2019 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; in 2008, King George TUPOU V announced he was relinquishing most of his powers leading up to parliamentary elections in 2010. TUPOU died in 2012 and was succeeded by his brother 'Aho'eitu TUPOU VI. Tropical Cyclone Gita, the strongest-ever recorded storm to impact Tonga, hit the islands in February 2018 causing extensive damage.

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

Highest Point

Kao Volcano on Kao Island 1,046 m

Lowest Point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment Current Issues

deforestation from land being cleared for agriculture and settlement; soil exhaustion; water pollution due to salinization, sewage, and toxic chemicals from farming activities; coral reefs and marine populations threatened

Environment International Agreements

Party To

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, 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

the western islands (making up the Tongan Volcanic Arch) are all of volcanic origin; the eastern islands are nonvolcanic and are composed of coral limestone and sand

Irrigated Land

0 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

43.1% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

22.2% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

15.3% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

5.6% (2011 est.)

Forest

12.5% (2011 est.)

Other

44.4% (2011 est.)

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'ouvolcanism: moderate volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has shown frequent activity in recent years, while Niuafo'ou (260 m), which last erupted in 1985, has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua

Natural Resources

arable land, fish

Population Distribution

over two-thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied

Terrain

mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock

Age Structure

0 14 Years

33.26% (male 17,979 /female 17,404)

15 24 Years

19.69% (male 10,725 /female 10,223)

25 54 Years

34.69% (male 18,436 /female 18,469)

55 64 Years

5.81% (male 3,098 /female 3,089)

65 Years And Over

6.56% (male 3,140 /female 3,835) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

21.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

1.9% (2012)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

34.1% (2012)

Current Health Expenditure

5.3% (2016)

Death Rate

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

10.2 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

9.8 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

74.2 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

63.9 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

99.6% of population

Improved Total

99.6% of population

Improved Urban

99.7% of population

Unimproved Rural

0.4% of population

Unimproved Total

0.4% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0.3% of population

Ethnic Groups

Tongan 97%, part-Tongan 0.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified <.1% (2016 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

2.6 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

10.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

11.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

10.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Tongan and English 76.8%, Tongan, English, and other language 10.6%, Tongan only (official) 8.7%, English only (official) 0.7%, other 1.7%, none 2.2% (2016 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

78.3 years

Male

75 years

Total Population

76.6 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

can read and write Tongan and/or English

Female

99.4% (2015)

Male

99.3%

Total Population

99.4%

Major Infectious Diseases

note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus

Major Urban Areas Population

23,000 NUKU'ALOFA (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

52 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

23.8 years

Male

22.9 years

Total

23.3 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

24.9 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Tongan

Noun

Tongan(s)

Net Migration Rate

-17.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

48.2% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.52 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

106,398 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

-0.1% (2018 est.)

Religions

Protestant 64.1% (includes Free Wesleyan Church 35%, Free Church of Tonga 11.9%, Church of Tonga 6.8%, Assembly of God 2.3%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.2%, Tokaikolo Christian Church 1.6%, other 4.3%), Mormon 18.6%, Roman Catholic 14.2%, other 2.4%, none 0.5%, unspecified 0.1% (2016 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

89% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

91% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

97.6% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

11% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

9% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

2.4% of population (2015 est.)

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.03 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.05 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

1 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

1 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.82 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.03 male(s)/female

Total Population

1.01 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

3.03 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

0.71% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

23.1% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

5 island divisions; 'Eua, Ha'apai, Ongo Niua, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Capital

Daylight Saving Time

+1hr, begins first Sunday in November; ends second Sunday in January

Geographic Coordinates

21 08 S, 175 12 W

Name

Nuku'alofa

Time Difference

UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth

no

Citizenship By Descent Only

the father must be a citizen of Tonga; if a child is born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Tonga

Dual Citizenship Recognized

yes

Residency Requirement For Naturalization

5 years

Constitution

Amendments

proposed by the Legislative Assembly; passage requires approval by the Assembly in each of three readings, the unanimous approval of the Privy Council (a high-level advisory body to the monarch), the Cabinet, and assent to by the monarch; revised 1988; amended many times, last in 2016 (2018)

History

adopted 4 November 1875

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Kingdom of Tonga

Conventional Short Form

Tonga

Etymology

"tonga" means "south" in the Tongan language and refers to the country's geographic position in relation to central Polynesia

Former

Friendly Islands

Local Long Form

Pule'anga Fakatu'i 'o 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 Mahe'uli'uli Sandhurst TUPOUNIUA (since 17 September 2013)

Consulate's General

San Francisco

Fax

[1] (917) 369-1024

Telephone

[1] (917) 369-1025

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch

Chief Of State

King TUPOU VI (since 18 March 2012); Heir Apparent Crown Prince Siaosi Manumataogo 'Alaivahamama'o 'Ahoeitu Konstantin Tuku'aho, son of the king (born 17 September 1985); note - on 18 March 2012, King George TUPOU V died and his brother, Crown Prince TUPOUTO'A Lavaka, assumed the throne as TUPOU VI

Election Results

Pohiva TU'I'ONETOA (Peoples Party) elected prime minister by parliament receiving 15of 23 votes cast

Elections Appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly and appointed by the monarch; election last held on 27 September 2019 (next to be held in November 2020)

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Pohiva TU'I'ONETOA (since 27 September 2019)

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, and white signifies purity

Government Type

constitutional monarchy

Independence

4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate status)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International Organization Participation

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and a number of judges determined by the monarch); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are brought before the King in Privy Council, the monarch's advisory organ that has both judicial and legislative powers

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

judge appointments and tenures made by the King in Privy Council and subject to consent of the Legislative Assembly

Subordinate Courts

Supreme Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land Courts

Legal System

English common law

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (up to 30 seats; - 26 for the 2017-19 term); 17 people's representatives directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, and 9 indirectly elected by hereditary leaders; members serve 3-year terms)

Election Results

percent of vote - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 14, nobles' representatives 9, independent 3; composition - men 24, women 2, percent of women 7.7%

Elections

last held on 16 November 2017 (next to be held in 2020)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Uelingatoni Ngu TUPOUMALOHI/Karl Gustavus SCHMITT

Name

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

National Holiday

Official Birthday of King TUPOU VI, 4 July (1959); note - actual birthday of the monarch is 12 July 1959, 4 July (2015) is the day the king was crowned; Constitution Day (National Day), 4 November (1875)

National Symbol S

red cross on white field, arms equal length; national colors: red, white

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 Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, sweet potatoes, cassava, taro, and kava

Budget

Expenditures

181.2 million (2017 est.)

Revenues

181.2 million (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

0% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

7.9%

31 December 2017

8%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$30 million

2017

-$53 million

Debt External

31 December 2016

$198.2 million

31 December 2017

$189.9 million

Economy Overview

Tonga has a small, open island economy and is the last constitutional monarchy among the Pacific Island countries. 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. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. Tonga had 53,800 visitors in 2015. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand.The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from overseas Tongans to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, encouraging investment, and is committing increased funds for health care and education. Tonga's English-speaking and educated workforce offers a viable labor market, and the tropical climate provides fertile soil. Renewable energy and deep-sea mining also offer opportunities for investment.Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well developed social services. But the government faces high unemployment among the young, moderate inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures.

Exchange Rates

2013

1.847

2014

2.106

2015

2.216

2016

2.216

2017

2.228

Currency

pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$19.4 million

2017

$18.4 million

Exports Commodities

squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops, kava

Exports Partners

Hong Kong 25.1%, NZ 22.6%, US 14.3%, Japan 12.8%, Australia 10.5% (2017)

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

22.8% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

21.9% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

99.4% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-68.5% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

24.1% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

19.9% (2017 est.)

Industry

20.3% (2017 est.)

Services

59.8% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$455 million (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$5,400

2016

$5,700

2017

$5,900

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$553.6 million

2016

$576.6 million

2017

$591 million

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

3.5%

2016

4.2%

2017

2.5%

Imports

2016

$269.8 million

2017

$250.2 million

Imports Commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports Partners

NZ 33.3%, Fiji 11.7%, US 9.8%, Singapore 9%, Australia 8.9%, China 7.9%, Japan 5.9% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

5% (2017 est.)

Industries

tourism, construction, fishing

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

2.6%

2017

7.4%

Labor Force

33,800 (2011 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

2,006% (2006 est.)

Industry

27.5% (2006 est.)

Services

2,006% (2006 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

NA

Population Below Poverty Line

22.5% (2010 est.)

Public Debt

FY2016

51.8% of GDP

FY2017

48% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$176.5 million

31 December 2017

$198.5 million

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$112.7 million

31 December 2017

$130.8 million

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

31 December 2016

$117.2 million

31 December 2017

$127.2 million

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$135.2 million

31 December 2017

$139.2 million

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$112.7 million

31 December 2017

$130.8 million

Taxes And Other Revenues

39.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2006

1.1%

2011

1.1%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

139,700 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification Rural Areas

96.6% (2016)

Electrification Total Population

97% (2016)

Electrification Urban Areas

98.6% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

48.36 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

74% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

26% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

20,300 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

52 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

900 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

910 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

3 (2017 est.)

Total

3,000

Broadcast Media

1 state-owned TV station and 3 privately owned TV stations; satellite and cable TV services are available; 1 state-owned and 5 privately owned radio stations; Radio Australia broadcasts available via satellite (2019)

Internet Country Code

.to

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

40% (July 2016 est.)

Total

42,552

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line 14 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity 70 telephones per 100; fully automatic switched network (2018)

General Assessment

high speed Internet provided by 3 MNOs, which has subsequently allowed for better health care services, faster connections for education and growing e-commerce services; fixed-line teledensity has dropped given mobile subscriptions; mobile technology dominates given the island geography; satellite technology is widespread and is important especially in areas away from the city (2018)

International

country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); in 2013 undersea fibre-optic cable links Tonga to Fiji and Sydney (2017)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

10 (July 2016 est.)

Total Subscriptions

11,000

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

75 (July 2016 est.)

Total Subscriptions

80,000

Airports

6 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

2 438 To 3 047 M

1 (2013)

Total

1 (2013)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

1 (2013)

914 To 1 523 M

3 (2013)

Total

5 (2013)

Under 914 M

1 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

A3 (2016)

Merchant Marine

By Type

bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 15, oil tanker 1, other 15 (2018)

Total

33

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

0 mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

75,416 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

1 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

1 (2015)

Ports And Terminals

Nuku'alofa, Neiafu, Pangai

Roadways

Paved

184 km (2011)

Total

680 km (2011)

Unpaved

496 km (2011)

Military And Security Forces

His Majesty's Armed Forces (HMAF): Territorial Forces, Land Force (includes Tonga Royal Guards, Royal Tonga Marines, and a Combined Log and Tech Support Unit), Tonga Navy, Training Wing, Air Wing and Support Unit (2019)

Military Service Age And Obligation

Volunteers, 18-25; no conscription (2014)

Disputes International

maritime boundary dispute with Fiji