- 3
- ports with oil terminals:
- 0
- key ports:
- Neiafu, Nuku Alofa, Pangai
Military and Security
6 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 100 people · (2024)
Military and security forces
His Majesty's Armed Forces Tonga (aka Tonga Defense Services): Tonga Royal Guard, Land Force (Royal Tongan Marines), Tonga Navy, Air Wing; Ministry of Police and Fire Services: Tonga Police Force (2024)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's inventory consists of light weapons, as well as some naval patrol vessels from Australia and a few US-origin aircraft (2024)
Military service age and obligation
voluntary military service for men and women 18-25; no conscription (2023)
Military - note
the HMAF’s primary missions are protecting the King and Tonga’s sovereignty; it is also responsible for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, search and rescue operations, monitoring against illegal fishing, and delivering supplies to the outer islands; the HMAF has contributed limited numbers of personnel to multinational military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Solomon Islands;
it is a small force comprised of royal guards, marines, a few naval patrol boats, and a couple of aircraft for maritime patrolling, search and rescue, and training purposes
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
Tonga has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Tonga's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas;
"shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2024)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Tonga.” The World Factbook 2024. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tonga/2024.