Coral Sea Islands (2004) | Tonga (2008) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 34.6% (male 20,624/female 19,779)
15-64 years: 61.2% (male 35,551/female 36,052) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,087/female 2,828) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish |
Airports | - | 6 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
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. | 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 | - | 23.67 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $56.97 million
expenditures: $83.88 million (FY04/05) |
Capital | - | 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 | 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 local long form: Pule'anga Tonga local short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands |
Death rate | - | 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $80.7 million (2004) |
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 | - | $31.75 million (2005) |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | Tonga has a small, open, South Pacific island economy. It 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 | - | 32.55 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | - | 35 million kWh (2005) |
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 |
Exchange rates | - | pa'anga per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.0277 (2006), 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003) |
Executive branch | administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | 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 consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by the monarch for life; four appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly, including two 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 | - | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | - | squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops |
Exports - partners | - | US 39.7%, Japan 27.8%, NZ 8.2%, South Korea 7.6% (2006) |
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: 27% services: 50% (FY03/04 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 2.4% (2005 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) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | 842.3 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | - | foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals |
Imports - partners | - | Fiji 30.3%, NZ 27.7%, US 8.2%, Australia 7.5%, France 5.7%, UK 4.7% (2006) |
Independence | - | 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 1% (2003 est.) |
Industries | - | tourism, fishing |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 11.99 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 11.1% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | - | ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | NA |
Judicial branch | - | 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 | - | 33,910 (2003) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture: 65%
industry and services: 35% (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: 20%
permanent crops: 14.67% other: 65.33% (2005) |
Languages | - | Tongan, English |
Legal system | the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply | based on English common law |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14 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 on 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008) election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%, other 30%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 70.12 years
male: 67.6 years female: 72.76 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.9% male: 98.8% female: 99% (1999 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: 14 ships (1000 GRT or over) 58,756 GRT/67,889 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 9, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 foreign-owned: 3 (Australia 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2007) |
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 (TDS): Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2008) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 0.9% (2006 est.) |
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 (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | People's Democratic Party [Tesina FUKO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE] |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2004 est.) |
116,921 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | 24% (FY03/04) |
Population growth rate | - | 1.847% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | - |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) |
Religions | - | Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents) |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.986 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.738 male(s)/female total population: 0.993 male(s)/female (2007 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: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 40 telephones per 100 persons; fully automatic switched network international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 13,700 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 29,900 (2005) |
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 | - | 2.75 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 13% (FY03/04 est.) |