2010 Edition

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.

Area

land

717 sq km

total

747 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

highest point

unnamed elevation on Kao Island 1,033 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 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%

other

65.33% (2005)

permanent crops

14.67%

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 hazards

cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou

volcanism

the Tonga Islands experience volcanic activity; Fonualei (elev. 180 m, 591 ft) has shown frequent activity in recent years, while Niuafo'ou (elev. 260 m, 853 ft), which last erupted in 1985, has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua

Natural resources

fish, fertile soil

Terrain

most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Age structure

0-14 years: 32.8% (male 20,270/female 19,428) 15-64 years: 62.9% (male 37,837/female 38,166) 65 years and over: 4.3% (male 2,163/female 3,034) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

17.78 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

4.95 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

4.7% 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

female

10.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

12.42 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.28 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Tongan (official), English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

73.73 years (2010 est.)

male

68.46 years

total population

71.03 years

Literacy

definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English

female

99% (1999 est.)

male

98.8%

total population

98.9%

Median age

female

23.2 years (2010 est.)

male

22.3 years

total

22.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Tongan

noun

Tongan(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

Population

122,580 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

1.282% (2010 est.)

Religions

Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2004)

male

14 years

total

14 years

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: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

2 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

25% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

21 08 S, 175 12 W

name

Nuku'alofa

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

former

Friendly Islands

local long form

Pule'anga Tonga

local short form

Tonga

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022

chief of mission

Ambassador Sonatane Tu'akinamolahi TAUMOEPEAU-TUPOU

consulate(s) general

San Francisco

FAX

[1] (917) 369-1024

telephone

[1] (917) 369-1025

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet is nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) note: there is also a Privy Council that advises the monarch

chief of state

King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)

election results

Lord Siale'ataonga TU'IVAKANO elected by parliament on 21 December 2010 with 14 of 26 votes

elections

the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members of parliament and appointed by the monarch

head of government

Prime Minister Lord Siale'ataonga TU'IVAKANO (since 22 December 2010)

Flag description

red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner; the cross reflects the deep-rooted Christianity in Tonga; red represents the blood of Christ and his sacrifice; white signifies purity

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Independence

4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

International organization participation

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, 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, 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 (26 seats - 9 for nobles elected from among the country's 29 nobles, 17 members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - independents 67.3%, Democratic Party 28.5%; seats - Democratic Party 12, independents 5

elections

last held on 25 November 2010 (next to be held in 2014)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Uelingatoni Ngu TUPOUMALOHI/Karl Gustavus SCHMITT note: in use since 1875; the anthem is more commonly known as "Fasi Fakafonua" (National Song)

name

"Ko e fasi `o e tu"i `o e `Otu Tonga" (Song of the King of the Tonga Islands)

National holiday

Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands [Samuela 'Akilisi POHIVA]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tesina FUKO]; Sustainable Nation-Building Party [Sione FONUA]; Tonga Democratic Labor Party [NA]; Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Uliti UATA]

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

Agriculture - products

squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Commercial bank prime lending rate

12.47% (31 December 2009 est.) 12.46% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$23 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$80.7 million (2004)

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. 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. Tonga had 39,000 visitors in 2006. 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 (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

43 million kWh (2007 est.)

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 (2006)

Exports - commodities

squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Exports - partners

Hong Kong 25.42%, US 22.65%, Japan 12.21%, NZ 7.31%, Fiji 7.2%, Samoa 6.06%, South Korea 4.48% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

25%

industry

17%

services

57% (FY05/06 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$6,300 (2010 est.) $6,400 (2009 est.) $6,500 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

-0.5% (2010 est.) -0.5% (2009 est.) 1.2% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$301 million (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$767 million (2010 est.) $770.9 million (2009 est.) $774.7 million (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$139 million (2006)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners

Fiji 34.37%, NZ 25.03%, US 9.43%, Australia 7.53%, China 5.64% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (2003 est.)

Industries

tourism, construction, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.9% (2007 est.)

Labor force

39,960 (2007)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

31.8%

industry

30.6%

services

2,003% (2003 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

1,173 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

24% (FY03/04)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$40.83 million (FY04/05)

Stock of broad money

$153.8 million (31 December 2009) $136.9 million (31 December 2008)

Stock of domestic credit

$149.2 million (31 December 2008 est.) $163.1 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$44.64 million (31 December 2009) $36.16 million (31 December 2008)

Unemployment rate

13% (FY03/04 est.)

Broadcast media

2 state-owned television stations and 2 privately-owned stations; satellite and cable TV services are available; 2 state-owned and 3 privately-owned radio stations; Radio Australia broadcasts obtainable via a satellite feed (2009)

Internet country code

.to

Internet hosts

20,847 (2010)

Internet users

8,400 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about 70 telephones per 100 persons; fully automatic switched network

general assessment

competition between Tonga Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT granted approval to introduce high-speed digital service for telephone, Internet, and television while TCC has exclusive rights to operate the mobile-phone network; international telecom services are provided by government-owned Tonga Telecommunications International (TTI)

international

country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

31,000 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

53,000 (2009)

Airports

6 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 1, cargo 6, carrier 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1

foreign-owned

3 (Australia 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2010)

total

10

Ports and terminals

Nuku'alofa, Neiafu, Pangai

Roadways

paved

184 km

total

680 km

unpaved

496 km (2000)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 34,254 females age 16-49: 32,974 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 27,404 females age 16-49: 28,509 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

1,392 (2010 est.)

male

1,448

Military branches

Tonga Defense Services (TDS)

Land Force (Royal Guard), Maritime Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2010)

Military expenditures

0.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Military service age and obligation

16 years of age for voluntary enlistment (with parental approval); no conscription (2010)

Disputes - international

none page last updated on January 3, 2011 ======================================================================