NAVIGATION
|
HOME
• FLAG FINDER
• MAP FINDER
• SOURCES
• ADD YOURSELF TO THE ATLAS! COUNTRIES A-D • COUNTRIES E-K • COUNTRIES L-R • COUNTRIES S-Z |
NAVIGATION
Kingdom of Tonga
former: Friendly Islands
INTRODUCTION
|
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. |
GEOGRAPHY
|
Location:
|
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
20 00 S, 175 00 W |
|
Map references:
|
Oceania |
|
Area:
|
total: 748 sq km
water: 30 sq km land: 718 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
four times the size of Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
419 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
|
Climate:
|
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) |
|
Terrain:
|
most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
fish, fertile soil |
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 23.61%
permanent crops: 43.06% other: 33.33% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
NA sq km |
|
Natural hazards:
|
cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
Geography - note:
|
archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited) |
PEOPLE
|
Population:
|
108,141 (July 2003 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 38.2% (male 21,085; female 20,265)
15-64 years: 57.6% (male 30,785; female 31,532) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,973; female 2,501) (2003 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total: 19.8 years
male: 19.3 years female: 20.3 years (2002) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
1.9% (2003 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
24.51 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
|
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: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 68.88 years
male: 66.43 years female: 71.44 years (2003 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
3 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
NA% |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
NA |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Polynesian, Europeans about 300 |
|
Religions:
|
Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents) |
|
Languages:
|
Tongan, English |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.5% male: 98.4% female: 98.7% (1996 est.) |