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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$70 million (1995)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $37 million (1994)

Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]

The economy's base is agriculture, which contributes 32% 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 also remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to offset its trade deficit. The economy grew at a declining rate in 1993-96. The government has been turning its attention to further development of the private sector and the reduction of the budget deficit.

Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

7,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

284 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

30 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

pa'anga (T$) per US$1-1.3112 (November 1997), 1.2323 (1996), 1.2709 (1995), 1.3202 (1994), 1.3841 (1993)

Exports [time series]

total value: $15.3 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: squash, fish, vanilla, root crops, coconut oil partners: Japan 43%, US 19%, Canada 14%, NZ 5%, Australia 5% (1996 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July-30 June Communications

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

purchasing power parity-$239 million (1996 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 32% industry: 10% services: 58% (1996)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$2,250 (1996 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

1% (1996 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $82.9 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: food products, live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, fuels, chemicals partners: NZ 34%, Australia 16%, US 10%, UK 8%, Japan 6% (1996 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

1.9% (FY95/96)

Industries [time series]

tourism, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

2% (1997 est.)

Labor force [time series]

total: 36,665 (1994) by occupation: agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

66,000 (1993 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

6,000 (1994 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (1995)

Televisions [time series]

2,000 (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

11.8% (FY93/94)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 748 sq km land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

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

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

party to: Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

20 00 S, 175 00 W

Geography - note (Geography-note) [time series]

archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 24% permanent crops: 43% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 11% other: 16% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou

Natural resources [time series]

fish, fertile soil

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Constitution [time series]

4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

Tonga does not have an embassy in the US; Ambassador Akosita FINEANGANOFO, 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) and Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the king note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the king and the Cabinet elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the king

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

hereditary constitutional monarchy

Independence [time series]

4 June 1970 (emancipation from UK protectorate)

International organization participation [time series]

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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch [time series]

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

Legal system [time series]

based on English law

Legislative branch [time series]

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 24-25 January 1996 (next to be held NA February 1999) election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-7 proreform, 2 traditionalist

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Nuku'alofa

National holiday [time series]

Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

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

Tonga People's Party, Viliami FUKOFUKA

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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 (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Birth rate [time series]

26.43 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.07 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Infant mortality rate [time series]

38.57 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

Tongan, English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 69.54 years male: 67.51 years female: 71.96 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

108,207 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.81% (1998 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.63 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

none TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Transportation

Airports [time series]

6 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,278 GRT/16,441 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai

Railways [time series]

0 km