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TONGA
OFFICIAL NAME
Kingdom of Tonga
CAPITAL CITY
Nuku' alofa
Geography
Location:
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 175 00 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total area:
748 sq km
land area:
718 sq km
comparative area:
four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
419 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Terrain:
most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
on Kao Island 1,033 m
Natural resources:
fish, fertile soil
Land use:
arable land:
25%
permanent crops:
55%
meadows and pastures:
6%
forest and woodland:
12%
other:
2%
Irrigated land:
NA sq 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, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Geographic note:
archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)
People
Population:
106,466 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
NA
15-64 years:
NA
65 years and over:
NA
Population growth rate:
0.82% (1996 est.)
Birth rate:
27.33 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate:
6.26 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
NA male(s)/female
under 15 years:
NA male(s)/female
15-64 years:
NA male(s)/female
65 years and over:
NA male(s)/female
all ages:
NA male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate:
40.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
69.04 years
male:
67.03 years
female:
71.4 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.75 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Tongan(s)
adjective:
Tongan
Ethnic divisions:
Polynesian, Europeans about 300
Religions:
Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
Languages:
Tongan, English
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write a simple message in Tongan or English (1976 est.)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%
Government
Name of country:
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form:
Tonga
former:
Friendly Islands
Data code:
TN
Type of government:
hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Nuku'alofa
Administrative divisions:
three island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Independence:
4 June 1970 (emancipation from UK protectorate)
National holiday:
Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Constitution:
4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967
Legal system:
based on English law
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) is a constitutional monarch
head of government:
Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991) and Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991) were appointed for life by the king
cabinet:
Cabinet was appointed by the king
Privy Council:
consists of the king and the Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral
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, 12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine for elected people's representatives) 6 proreform, 3 traditionalist
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the king
Political parties and leaders:
Tonga People's Party, Viliami FUKOFUKA
International organization participation:
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
Diplomatic representation in US:
Tonga does not have an embassy in the US; Ambassador Sione KITE, resides in London
consulate(s) general:
San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga
Economy
Economic overview:
The economy's base is agriculture, which 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 1993-95 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.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $228 million (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate:
4% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita:
$2,160 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture:
40% (1995 est.)
industry:
NA%
services:
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (1993)
Labor force:
32,013 (1990 est.)
by occupation:
agriculture 70% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$44 million
expenditures:
$86 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Industries:
tourism, fishing
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity:
capacity:
6,000 kW
production:
30 million kWh
consumption per capita:
231 kWh (1993)
Agriculture:
coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper
Exports:
$20.3 million (f.o.b., FY93/94)
commodities:
squash, vanilla, fish, root crops, coconut oil
partners:
Japan 59%, US 14%, Australia 6%, NZ 6% (FY93/94)
Imports:
$57.8 million (c.i.f., FY93/94)
commodities:
food products, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, fuels, chemicals
partners:
NZ 44%, Australia 22%, US 8%, Japan 7% (FY93/94)
External debt:
$48.4 million (FY93/94)
Economic aid:
recipient:
ODA, $NA
Currency:
1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti
Exchange rates:
pa'anga (T$) per US$1 - 1.2753 (December 1995), 1.2709 (1995), 1.3202 (1994), 1.3841 (1993), 1.3471 (1992), 1.2961 (1991)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Transportation
Railways:
0 km
Highways:
total:
432 km
paved:
280 km
unpaved:
152 km (1987 est.)
Ports:
Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai
Merchant marine:
total:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,990 GRT/14,884 DWT
ships by type:
cargo 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1995 est.)
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 2 437 m:
1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m:
2 (1995 est.)
Communications
Telephones:
3,500 (1986 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic:
NA
international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios:
66,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations:
0
Televisions:
1,000 (1992 est.)
Defense
Branches:
Tonga Defense Services, Maritime Division, Royal Tongan Marines, Tongan Royal Guards, Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49:
NA
males fit for military service:
NA
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
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