Airports [time series]

total: 6 usable: 6 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 366 km paved: 272 km (198 km on Tongatapu; 74 km on Vava'u) unpaved: 94 km (usable only in dry weather)

Merchant marine [time series]

3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,761 GRT/10,597 DWT, cargo 1, liquefied gas 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1

Ports [time series]

Nuku'alofa, Neiafu, Pangai

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

3,529 telephones; 66,000 radios; no TV sets; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Tonga Defense Services, Maritime Division, Royal Tongan Marines, Tongan Royal Guards, Police

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 40% of GDP; dominated by coconut, copra, and banana production; vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper

Budget [time series]

revenues: $36.4 million expenditures: $68.1 million, including capital expenditures of $33.2 million (1991 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $16 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $258 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 6,000 kW production: 8 million kWh consumption per capita: 80 kWh (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

pa'anga (T$) per US$1 - 1.3934 (November 1993), 1.3471 (1992), 1.2961 (1991), 1.2809 (1990), 1.2637 (1989),

Exports [time series]

$18.8 million (f.o.b., FY92 est.) commodities: vanilla, fish, root crops, coconut oil, squash partners: Japan 34%, US 17%, Australia 13%, NZ 13% (FY91)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$47.5 million (FY91)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July-30 June

Imports [time series]

$68.3 million (c.i.f., FY92 est.) commodities: food products, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, fuels, chemicals partners: NZ 33%, Australia 22%, US 8%, Japan 8% (FY91)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 1.5% (FY92); accounts for 11% of GDP

Industries [time series]

tourism, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

9% (FY92)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $200 million (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$2,000 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

4% (1993 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy's base is agriculture, which employs about 70% of the labor force and contributes 40% to GDP. Coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops and make up two-thirds of 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 island remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to offset its trade deficit. The economy continued to grow in 1993 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.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

total area: 748 sq km land area: 718 sq km comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

419 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: deforestation natural hazards: subject to cyclones (October to April) international agreements: party to - Marine Life Conservation

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 25% permanent crops: 55% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 12% other: 2%

Location [time series]

Oceania, Polynesia, 2,250 km north-northwest of New Zealand, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Map references [time series]

Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

fish, fertile soil

Note [time series]

archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)

Terrain [time series]

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Nuku'alofa

Constitution [time series]

4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Digraph [time series]

TN

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

Ambassador Sione KITE, resides in London consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) head of government: Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991); Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the king

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

4 June 1970 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

based on English law

Legislative branch (Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea)) [time series]

elections last held 14-15 February 1990 (next to be held NA February 1993); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (29 total, 9 elected) 6 proreform, 3 traditionalist

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Democratic Reform Movement, 'Akilisi POHIVA; Christian Democratic Party, leader NA

Legislative branch (Privy Council) [time series]

consists of the king and the cabinet

Suffrage [time series]

all literate, tax-paying males and all literate females over 21

Government type (Type) [time series]

hereditary constitutional monarchy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

the US has no offices in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga and makes periodic visits

Birth rate [time series]

24.76 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.75 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Infant mortality rate [time series]

20.79 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

NA by occupation: agriculture 70%, mining (600 engaged in mining)

Languages [time series]

Tongan, English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 67.97 years male: 65.64 years female: 70.43 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write simple message in Tongan or English (1976) total population: 57% male: 60% female: 60%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan

Net migration rate [time series]

-10.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

104,778 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.79% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.62 children born/woman (1994 est.)