1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 748 sq km land area: 718 sq km comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Coastline
419 km
Environment
current issues: deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations natural hazards: cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou international agreements: party to - Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 25% permanent crops: 55% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 12% other: 2%
Location
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
fish, fertile soil
Note
archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)
Terrain
most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Birth rate
24.37 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
6.75 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Polynesian, Europeans about 300
Infant mortality rate
20.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
NA by occupation: agriculture 70%, mining (600 engaged in mining)
Languages
Tongan, English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 68.16 years male: 65.8 years female: 70.62 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write simple message in Tongan or English (1976) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
Nationality
noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan
Net migration rate
-9.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
105,600 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
0.78% (1995 est.)
Religions
Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
Total fertility rate
3.56 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
three island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Capital
Nuku'alofa
Constitution
4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967
Digraph
TN
Diplomatic representation in US
Ambassador Sione KITE, resides in London consulate(s) general: San Francisco
Executive branch
chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) head of government: Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991); Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the king
Flag
red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
Independence
4 June 1970 (emancipation from UK protectorate)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
based on English law
Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea)
elections last held 3-4 February 1993 (next to be held NA February 1996); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (30 total, 9 elected) 6 proreform, 3 traditionalist
Legislative branch
unicameral; consists of twelve cabinet ministers sitting ex-officio, nine nobles selected by the country's thirty-three nobles, and nine people's representatives elected by the populace
Member of
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO
Names
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands
National holiday
Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Political parties and leaders
Tonga People's Party, Viliami FUKOFUKA
Privy Council
consists of the king and the cabinet
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Type
hereditary constitutional monarchy
US diplomatic representation
the US has no offices in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 40% of GDP; dominated by coconut, copra, and banana production; vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper
Budget
revenues: $36.4 million expenditures: $68.1 million, including capital expenditures of $33.2 million (1991 est.)
Currency
1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti
Economic aid
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $16 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $258 million
Electricity
capacity: 6,000 kW production: 30 million kWh consumption per capita: 231 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
pa'anga (T$) per US$1 - 1.2653 (January 1995), 1.3202 (1994), 1.3841 (1993), 1.3471 (1992), 1.2961 (1991), 1.2800 (1990)
Exports
$11.3 million (f.o.b., FY92/93) commodities: squash, vanilla, fish, root crops, coconut oil partners: Japan 34%, US 17%, Australia 13%, NZ 13% (FY90/91)
External debt
$47.5 million (FY90/91)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Imports
$56 million (c.i.f., FY92/93) commodities: food products, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, fuels, chemicals partners: NZ 33%, Australia 22%, US 8%, Japan 8% (FY90/91)
Industrial production
growth rate 1.5% (FY91/92); accounts for 11% of GDP
Industries
tourism, fishing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3% (1993)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $214 million (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$2,050 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
5% (1994 est.)
Overview
The economy's base is agriculture, which employs about 70% of the labor force and contributes 40% to GDP. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total 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 country also remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to offset its trade deficit. The economy continued to grow in 1993-94 largely because of a rise in squash exports, increased aid flows, and several large construction projects. The government is now turning its attention to further development of the private sector and the reduction of the budget deficit.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: 66,000
Telephone system
3,529 telephones local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station
Television
broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 6 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2
Highways
total: 366 km paved: 272 km (198 km on Tongatapu; 74 km on Vava'u) unpaved: 94 km (usable only in dry weather)
Merchant marine
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,440 GRT/8,984 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1
Ports
Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Branches
Tonga Defense Services, Maritime Division, Royal Tongan Marines, Tongan Royal Guards, Police
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP ________________________________________________________________________ TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO