Tonga

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

61,000 (1997)

Telephone system

domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

7,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

114 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

2,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $49 million expenditures: $120 million, including capital expenditures of $75 million (FY96/97 est.)

Currency

1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti

Debt - external

$62 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$38.8 million (1995)

Economy - overview

The economy's base is agriculture, which contributes 30% 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 industrial sector accounts for only 10% of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard currency earnings. The country remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment.

Electricity - consumption

33 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

35 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates

pa'anga (T$) per US$1 - 1.6250 (November 1999), 1.4921 (1998), 1.2635 (1997), 1.2323 (1996), 1.2709 (1995)

Exports

$8 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities

squash, fish, vanilla beans

Exports - partners

Japan 53%, US 18%, NZ 6%, Australia 6% (1997 est.)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $238 million (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 30% industry: 10% services: 60% (1997)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,200 (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-0.3% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$69 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners

NZ 30%, Australia 19%, US 11%, UK 11%, Japan 3% (1997 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

1.9% (FY95/96)

Industries

tourism, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.2% (1998 est.)

Labor force

36,665 (1994)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

11.8% (FY93/94)

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, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, 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 170 islands (36 inhabited)

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 24% permanent crops: 43% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 11% other: 16% (1993 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'ou

Natural resources

fish, fertile soil

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Nuku'alofa

Constitution

4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands

Data code

TN

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

Tonga does not have an embassy in the US; Ambassador Akosita FINEANGANOFO, resides in London; address: Embassy of the Kingdom of Tonga, c/o Tonga High Commission, 36 Molyneux Street, London W1H 6AB, telephone [44] (171) 724-5828, FAX [44] (171) 723-9074 consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Executive branch

chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) head of government: Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991) and Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch and the Cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch

Flag description

red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

Government type

hereditary constitutional monarchy

Independence

4 June 1970 (emancipation from UK protectorate)

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the monarch; Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court sits as the Court of Appeal

Legal system

based on English law

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12 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 NA March 1999 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 40%; seats - pro-democratic 5, traditionalist 4

National holiday

Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Political parties and leaders

Human Rights and Democracy Movement [Huliki WATAB, chairman, Viliami FUKOFUKA, president, 'Akilisi POHIVA, vice president]

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Background

The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Military branches

Tonga Defense Services (includes, Royal Tongan Marines, Tongan Royal Guards, Maritime Force, Police); note - a new Air Wing which will be subordinate to the Defense Ministry is being developed

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Age structure

0-14 years: 41.52% (male 21,633; female 20,850) 15-64 years: 54.43% (male 27,419; female 28,274) 65 years and over: 4.05% (male 1,877; female 2,268) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

24.92 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

5.86 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Infant mortality rate

14.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Tongan, English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 67.94 years male: 65.54 years female: 70.45 years (2000 est.)

Literacy

definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English total population: 98.5% male: 98.4% female: 98.7% (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

102,321 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.91% (2000 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.2 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports

6 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Highways

total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,760 GRT/25,948 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, liquified gas 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai

Railways

0 km