Tonga

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.

land

717 sq km

total

747 sq km

water

30 sq km

four times the size of Washington, DC

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

419 km

highest point

Kao Volcano on Kao Island 1,046 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

20 00 S, 175 00 W

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

0 sq km (2022)

total

0 km

agricultural land

43.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 15.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 5.6% (2018 est.)

forest

12.5% (2018 est.)

other

44.4% (2018 est.)

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

Oceania

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

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

arable land, fish

over two-thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied

mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock

0-14 years

29.3% (male 15,627/female 15,142)

15-64 years

63.2% (male 33,445/female 32,867)

65 years and over

7.4% (2024 est.) (male 3,534/female 4,274)

beer

0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

19.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

men married by age 18

2.8% (2019 est.)

women married by age 15

0.4%

women married by age 18

10.1%

0.8% (2019)

29.3% (2019)

5.3% of GDP (2020)

54.9% (2023 est.)

5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

10.5

potential support ratio

9.5 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

68.6

youth dependency ratio

58.5

improved: rural

rural: 99.6% of population

improved: total

total: 99.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population

6.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

Tongan 96.5%, other (European, Fijian, Samoan, Indian, Chinese, other Pacific Islander, other Asian, other) 3.5% (2021 est.)

1.3 (2024 est.)

female

10.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male

12.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Tongan only 85%, Tongan and other language 13.9%, Tongan not used at home 1.1% (2021 est.)

note

note: data represent language use at home of persons aged 5 and older

female

79.7 years

male

76.4 years

total population

78 years (2024 est.)

definition

can read and write Tongan and/or English

female

99.5% (2021)

male

99.4%

total population

99.4%

23,000 NUKU'ALOFA (2018)

126 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

26.4 years

male

25.4 years

total

25.9 years (2024 est.)

24.9 years (2012 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

adjective

Tongan

noun

Tongan(s)

-18.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

48.2% (2016)

0.95 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

female

52,283 (2024 est.)

male

52,606

total

104,889

over two-thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied

-0.34% (2024 est.)

Protestant 63.9% (Free Wesleyan Church 34.2%, Free Church of Tonga 11.3%, Church of Tonga 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.5%, Assembly of God 2.5%, Tokaikolo/Maamafo'ou 1.5%, Constitutional Church of Tonga 1.2%, other Protestant 4%), Church of Jesus Christ 19.7%, Roman Catholic 13.7%, other 2.1%, none 0.6%, no answer 0.1% (2021 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 98.8% of population

improved: total

total: 98.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.4% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.6% of population

female

17 years (2020)

male

15 years

total

16 years

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

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

15.3% (2020 est.)

male

46.7% (2020 est.)

total

31% (2020 est.)

2.65 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

23.2% of total population (2023)

5 island divisions; 'Eua, Ha'apai, Ongo Niua, Tongatapu, Vava'u

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"

geographic coordinates

21 08 S, 175 12 W

name

Nuku'alofa

time difference

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

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

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

history

adopted 4 November 1875, revised 1988, 2016

conventional long form

Kingdom of Tonga

conventional short form

Tonga

etymology

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

former

Friendly Islands

local long form

Pule'anga Fakatu'i 'o Tonga

local short form

Tonga

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

chancery

250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022

chief of mission

Ambassador Viliana Va’inga TONE (since 20 April 2021)

consulate(s) general

San Francisco

email address and website

tongaconsnot@gmail.com

FAX

[1] (917) 369-1024

telephone

[1] (917) 369-1025

cabinet

Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch

chief of state

King TUPOU VI (since 18 March 2012)

election results

2021: Siaosi SOVALENI elected prime minister by the Legislative Assembly; Siaosi SOVALENI 16 votes, Aisake EKE 102019: Pohiva TU'I'ONETOA (Peoples Party) elected prime minister by parliament receiving 15 of 23 votes cast

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)

head of government

Acting Prime Minister Samiu VAIPULU (since 9 December 2024; note - former Prime Minister Siaosi SOVALENI resigned on 9 December 2024)

note

note: a Privy Council advises the monarch

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

constitutional monarchy

4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate status)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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

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

English common law

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)

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%

elections

last held on 18 November 2021 (next to be held in November 2025)

lyrics/music

Uelingatoni Ngu TUPOUMALOHI/Karl Gustavus SCHMITT

name

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

note

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

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)

red cross on white field, arms equal length; national colors: red, white

Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands or DPFI or PTOA Tonga People's Party (Paati ʻa e Kakai ʻo Tonga) or PAK or TPPI

21 years of age; universal

coconuts, pumpkins/squash, cassava, sweet potatoes, vegetables, yams, taro, root vegetables, plantains, lemons/limes (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

expenditures

$160.257 million (2020 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$215.007 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$36.294 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$33.414 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$28.84 million (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external 2022

$152.877 million (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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

Currency

pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

2.289 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

2.3 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2.265 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2.328 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

2.364 (2023 est.)

Exports 2020

$99.78 million (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$57.534 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$59.926 million (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

fish, scrap copper, processed crustaceans, vegetables, perfume plants (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

US 31%, Australia 19%, NZ 12%, Hong Kong 8%, Belgium 8% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

12.5% (2021 est.)

government consumption

30.7% (2021 est.)

household consumption

109% (2021 est.)

imports of goods and services

-60.8% (2021 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23.2% (2021 est.)

investment in inventories

-1.3% (2021 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

16.3% (2021 est.)

industry

15.9% (2021 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

49.7% (2021 est.)

$500.275 million (2022 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

27.1 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

highest 10%

22% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

4% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports 2020

$314.803 million (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$299.094 million (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$332.743 million (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, plastic products, poultry, sheep and goat meat, cars (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Fiji 28%, China 23%, NZ 21%, Australia 6%, US 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

1.23% (2021 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

tourism, construction, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

5.64% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

10.97% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

6.35% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

38,000 (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

20.6% (2021 est.)

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2020

45.02% of GDP (2020 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$734.406 million (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$714.816 million (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$700.437 million (2022 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2020

0.49% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

-2.67% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

-2.01% (2022 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2020

$7,000 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$6,700 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$6,600 (2022 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2020

38.26% of GDP (2020 est.)

Remittances 2021

46.95% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

45.03% of GDP (2022 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$361.812 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$375.564 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$396.53 million (2023 est.)

21.3% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

2.11% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

2.35% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

2.3% (2023 est.)

female

10.5% (2023 est.)

male

4.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

6.7% (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

131,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

131,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

69.136 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

33,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

6 million kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

86.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

9.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

17.949 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

900 bbl/day (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5 (2020 est.)

total

5,000 (2020 est.)

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)

.to

percent of population

67% (2021 est.)

total

73,700 (2021 est.)

domestic

fixed-line 10 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity 61 telephones per 100 (2021)

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)

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)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

10 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

11,000 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

61 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

64,000 (2021 est.)

6 (2024)

A3

by type

container ship 1, general cargo 13, oil tanker 1, other 14

total

29 (2023)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

1

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

key ports

Neiafu, Nuku Alofa, Pangai

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

3

paved

184 km

total

680 km

unpaved

496 km (2011)

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 2010-2014Tonga 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)

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)

approximately 600 personnel (2024)

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 Expenditures 2019

2.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

voluntary military service for men and women 18-25; no conscription (2023)

carbon dioxide emissions

0.13 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.12 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

7.52 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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

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, 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

agricultural land

43.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 15.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 5.6% (2018 est.)

forest

12.5% (2018 est.)

other

44.4% (2018 est.)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

23.2% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

17,238 tons (2012 est.)