2008 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2008 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Background
Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
Geography
Area
total: 748 sq km land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km
Area - comparative
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
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m
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
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
20 00 S, 175 00 W
Geography - note
archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)
Irrigated land
NA
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 20% permanent crops: 14.67% other: 65.33% (2005)
Location
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Natural hazards
cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
Natural resources
fish, fertile soil
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: 33.7% (male 20,484/female 19,633) 15-64 years: 62% (male 36,699/female 37,108) 65 years and over: 4.3% (male 2,135/female 2,950) (2008 est.)
Birth rate
21.81 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate
5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditures
5% of GDP (2004)
Ethnic groups
Polynesian, Europeans
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Infant mortality rate
total: 11.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Languages
Tongan, English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 70.44 years male: 67.9 years female: 73.1 years (2008 est.)
Literacy
definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English total population: 98.9% male: 98.8% female: 99% (1999 est.)
Median age
total: 21.8 years male: 21.3 years female: 22.3 years (2008 est.)
Nationality
noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan
Net migration rate
NA (2008 est.)
Population
119,009 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate
1.669% (2008 est.)
Religions
Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2004)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.5 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Capital
name: Nuku'alofa geographic coordinates: 21 08 S, 175 12 W time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution
4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967
Country name
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga local long form: Pule'anga Tonga local short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands
Diplomatic representation from the US
the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Fekitamoeloa 'UTOIKAMANU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025
Executive branch
chief of state: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 11 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16 May 2006) cabinet: Cabinet consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by the monarch for life; four appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly, including two each from the nobles' and peoples' representatives serving three-year terms note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the cabinet, and two governors elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch
FAX
[1] (917) 369-1024 consulate(s) general: San Francisco
Flag description
red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
Government type
constitutional monarchy
Independence
4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
International organization participation
ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (Chief Justice and high court justices from overseas chosen and approved by Privy Council)
Legal system
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held on 23-24 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - independents 54%, THRDM 28%, PDP 14%; seats - THRDM 4, independents 3, PDP 2
National holiday
Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Political parties and leaders
Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Uliti UATA]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tesina FUKO]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE]
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish
Budget
revenues: $80.48 million expenditures: $109.8 million (FY07/08)
Commercial bank prime lending rate
12.16% (31 December 2007)
Currency (code)
pa'anga (TOP)
Currency code
TOP
Current account balance
-$23 million (2007 est.)
Debt - external
$80.7 million (2004)
Economic aid - recipient
$31.75 million (2005)
Economy - overview
Tonga has a small, open, South Pacific island economy. It has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, vanilla beans, and yams are the main crops, and agricultural exports, including fish, make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government.
Electricity - consumption
39.99 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2007)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production
43 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Exchange rates
pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.0277 (2006), 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003)
Exports
$22 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities
squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops
Exports - partners
US 36.7%, Japan 21.6%, NZ 10.1%, Fiji 5.8%, Samoa 4.9% (2007)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 25% industry: 17% services: 57% (FY05/06 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$5,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
-3.5% (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$219 million (2007 est.)
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$526 million (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$139 million f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities
foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners
Fiji 32.5%, NZ 27.5%, US 9%, Australia 7.4%, China 5% (2007)
Industrial production growth rate
1% (2003 est.)
Industries
tourism, construction, fishing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force
33,910 (2003)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 65% industry and services: 35% (1997 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares
$NA
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2007 est.)
Oil - consumption
870 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - imports
1,035 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - production
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line
24% (FY03/04)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$40.83 million (yearend, FY04/05)
Stock of domestic credit
$163.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of money
$46.38 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money
$106.8 million (31 December 2007)
Unemployment rate
13% (FY03/04 est.)
Communications
Internet country code
.to
Internet hosts
19,231 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
2 (2000)
Internet users
8,400 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios
61,000 (1997)
Telephone system
general assessment: competition between Tonga Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT recently granted authority to develop high-speed digital service for telephone, Internet, and television domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 40 telephones per 100 persons; fully automatic switched network international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004)
Telephones - main lines in use
21,000 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular
46,500 (2007)
Television broadcast stations
3 (2004)
Televisions
2,000 (1997)
Transportation
Airports
6 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Merchant marine
total: 13 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 8, carrier 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 1, Cyprus 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals
Nuku'alofa
Roadways
total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (2000)
Military and Security
Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49: 32,053 females age 16-49: 30,981 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49: 25,520 females age 16-49: 26,893 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 1,464 female: 1,412 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures
0.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)
Tonga Defense Services (TDS)
Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2008)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008