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Compare Spratly Islands (2008) - Tonga (2008)

Compare Spratly Islands (2008) z Tonga (2008)

 Spratly Islands (2008)Tonga (2008)
 Spratly IslandsTonga
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 3 (2007) 6 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
total: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: less than 5 sq km


land: less than 5 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea
total: 748 sq km


land: 718 sq km


water: 30 sq km
Area - comparative NA four times the size of Washington, DC
Background The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim. 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 926 km 419 km
Constitution - 4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Spratly 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)
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 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 all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands none
Economic aid - recipient - $31.75 million (2005)
Economy - overview Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. 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: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 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
Exchange rates - pa'anga per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.0277 (2006), 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003)
Executive branch - 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 - 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 8 38 N, 111 55 E 20 00 S, 175 00 W
Geography - note strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)
Heliports 3 (2007) -
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 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% (2005)
arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 14.67%


other: 65.33% (2005)
Languages - Tongan, English
Legal system - 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 Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines 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 NA 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 Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam -
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 typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
Natural resources fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential 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 are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states
116,921 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line - 24% (FY03/04)
Population growth rate - 1.847% (2007 est.)
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 flat 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.)
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