Bouvet Island (2003) | Tonga (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years:
40.93% (male 21,739; female 20,916) 15-64 years: 54.99% (male 28,231; female 29,082) 65 years and over: 4.08% (male 1,912; female 2,347) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish |
Airports | - | 6 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total:
1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 58.5 sq km
land: 58.5 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
748 sq km land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC | four times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island. | 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. |
Birth rate | - | 23.59 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues:
$49 million expenditures: $120 million, including capital expenditures of $75 million (FY96/97 est.) |
Capital | - | Nuku'alofa |
Climate | antarctic | tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) |
Coastline | 29.6 km | 419 km |
Constitution | - | 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bouvet Island |
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands |
Currency | - | pa'anga (TOP) |
Death rate | - | 5.74 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $62 million (1998) |
Dependency status | territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo | - |
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 Fetu'utolo TUPOU, 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 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $38.8 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | no economic activity; declared a nature reserve | Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export base in agricultural goods, 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 from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonable basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 32.6 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | - | 35 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Olav Peak 935 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | 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:
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 |
Ethnic groups | - | Polynesian, Europeans about 300 |
Exchange rates | - | pa'anga per US dollar - 1.9885 (January 2001), 1.7585 (2000), 1.5991 (1999), 1.4920 (1998), 1.2635 (1997), 1.2323 (1996) |
Executive branch | - | chief of state:
King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU (since NA January 2001) 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 |
Exports | - | $8 million (f.o.b., 1998) |
Exports - commodities | - | squash, fish, vanilla beans |
Exports - partners | - | Japan 53%, US 18%, NZ 6%, Australia 6% (1997 est.) |
Fiscal year | - | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | the flag of Norway is used | red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $225 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture:
30% industry: 10% services: 60% (1997) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 54 26 S, 3 24 E | 20 00 S, 175 00 W |
Geography - note | covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve | archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited) |
Highways | - | total:
680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | $69 million (f.o.b., 1998) |
Imports - commodities | - | foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals |
Imports - partners | - | NZ 30%, Australia 19%, US 11%, UK 11%, Japan 3% (1997 est.) |
Independence | - | 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 8.6% (FY98/99) |
Industries | - | tourism, fishing |
Infant mortality rate | - | 14.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 7% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | - | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
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) |
Labor force | - | 34,000 (FY96/97) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 65% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (1998 est.) |
arable land:
24% permanent crops: 43% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 11% other: 16% (1993 est.) |
Languages | - | Tongan, English |
Legal system | the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply | 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 NA March 1999 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 40%; seats - pro-democratic 5, traditionalist 4 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population:
68.25 years male: 65.83 years female: 70.78 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition:
can read and write Tongan and/or English total population: 98.5% male: 98.4% female: 98.7% (1996 est.) |
Location | island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Antarctic Region | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 4 NM | continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total:
8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,626 GRT/29,468 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Norway | - |
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% |
National holiday | - | Independence Day, 4 June (1970) |
Nationality | - | noun:
Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan |
Natural hazards | NA | cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou |
Natural resources | none | fish, fertile soil |
Net migration rate | - | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Human Rights and Democracy Movement [Huliki WATAB, chairman, Viliami FUKOFUKA, president, 'Akilisi POHIVA, vice president] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | Pro-Democracy and Human Rights Movement [leader NA] |
Population | uninhabited (July 2003 est.) | 104,227 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 1.79% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001) |
Radios | - | 61,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | - | Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents) |
Sex ratio | - | 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: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 8,000 (1996) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 302 (1996) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (2001) |
Terrain | volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible | most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base |
Total fertility rate | - | 3 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 13.3% (FY96/97) |
Waterways | none | none |