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| Introduction | Tonga |
| Background: | 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. |
| People | Tonga |
| Population: | 110,237 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 37.1% (male 20,873; female 20,050) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 32,018; female 32,707) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,005; female 2,584) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 20.1 years male: 19.7 years female: 20.7 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.94% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 24.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 5.45 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 69.2 years male: 66.74 years female: 71.79 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan |
| Ethnic groups: | Polynesian, Europeans about 300 |
| Religions: | Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents) |
| Languages: | Tongan, English |
| Literacy: | definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English total population: 98.5% male: 98.4% female: 98.7% (1996 est.) |
| Government | Tonga |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands |
| Government type: | hereditary constitutional monarchy |
| Capital: | Nuku'alofa |
| Administrative divisions: | 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u |
| Independence: | 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 4 June (1970) |
| Constitution: | 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967 |
| Legal system: | based on English law |
| Suffrage: | 21 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the Cabinet, and two governors elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister James C. COCKER (since NA January 2001) |
| 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 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%; seats - HRDMT 7, traditionalist 2 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court) |
| Political parties and leaders: | there are no political parties |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chair] |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025 consulate(s) general: San Francisco FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga |
| Flag description: | red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner |
| Communications | Tonga |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 11,200 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 3,400 (2002) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001) |
| Radios: | 61,000 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 2 (2001) |
| Televisions: | 2,000 (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .to |
| Internet hosts: | 18,906 (2003) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 2 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 2,900 (2002) |
| Transportation | Tonga |
| Highways: | total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.) |
| Ports and harbors: | Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai |
| Merchant marine: | total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 136,977 GRT/200,751 DWT foreign-owned: Albania 1, Australia 4, Brazil 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1, Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 1, Panama 2, Romania 1, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Switzerland 3, Syria 1, United (2003 est.) by type: bulk 3, cargo 21, chemical tanker 2, container 1, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 |
| Airports: | 6 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Tonga |
| Military branches: | Tonga Defense Services: Ground Forces (Royal Marines, Royal Guard), Maritime Force (including Air Wing) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | NA |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | NA |
| Transnational Issues | Tonga |
| Disputes - international: | none |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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