Tonga (2002) | Svalbard (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 39.5% (male 21,374; female 20,555)
15-64 years: 56.4% (male 29,519; female 30,322) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,945; female 2,422) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
Agriculture - products | squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish | - |
Airports | 6 (2001) | 4 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
total:
3 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km |
total:
62,049 sq km land: 62,049 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island) |
Area - comparative | four times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than West Virginia |
Background | 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. | First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years later it officially took over the territory. |
Birth rate | 24.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA births/1,000 population |
Budget | revenues: $39.9 million
expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.) |
revenues:
$11.5 million expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | Nuku'alofa | Longyearbyen |
Climate | tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) | arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year |
Coastline | 419 km | 3,587 km |
Constitution | 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967 | - |
Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen) |
Currency | pa'anga (TOP) | Norwegian krone (NOK) |
Death rate | 5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population |
Debt - external | $57.5 million (June 2001) | - |
Dependency status | - | territory of Norway; administered by the Ministry of Industry, Oslo, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was given to Norway |
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) 369-1136 FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 consulate(s) general: San Francisco |
- |
Disputes - international | none | focus of a maritime boundary dispute between Norway and Russia |
Economic aid - recipient | Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02) | $8.2 million from Norway (1998) |
Economy - overview | Tonga has a small, open economy with 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 reasonable basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. | Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some trapping of seal, polar bear, fox, and walrus. |
Electricity - consumption | 27.9 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - production | 30 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m |
lowest point:
Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m |
Environment - current issues | 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 | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
- |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian, Europeans about 300 | Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998) |
Exchange rates | pa'anga per US dollar - 2.1920 (January 2002), 2.1236 (2001), 1.7585 (2000), 1.5991 (1999), 1.4920 (1998), 1.2635 (1997) | Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 8.7784 (January 2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999), 7.5451 (1998), 7.0734 (1997), 6.4498 (1996) |
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 Tevita TOPOU (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 |
chief of state:
King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991) head of government: Governor Morten RUUD (since NA November 1998) and Assistant Governor Odd Redar HUMLEGAARD (since NA) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice |
Exports | $9.3 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops | - |
Exports - partners | Japan 50.4%, US 31.6%, NZ 4.1%, Australia 2.1%, Fiji 1.7% (2000 est.) | - |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | - |
Flag description | red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner | the flag of Norway is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $225 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 30%
industry: 10% services: 60% (2001 est.) |
- |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.3% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 20 00 S, 175 00 W | 78 00 N, 20 00 E |
Geography - note | archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited) | northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area |
Highways | total: 680 km
paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1996) |
total:
NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $70 million c.i.f. (2000 est.) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals | - |
Imports - partners | New Zealand 29.8%, Japan 18.6%, Australia 12.7%, US 12.7%, Fiji 12.2% (2000 est.) | - |
Independence | 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate) | none (territory of Norway) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8.6% (FY98/99) | NA% |
Industries | tourism, fishing | - |
Infant mortality rate | 13.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 live births |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 9.4% (2001 est.) | NA% |
International organization participation | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 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 | 33,908 (1996) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 65% (1997 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 23.61%
permanent crops: 43.06% other: 33.33% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) |
Languages | Tongan, English | Russian, Norwegian |
Legal system | based on English law | NA |
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 - pro-democratic 70%; seats - pro-democratic 7, traditionalist 2 |
- |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 68.56 years
male: 66.13 years female: 71.11 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
Literacy | definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.5% male: 98.4% female: 98.7% (1996 est.) |
- |
Location | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway |
Map references | Oceania | Arctic Region |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia territorial sea: 4 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 80 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 292,139 GRT/421,221 DWT
ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 54, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 1, Australia 4, Austria 1, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 1, Djibouti 1, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Lebanon 2, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2, Morocco 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 1, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 3, Syria 5, Ukraine 1, United Arab Emirates 16, United States 4 (2002 est.) |
none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920) |
Military branches | Tonga Defense Services (made up of three operational command components and two support elements, including the Royal Marines, Royal Guards, Maritime Force, a support/logistics group, and a training group), Police; note - a new air wing that will be subordinate to the Ministry of Defense is being developed | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 4 June (1970) | NA |
Nationality | noun: Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan |
- |
Natural hazards | cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou | ice floes often block up the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic |
Natural resources | fish, fertile soil | coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
Political parties and leaders | there are no political parties | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Akilisi POHIVA, president] | - |
Population | 106,137 (July 2002 est.) | 2,332 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.85% (2002 est.) | -3.55% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai | Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001) | AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 61,000 (1997) | NA |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
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: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
- |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996) |
general assessment:
probably adequate domestic: local telephone service international: satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 8,000 (1996) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 302 (1996) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (2001) | NA |
Terrain | most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base | wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts |
Total fertility rate | 3 children born/woman (2002 est.) | NA children born/woman |
Unemployment rate | 13.3% (1996 est.) | - |
Waterways | none | none |