Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2006) | Tonga (2006) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 35.3% (male 20,679/female 19,843)
15-64 years: 60.5% (male 34,399/female 34,964) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,059/female 2,745) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts | squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish |
Airports | 1 (2006) | 6 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island |
total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | four times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island. | Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific. |
Birth rate | NA | 25.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
revenues: $56.97 million
expenditures: $83.88 million; including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.) |
Capital | name: West Island
geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 55 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
name: Nuku'alofa
geographic coordinates: 21 08 S, 175 12 W time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year | tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) |
Coastline | 26 km | 419 km |
Constitution | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 | 4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga local long form: Pule'anga Tonga local short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 5.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $80.7 million (2004) |
Dependency status | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | chief of mission: Ambassador Fekitamoeloa 'UTOIKAMANU
chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025 FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 consulate(s) general: San Francisco |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $19.3 million Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02) |
Economy - overview | Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry. | Tonga, a small, open, South Pacific island economy, has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. 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 country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. 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 reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 31.62 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | - | 34 million kWh (2003) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m |
Environment - current issues | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs | 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 Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Europeans, Cocos Malays | Polynesian, Europeans |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001) | pa'anga per US dollar - 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003), 2.1952 (2002), 2.1236 (2001) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
chief of state: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 11 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16 May 2006) cabinet: Cabinet currently consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by the monarch for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly, including 2 each from the nobles and peoples representatives serving three year terms 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 by the monarch |
Exports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | copra | squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops |
Exports - partners | Australia (2004) | Japan 41.5%, US 33.1%, NZ 6.3% (2005) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 23%
industry: 27% services: 50% (FY03/04 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 2.4% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 S, 96 50 E | 20 00 S, 175 00 W |
Geography - note | islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation | archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs | foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals |
Imports - partners | Australia (2004) | NZ 33.4%, Fiji 26.7%, Australia 10.5%, US 8.4% (2005) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 1% (2003 est.) |
Industries | copra products and tourism | tourism, fishing |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 11.1% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | none | ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court | Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (Chief Justice and high court justices from overseas chosen and approved by Privy Council) |
Labor force | NA | 33,910 (2003) |
Labor force - by occupation | note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others | agriculture: 65%
industry and services: 35% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 14.67% other: 65.33% (2005) |
Languages | Malay (Cocos dialect), English | Tongan, English |
Legal system | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws | based on English law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007) |
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, 9 for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and 9 elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008) election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population: 69.82 years
male: 67.32 years female: 72.45 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.9% male: 98.8% female: 99% (1999 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Merchant marine | - | total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 62,185 GRT/72,960 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 1, Norway 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2006) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force | - |
Military branches | - | Tonga Defense Services: Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2006) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970) |
Nationality | noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
noun: Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan |
Natural hazards | cyclone season is October to April | cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou |
Natural resources | fish | fish, fertile soil |
Net migration rate | NA | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | People's Democratic Party [Tesina FUKO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE] |
Population | 574 (July 2006 est.) | 114,689 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | 24% NA% |
Population growth rate | 0% (2006 est.) | 2.01% (2006 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004) |
Religions | Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) | 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: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | NA | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 INTELSAT satellite earth station |
general assessment: competition between Tonga Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT recently granted authority to develop high-speed digital service for telephone, Internet, and television
domestic: fully automatic switched network international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 287 (1992) | 11,200 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | note - analog cellular service available | 16,400 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 3 (2004) |
Terrain | flat, low-lying coral atolls | most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base |
Total fertility rate | NA | 3 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 60% (2000 est.) | 13% (FY03/04 est.) |