Coral Sea Islands (2004) | Tonga (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 36.2% (male 20,738/female 19,907)
15-64 years: 59.7% (male 33,226/female 33,853) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,031/female 2,667) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish |
Airports | - | 6 (2004 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.) |
Area | total: less than 3 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important |
total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | four times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs. | 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 | - | 25.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $39.9 million
expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.) |
Capital | - | Nuku'alofa |
Climate | tropical | tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) |
Coastline | 3,095 km | 419 km |
Constitution | - | 4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967 |
Country name | conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands |
Death rate | - | 5.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $63.4 million (2001) |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | - |
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 | - | Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02) |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | 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. Tourism is the second largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains dependent on 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 reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 23.06 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | - | 24.79 million kWh (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m |
Environment - current issues | no permanent fresh water resources | 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 | - | Polynesian, Europeans about 300 |
Exchange rates | - | pa'anga per US dollar - 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003), 2.1952 (2002), 2.1236 (2001), 1.7585 (2000) |
Executive branch | administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)
head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since 3 January 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister James C. COCKER (since NA January 2001) cabinet: cabinet consists of 16 members, 12 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 for life by the monarch |
Exports | - | NA |
Exports - commodities | - | squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops |
Exports - partners | - | Japan 37.1%, China 18.7%, US 17.7%, Taiwan 8.7%, New Zealand 7.4% (2004) |
Fiscal year | - | 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: 13% services: 64% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 1.5% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 18 00 S, 152 00 E | 20 00 S, 175 00 W |
Geography - note | important nesting area for birds and turtles | archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited) |
Highways | - | total: 680 km
paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | - | NA |
Imports - commodities | - | foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals |
Imports - partners | - | New Zealand 37.1%, Fiji 24.3%, Australia 9.1%, China 8.9%, US 6.3% (2004) |
Independence | - | 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 8.6% (FY98/99) |
Industries | - | tourism, fishing |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 12.62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 10.3% (2002 est.) |
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, WTO (observer) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | NA |
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 | - | 33,910 (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 65% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001) |
arable land: 23.61%
permanent crops: 43.06% other: 33.33% (2001) |
Languages | - | Tongan, English |
Legal system | the laws of Australia, 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 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: 69.53 years
male: 67.05 years female: 72.14 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.9% male: 98.8% female: 99% (1996 est.) |
Location | Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Oceania | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 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: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 136,977 GRT/200,751 DWT
by type: cargo 21, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 7 (Cyprus 1, France 1, Greece 1, Norway 1, Romania 2, United Kingdom 1) (2005) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors | - |
Military branches | - | Tonga Defense Services: Ground Forces (Royal Marines, Royal Guard), Maritime Force (includes Air Wing) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA |
National holiday | - | Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970) |
Nationality | - | noun: Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan |
Natural hazards | occasional tropical cyclones | cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou |
Natural resources | NEGL | fish, fertile soil |
Net migration rate | - | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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, chairman] |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2004 est.) |
112,422 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA |
Population growth rate | - | 1.98% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Nuku'alofa |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004) |
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: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | 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 | - | 11,200 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 9,000 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 3 (2004) |
Terrain | sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays) | most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base |
Total fertility rate | - | 3 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 13.3% (1996 est.) |