2022 Edition

Background

The first humans arrived in Tonga around 1000 B.C. The islands’ politics were probably highly centralized under the Tu’i Tonga, or Tongan king, by A.D. 950, and by 1200, the Tu’i Tonga had expanded his influence throughout Polynesia and into Melanesia and Micronesia. The Tongan Empire began to decline in the 1300s, descending into civil wars, a military defeat to Samoa, and internal political strife that saw successive leaders assassinated. By the mid-1500s, some Tu’i Tongans were ethnic Samoan and day-to-day administration of Tonga was transferred to a new position occupied by ethnic Tongans.Dutch sailors explored the islands in the 1600s and British Captain James COOK visited Tonga three times in the 1770s, naming them the Friendly Islands for the positive reception he thought he received, even though the Tongans he encountered were plotting ways to kill him. In 1799, Tonga fell into a new round of civil wars over succession. Wesleyan missionaries arrived in 1822, quickly converting the population. In the 1830s, a low-ranking chief from Ha’apai began to consolidate control over the islands and won the support of the missionaries by declaring that he would dedicate Tonga to God. The chief soon made alliances with leaders on most of the other islands and was crowned King George TUPOU I in 1845, establishing the only still-extant Polynesian monarchy. TUPOU I declared Tonga a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and his successor, King George TUPOU II, agreed to enter a protectorate agreement with the UK in 1900 after rival Tongan chiefs tried to overthrow him. As a protectorate, Tonga never completely lost its indigenous governance, but it did become more isolated and the social hierarchy became more stratified between a group of nobles and a large class of commoners. Today, about one third of parliamentary seats are reserved for nobles.Queen Salote TUPOU III negotiated the end of the protectorate in 1965, which was achieved under King TUPOU IV, who in 1970 withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations. A prodemocracy movement gained steam in the early 2000s, led by future Prime Minister ‘Akilisi POHIVA, and in 2006, riots broke out in Nuku’alofa to protest the lack of progress on prodemocracy legislation. To appease the activists, in 2008, King George TUPOU V announced he was relinquishing most of his powers leading up to parliamentary elections in 2010; he 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

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 (2022)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

43.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 15.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 5.6% (2018 est.)

forest

12.5% (2018 est.)

other

44.4% (2018 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

32% (male 17,250/female 16,698)

15-24 years

19.66% (male 10,679/female 10,175)

25-54 years

35.35% (male 18,701/female 18,802)

55-64 years

6.17% (male 3,345/female 3,202)

65 years and over

6.83% (male 3,249/female 3,994) (2020 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

20.31 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

2.8% (2019 est.)

women married by age 15

0.4%

women married by age 18

10.1%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

0.8% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

29.3% (2019)

Current health expenditure

5% of GDP (2019)

Death rate

4.95 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

10.5

potential support ratio

9.5 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

68.6

youth dependency ratio

58.5

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 99.6% of population

improved: total

total: 99.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population

Education expenditures

6.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Tongan 97%, part-Tongan 0.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified <0.1% (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

11.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

male

13.43 deaths/1,000 live births

total

12.41 deaths/1,000 live births

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.)

note

note: data represent persons aged 5 and older who can read and write a simple sentence in Tongan, English, or another language

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.23 years (2022 est.)

male

75.89 years

total population

77.53 years

Literacy

definition

can read and write Tongan and/or English

female

99.5% (2018)

male

99.4%

total population

99.4%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

malaria

Major urban areas - population

23,000 NUKU'ALOFA (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

24.5 years (2020 est.)

male

23.6 years

total

24.1 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

24.9 years (2012 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Tongan

noun

Tongan(s)

Net migration rate

-18.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

48.2% (2016)

Physicians density

0.95 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

105,517 (2022 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

-0.26% (2022 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%), Church of Jesus Christ 18.6%, Roman Catholic 14.2%, other 2.4%, none 0.5%, unspecified 0.1% (2016 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 98.8% of population

improved: total

total: 98.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.4% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.6% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2020)

male

15 years

total

16 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.7 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Tobacco use

female

15.3% (2020 est.)

male

46.7% (2020 est.)

total

31% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.76 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

23.2% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

11.7% (2018)

male

3.4%

total

6.7%

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

etymology

composed of the words nuku, meaning "residence or abode," and alofa, meaning "love," to signify "abode of love"

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 2013

history

adopted 4 November 1875, revised 1988, 2016

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

embassy

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 Viliami Va’inga TONE (since 20 April 2021)

consulate(s) general

San Francisco

email address and website

tongaunmission@aol.com

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

Siaosi SOVALENI elected prime minister by the Legislative Assembly; Siaosi SOVALENI 16 votes, Aisake EKE 10

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 18 November 2021 (next to be held in November 2025)

head of government

Prime Minister Siaosi SOVALENI (since 27 December 2021)

note

note: a Privy Council advises the monarch

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 court(s)

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 (30 seats statutory, 27 current); 17 people's representatives directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, and 9 indirectly elected by hereditary leaders; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote - NA; seats by party (elected members) - independents 11, nobles' representatives 9,  Democratic Party 3, Peoples Party 3; composition - men 26, women 1, percent of women 3.7%

elections

last held on 18 November 2021 (next to be held in November 2025)

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)

note

note: in use since 1875; more commonly known as "Fasi Fakafonua" (National Song)

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 or DPFI or PTOA [Semisi SIKA]People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tesina FUKO]Tonga Democratic Labor Party [vacant]Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or HRDM ['Uliti UATA]Tonga People's Party or PAK or TPPI (Paati ʻa e Kakai ʻo Tonga) [Pohiva TU'I'ONETOA] (split from Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands)

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

coconuts, gourds, cassava, sweet potatoes, vegetables, yams, taro, roots/tubers nes, plantains, lemons/limes

Budget

expenditures

181.2 million (2017 est.)

revenues

181.2 million (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$30 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$53 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$198.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$189.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic 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

Currency

pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

1.847 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

2.106 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

2.22717 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

2.29095 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

2.27015 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$100 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2019

$110 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$90 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

squash, fish, various fruits and nuts, antiques, coral and shells (2019)

Exports - partners

United States 38%, South Korea 18%, Australia 14%, New Zealand 14%, Japan 6%,  (2019)

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.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

37.6 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2018

$320 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2019

$330 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$300 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, poultry meats, audio equipment, mutton, goat meat, broadcasting equipment (2019)

Imports - partners

Fiji 29%, New Zealand 23%, China 14%, United States 8%, Australia 6%, Japan 6% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

5% (2017 est.)

Industries

tourism, construction, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

2.6% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

7.4% (2017 est.)

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.)

Population below poverty line

22.5% (2010 est.)

Public debt

Public debt FY2016

51.8% of GDP (FY2016 est.)

Public debt FY2017

48% of GDP (FY2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017

$660 million (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$660 million (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$670 million (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

3.5% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

4.2% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

2.5% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2017

$6,472 (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2018

$6,400 (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$6,400 (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$176.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$198.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

39.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2006

1.1% (2006)

Unemployment rate 2011

1.1% (2011 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

11.7% (2018)

male

3.4%

total

6.7%

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

171,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

171,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

54.448 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

26,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

5.9 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

98.9% (2018)

electrification - total population

98.9% (2018)

electrification - urban areas

98.9% (2018)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

22.841 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

1,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 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

5 (2020 est.)

total

5,000 (2020 est.)

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

41% (2019 est.)

total

42,844 (2019 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line 7 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity 59 telephones per 100; fully automatic switched network (2020)

general assessment

high speed Internet provided by 3 Mobile Network Operators, has subsequently allowed for better health care services, faster connections for education and growing e-commerce services; in 2018 new 4G LTE network; fixed-line teledensity has dropped given mobile subscriptions; mobile technology dominates given the island's geography; satellite technology is widespread and is important especially in areas away from the city; the launch in 2019 of the Kacific-1 broadband satellite has made broadband more widely available for around 89 remote communities (2020)

international

country code - 676; landing point for the Tonga Cable and the TDCE connecting to Fiji and 3 separate Tonga islands; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2020)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

7 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

7,000 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

59.43 (2019)

total subscriptions

62,104 (2019)

Airports

total

6 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m

1 (2021)

total

1

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

3

total

5

under 914 m

1 (2021)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

A3

Merchant marine

by type

container ship 4, general cargo 13, oil tanker 1, other 14 (2021)

total

32

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

1

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Nuku'alofa, Neiafu, Pangai

Roadways

paved

184 km (2011)

total

680 km (2011)

unpaved

496 km (2011)

Military - note

Tonga participated in World War I as part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, but the Tonga Defense Force (TDF) was not established until 1939 at the beginning of World War II; in 1943, New Zealand helped train about 2,000 Tongan troops who saw action in the Solomon Islands; the TDF was disbanded at the end of the war, but was reactivated in 1946 as the Tonga Defense Services (TDS); in 2013, the name of the TDS was changed to His Majesty’s Armed Forces of Tonga (HMAF); Tongan troops deployed to Iraq from 2004-2008 and Afghanistan to support UK forces from 2010-2014Tonga has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Tonga's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2022)

Military and security forces

His Majesty's Armed Forces Tonga (aka Tonga Defense Services): Joint Force headquarters, Tonga Royal Guard, Land Force (Royal Tongan Marines), Tonga Navy, Training Wing, Air Wing, and Support Unit (2022)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 650 personnel (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Tonga military's inventory includes mostly light weapons and equipment from Australia, European (primarily the UK) countries, and the US (2022)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

1.7% of GDP (2016 est.) (approximately $7.6 million)

Military Expenditures 2017

2.1% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $10 million)

Military Expenditures 2018

1.5% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $7.1 million)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.4% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $12 million)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.1% of GDP (2020 est.) (approximately $10 million)

Military service age and obligation

voluntary military service for men and women 18-25 (16 with parental approval for non-combat positions); no conscription (2022)

Disputes - international

Tonga-Fiji: Fiji does not recognize Tonga’s 1972 claim to the Minerva Reefs and their surrounding waters; the Minerva Reefs’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone includes valuable fishing grounds  

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.13 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.12 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

10.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

43.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 15.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 5.6% (2018 est.)

forest

12.5% (2018 est.)

other

44.4% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

malaria

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

23.2% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

17,238 tons (2012 est.)