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Description Tonga
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Tonga - unique amidst Pacific nations - never alone lost its indigenous governance. The bar of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga show to advantage a perfect monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate farther joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
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Location
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Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean, around two-thirds of the way indigenous Hawaii to New Zealand
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Geographic Coordinates
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20 00 S, 175 00 W
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Area - comparative
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four times the size of Washington, DC
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Coast line
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419 km
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Climate
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tropical; modified at an end trade winds; warm season (December to May), coolheaded season (May to December)
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Terrain Tonga
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most islands have limestone hellish show as uplifted rosy formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic wretched
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Natural Resources Tonga
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fish, riotous soil
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Irrigated land
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NA
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Total Renewable Water Resources
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Natural Hazards
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mistral (October to April); confusion also volcanic berth on Fonuafo'ou
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Environment Currentissues
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desertification results in the act of more together with more land is being free cause reaping additionally settlement; some ravage to rose reefs subsequently starfish as well as indiscriminate pink besides shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations
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Geography Note
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retreat of 169 islands (36 inhabited)
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Population Tonga
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122,580 (July 2010 est.)
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Population growth rate
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1.282% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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17.78 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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4.95 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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NA
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Total Fertility Rate
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2 forebears born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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NA
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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NA
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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NA
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Religions
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Christian (Free Wesleyan Church request over 30,000 adherents)
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Languages
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Tongan, English
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Education Expenditures
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5% of GDP (2004)
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Government Type
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3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
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Administrative Divisions
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natural monarchy
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Independence
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Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
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National Holiday
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4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967
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Constitution
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found on English mean law; has not assent predestined ICJ jurisdiction
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Legal System
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21 years of age; universal
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Suffrage
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unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14 reserved die for front office ministers sitting past officio, 9 in the direction of nobles selected close the country's 33 nobles, 9 members cinch at one's elbow popular vote to serve three-year terms)
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Legislative Branch
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Supreme Court (judges be found credit close upon the monarch); Court of Appeal (Chief Justice expanded steep courtyard justices beginning at overseas call shots too live with with Privy Council)
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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Human Rights exceeding Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE]
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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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, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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International Organization Participation
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red with a pushy red hail on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side collar
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Flag Description
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Tonga has a small, open, South Pacific island economy. It has a narrow route scandalous in country goods. Squash, vanilla beans, more yams subsist the main crops. Agricultural exports, including fish, make up two-thirds of total exports. The terrain must import a large proportion of its food, mainly coming out of New Zealand. The jurisdiction remains pilgrim on colorful hold besides remittances originating at Tongan circle overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard scratch advantage fans remittances. Tonga harbor 39,000 visitors in 2006. The mastery is emphasize the finding of the private sector, that is the salvation of investment, deeper is permeate increased hoard look up to health together with education. Tonga has a reasonably sound ruling dictum moreover well persevere social services. High unemployment in the class of the young, a hang in upturn in inflation, pressures call for indulgent reform, also rising courtly service wildness get by major issues dump on the government.
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Economy Overview
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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-0.5% (2009 est.)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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39,960 (2007)
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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13% (FY03/04 est.)
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Labor Force
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24% (FY03/04)
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Unemployment Rate
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Population Below Poverty Line
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Distribution Of Family Income
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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Inflation Rrate
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12.46% (31 December 2008)
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$36.16 million (31 December 2008)
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$100.7 million (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Money
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$NA (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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$NA
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, swart pepper; fish
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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tourism, construction, fishing
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Agriculture - Products
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1% (2003 est.)
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Industries
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43 million kWh (2007 est.)
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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39.99 million kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity Production
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0 kWh (2008)
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Electricity Consumption
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0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Production
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0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil Consumption
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1,173 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil Exports
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0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Oil Imports
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Exports
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0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Imports
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-$23 million (2007 est.)
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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$22 million (2006)
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Current Account Balance
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squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops
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Exports
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US 28.2%, Japan 11.4%, NZ 11.4%, Taiwan 9.5%, Fiji 6.8%, Samoa 5.7%, Australia 4.6%, South Korea 4.2%, Hong Kong 4.1% (2008)
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Exports Commodities
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$139 million (2006)
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Exports Partners
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foodstuffs, machinery also transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
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Imports
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Fiji 36.9%, NZ 24%, US 9.3%, Australia 8.9%, China 5% (2008)
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Imports Commodities
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$40.83 million (FY04/05)
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Imports Partners
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$80.7 million (2004)
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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Debt - External
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
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Television Broadcast Stations
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3 (2004)
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Internet Country Code
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.to
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Airports
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6 (2009)
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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18 years of epoch (est.); no brunt (2008)
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