1989 Edition

Communists

number unknown; Palita extreme left party; some politically active Communists deported during 1950s; small number of North Vietnamese

Diplomatic representation

as an overseas territory of France, New Caledonian interests are represented in the US by

Member of

EIB (associate), WFTU, WMO

Total area

French National Assembly — last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1 993); results — percent of vote by party NA; seats— (2 total) RPCR 2

Birth rate

27 births/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

28 births/ 1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

7 deaths/ 1,000 population (1990)

6 deaths/ 1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

Polynesian; about 300 Europeans

almost entirely Polynesian

Infant mortality rate

24 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

32 deaths/ 1,000 population (1990)

Labor force

NA; 70% agriculture; 600 engaged in mining Organized labor none

NA

Language

Tongan, English

French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)

Life expectancy at birth

65 years male, 70 years female (1990)

69 years male, 70 years female (1990)

Literacy

90-95%; compulsory education for children ages 6 to 14

NA%

Nationality

noun — Tongan(s); adjective — Tongan

noun — Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders; adjective — Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Net migration rate

— 1 1 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

8 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

NA

Population

101,313 (July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)

14,9 10 (July 1990), growth rate 3.0% (1990)

Religion

Christian; Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents

largely Roman Catholic

Total fertility rate

3.9 children born/ woman (1990)

3.8 children born/ woman (1990)

Administrative divisions

three island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

none (overseas territory of France)

Capital

Nukualofa

Mata-Utu

Communists

none known

Constitution

4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Siosaia Ma'Ulupekotofa TUITA resides in London; US — the US has no offices in Tonga; the Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga and makes periodic visits

as an overseas territory of France, local interests are represented in the US by France

Elections

Legislative Assembly — last held 14-15 February 1990 (next to be held NA February 1993); results — percent of vote NA; seats— (29 total, 9 elected) 6 proreform, 3 traditionalist

Territorial Assembly — last held 15 March 1987 (next to be held March 1 992); results — percent of vote by party NA; seats— (20 total) RPR 7, UDF coalition 7, UPL 6; French Senate — last held NA (next to be held NA); results — percent of vote by party NA; seats — (1 total) party of the representative is NA; French National Assembly — last held NA (next to be held NA); results — percent of vote by party NA; seats — (1 total) RPR 1

Executive branch

monarch, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet), Privy Council

French president, high administrator; note — there are three traditional kings with limited powers

Flag

red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

the flag of France is used

Independence

4 June 1970 (from UK; formerly Friendly Islands)

none (overseas territory of France)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

none; justice generally administered under French law by the chief administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Leaders

Chief of State — King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965); Head of Government — Prime Minister Prince Fatafehi TU'IPELEHAKE (since 16 December 1965) Political parties and leaders: none

Chief of State — President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); Head of Government — Chief Administrator Roger DUMEC (since 15 July 1988) Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic (RPR); Union Populaire Locale (UPL); Union Pour la Democratic Francaise (UDF)

Legal system

based on English law

French

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Assembly

unicameral Territorial Assembly (Assemblee Territoriale)

Long-form name

Kingdom of Tonga

Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands

Member of

ACP, ADB, Commonwealth, FAO, ESCAP, GATT (de facto), IFAD, ITU, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

National holiday

Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Suffrage

all literate, tax-paying males and all literate females over 21

universal adult at age NA

Type

hereditary constitutional monarchy

overseas territory of France

Agriculture

dominated by coconut, copra, and banana production; vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $15 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $220 million

Budget

revenues $54.8 million; expenditures $56.2 million, including capital expenditures of $16.9 million (FY88 est.)

Currency

pa'anga (plural — pa'anga); 1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti

Electricity

5,000 kW capacity; 8 million kWh produced, 80 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

pa'anga (T$) per US$1 — 1.23 (FY89 est.), 1.37 (FY88), 1.51 (FY87), 1.43 (FY86), 1.30(FY85)

Exports

$9.1 million (f.o.b., FY88 est.); commodities — coconut oil, desiccated coconut, copra, bananas, taro, vanilla beans, fruits, vegetables, fish; partners — NZ 54%, Australia 30%, US 8%, Fiji 5% (FY87)

External debt

$31.8 million (1987)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June

GDP

$86 million, per capita $850; real growth rate 3.6% (FY89 est.)

Imports

$60.1 million (c.i.f., FY88 est.); commodities — food products, beverages and tobacco, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, building materials; partners — NZ 39%, Australia 25%, Japan 9%, US 6%, EC 5% (FY87)

Industrial production

growth rate 1 5% (FY86)

Industries

tourism, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.2% (FY87)

Overview

The economy's base is agriculture, which employs about 70% of the labor force and contributes 50% to GDP. Coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops and make up two-thirds of exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The manufacturing sector accounts for only 10% of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard currency earnings, but the island remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to sustain its trade deficit.

The economy is limited to subsistence agriculture. The majority of the labor force earns its livelihood from agriWallis and Futuna (continued}

Unemployment rate

NA%