1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
997 km2 (169 islands, only 36 inhabited); 77% arable, 3% pasture, 13% forest, 3% inland water, 4% other WATER
Coastline
419 km (est.)
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
rectangular/polygonal claim (12 nm for Minerva Reef)
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
Polynesian, about 300 Europeans
Labor force
agriculture 10,303; mining 599
Language
Tongan, English
Literacy
90%-95%; compulsory education for children between ages of 6-14
Nationality
noun—Tongan(s); adjective—Tongan
Organized labor
unorganized
Population
102,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 2.1%
Religion
Christian; Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents
Government
Branches
executive (King and Privy Council); legislative (Legislative Assembly composed of seven nobles elected by their peers, seven elected representatives of the people, eight Ministers of the Crown; the King appoints one of the seven nobles to be the speaker); Judiciary (Supreme Court, magistrate courts, Land Court)
Capital
Nuku'alofa (located on Tongatapu Island)
Communists
none known
Elections
held every three years, last in April 1978
Government leaders
King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV; Premier, Prince Fatafehi TU'IPELEHAKE (younger brother of the King) Suffrage: granted to all literate adults over 21 years of age who pay taxes
Legal system
based on English law
Member of
ADB, Commonwealth, ESCAP, South Pacific Bureau for Economic Cooperation, South Pacific Bureau Forum
Official name
Kingdom of Tonga
Political subdivisions
three main island groups (Tongatapu, Ha'api, Vava'u)
Type
constitutional monarchy
Economy
Agriculture
largely dominated by coconut and banana production with subsistence crops of taro, yams, sweet potatoes, and bread fruit
Aid
economic aid commitments—Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF (1970-79), $57 million
Budget
(FY77) $10 million
Electric power
4,100 kW capacity (1980); 8 million kWh produced (1980), 87 kWh per capita
Exports
$5.6 million (1978); 65% copra, 7% coconut products, 8% bananas
Fiscal year
1 July-30 June
GNP
$34.2 million (1976), $370 per capita
Imports
$12.4 million (1978); food, machinery, and petroleum
Major trade partners
(FY74) exports—25% Netherlands, 22% Australia, 20% New Zealand, 11% Norway; imports—63% New Zealand and Australia
Monetary conversion rate
1 Tonga dollar=US$1.11 (1979)
Communications
Airfields
4 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
249 km total (1974); 177 km rolled stone; 72 km coral base
Ports
2 minor
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
1,285 telephones (1.4 per 100 popl.); 11,000 radio sets; no TV sets; 1 AM station; 1 ground satellite station