Tonga

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

66,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone system

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

Telephones

3,500 (1986 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1995)

Televisions

1,000 (1992 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $44 million expenditures : $86 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Currency

1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti

Debt - external

$48.4 million (FY93/94)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $7.8 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $3.9 million from NZ (FY95/96)

Economy - overview

The economy's base is agriculture, which contributes 36% 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 13% of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard currency earnings, but the country also remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to offset its trade deficit. The economy continued to grow in 1993-95 largely because of a rise in squash exports, increased aid flows, and several large construction projects, but contracted in 1995-96. The government is now turning its attention to further development of the private sector and the reduction of the budget deficit. Current proposals include selling Tongan citizenship and passports to foreigners, leasing its seven equatorial satellite spots, and setting up a joint venture gas production facility with South Korea.

Electricity - capacity

7,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

NA kWh

Electricity - production

30 million kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

pa'anga (T$) per US$1 - 1.2127 (December 1996), 1.2323 (1996), 1.2709 (1995), 1.3202 (1994), 1.3841 (1993), 1.3471 (1992)

Exports

total value : $15.25 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: squash, vanilla, fish, root crops, coconut oil partners: Japan 59%, US 14%, Australia 6%, NZ 6% (FY93/94)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $228 million (FY95/96 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 36% industry: 13% services: 51% (1994)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,140 (FY95/96 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-1.9% (FY95/96 est.)

Imports

total value: $80.3 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities : food products, live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, fuels, chemicals partners: NZ 38%, Australia 28%, US 10%, Fiji 7.5% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, fishing

Inflation rate - consumer price index

1.4% (1995)

Labor force

total: 32,013 (1990 est.) by occupation : agriculture 70% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

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: Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Whaling 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

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 Sione KITE, resides in London 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 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 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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

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

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

National capital

Nuku'alofa

National holiday

Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Political parties and leaders

Tonga People's Party, Viliami FUKOFUKA

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

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%

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: NA

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: NA

Age structure

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

Birth rate

26.95 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

6.14 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Infant mortality rate

39.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Tongan, English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.3 years male : 67.29 years female: 71.7 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write a simple message in Tongan or English total population: 100% male: 100% female : 100% (1976 est.)

Nationality

noun : Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan

Net migration rate

-1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

107,335 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

0.81% (1997 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female total population: NA male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.7 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

none TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Airports

6 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total : 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 674 km paved : 182 km unpaved: 492 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,990 GRT/14,884 DWT ships by type : cargo 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors

Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai

Railways

0 km