Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

1 (1999)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios [time series]

61,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

7,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

114 (1995)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

2,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

squash, 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 [time series]

$62 million (1998)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$38.8 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 [time series]

33 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production [time series]

35 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

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

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

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

Exports - commodities [time series]

squash, fish, vanilla beans

Exports - partners [time series]

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

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-0.3% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

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

Imports - commodities [time series]

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners [time series]

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

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

1.9% (FY95/96)

Industries [time series]

tourism, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.2% (1998 est.)

Labor force [time series]

36,665 (1994)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

11.8% (FY93/94)

Area [time series]

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

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 [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: 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 [time series]

20 00 S, 175 00 W

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

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

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

TN

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; 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 [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 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 (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, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch [time series]

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 [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 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 [time series]

Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

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

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

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

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 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 [time series]

$NA

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

NA%

Age structure [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Death rate [time series]

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

Ethnic groups [time series]

Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Infant mortality rate [time series]

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

Languages [time series]

Tongan, English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 67.94 years male: 65.54 years female: 70.45 years (2000 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]

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

Population [time series]

102,321 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.91% (2000 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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 [time series]

3.2 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports [time series]

6 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

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

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 (1999 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

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 (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai

Railways [time series]

0 km