Jan Mayen (2005) | Tonga (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | - | squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish |
Airports | 1 (2004 est.) | 6 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 373 sq km
land: 373 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC | four times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the northernmost active volcano on earth. | 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 | - | 24.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $39.9 million
expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.) |
Capital | - | Nuku'alofa |
Climate | arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog | tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) |
Coastline | 124.1 km | 419 km |
Constitution | - | 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jan Mayen |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands |
Currency | - | pa'anga (TOP) |
Death rate | - | 5.45 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $63.4 million (2001) |
Dependency status | territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service | - |
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 | - | chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU
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 | Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the island. | 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 and the continuing upturn in inflation are major issues facing the government. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 25.36 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | - | 27.27 million kWh (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 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 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 - NA (2003), 2.1952 (2002), 2.1236 (2001), 1.7585 (2000), 1.5991 (1999) |
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 James C. COCKER (since NA January 2001) cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members 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 (2001) |
Exports - commodities | - | squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops |
Exports - partners | - | US 50%, Japan 35.7%, Italy 3.6% (2003) |
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 - $236 million (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 26%
industry: 12% services: 62% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 3% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 71 00 N, 8 00 W | 20 00 S, 175 00 W |
Geography - note | barren volcanic island with some moss and grass | 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 (2001) |
Imports - commodities | - | foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals |
Imports - partners | - | New Zealand 43.4%, Fiji 22.2%, Australia 11.1%, US 6.1% (2003) |
Independence | - | 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 8.6% (FY98/99) |
Industries | - | tourism, fishing |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 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, WTrO (observer) |
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 | - | 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% (2001) |
arable land: 23.61%
permanent crops: 43.06% other: 33.33% (2001) |
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 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%; seats - HRDMT 7, traditionalist 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 69.2 years
male: 66.74 years female: 71.79 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.5% male: 98.4% female: 98.7% (1996 est.) |
Location | Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Arctic Region | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 4 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Merchant marine | - | total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 136,977 GRT/200,751 DWT
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 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 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Norway | - |
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 |
National holiday | - | Independence Day, 4 June (1970) |
Nationality | - | noun: Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan |
Natural hazards | dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 | 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 (2004 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, chair] |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2005 est.) |
110,237 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA |
Population growth rate | - | 1.94% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai |
Radio broadcast stations | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998) |
AM 1, FM 2, 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: 1.04 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.) |
Suffrage | - | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 11,200 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 3,400 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 2 (2001) |
Terrain | volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers | most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base |
Total fertility rate | - | 3 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 13.3% (1996 est.) |