1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Coastline
419 km
Comparative area
slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Environment
archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited); subject to cyclones (October to April); deforestation
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 25%; permanent crops 55%; meadows and pastures 6%; forest and woodland 12%; other 2%
Maritime claims
Continental shelf: no specific limits; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
fish, fertile soil
Note
located about 2,250 km north-northwest of New Zealand, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Terrain
most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Total area
748 km2; land area: 718 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
26 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Ethnic divisions
Polynesian; about 300 Europeans
Infant mortality rate
23 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
NA; 70% agriculture; 600 engaged in mining
Language
Tongan, English
Life expectancy at birth
65 years male, 70 years female (1991)
Literacy
100% (male 100%, female 100%) age 15 and over can read and write a simple message in Tongan or English (1976)
Nationality
noun--Tongan(s); adjective--Tongan
Net migration rate
- 10 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
none
Population
102,272 (July 1991), growth rate 0.9% (1991)
Religion
Christian; Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents
Total fertility rate
3.8 children born/woman (1991)
Government
Administrative divisions
three island groups; Haapai, Tongatapu, Vavau
Capital
Nukualofa
Communists
none known
Constitution
4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Siosaia a'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
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
Executive branch
monarch, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet), Privy Council
Flag
red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
Independence
4 June 1970 (from UK; formerly Friendly Islands)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
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)
Legal system
based on English law
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea)
Long-form name
Kingdom of Tonga
Member of
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, SPC, SPF, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO
National holiday
Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Reform Movement, 'Akolisi POHIVA
Suffrage
all literate, tax-paying males and all literate females over 21
Type
hereditary constitutional monarchy
Economy
Agriculture
dominated by coconut, copra, and banana production; vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper
Budget
revenues $30.6 million; expenditures $48.9 million, including capital expenditures of $22.5 million (FY89 est.)
Currency
pa'anga (plural--pa'anga); 1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $16 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $240 million
Electricity
6,000 kW capacity; 8 million kWh produced, 80 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
pa'anga (T$) per US$1--1.2832 (January 1991), 1.2809 (1990), 1.2637 (1989), 1.2799 (1988), 1.4282 (1987), 1.4960 (1986), 1.4319 (1985)
Exports
$9.6 million (f.o.b., FY90 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
$42.0 million (FY89)
Fiscal year
1 July-30 June
GDP
$86 million, per capita $850; real growth rate 3.6% (FY89 est.)
Imports
$59.9 million (c.i.f., FY90 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 15% (FY86); accounts for 11% of GDP
Industries
tourism, fishing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.5% (FY89)
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 11% 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.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
6 total, 6 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
198 km sealed road (Tongatapu); 74 km (Vavau); 94 km unsealed roads usable only in dry weather
Merchant marine
6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 35,857 GRT/480,726 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 container, 1 liquefied gas
Ports
Nukualofa, Neiafu, Pangai
Telecommunications
3,529 telephones; 66,000 radios; no TV sets; stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
Land Force, Maritime Division, Royal Tongan Marines, Royal Tongan Guard, Police
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP _%_
Manpower availability
NA