Background:
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.

Location:
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Area:
Total: 748 sq km

land: 718 sq km

water: 30 sq km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

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

Natural resources: fish, fertile soil

Land use: arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 14.67%

other: 65.33% (2005)
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; over hunting 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

Population: 116,921 (July 2007 est.)

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: 98.9%

male: 98.8%

female: 99% (1999 est.)

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga

conventional short form: Tonga

local long form: Pule'anga Tonga

local short form: Tonga

former: Friendly Islands

Government type: constitutional monarchy
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)

Administrative divisions: 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Independence: 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

National holiday: Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Constitution: 4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967

Legal system: based on English common law

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

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

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)

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]

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, 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

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

Flag description:
red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy – overview:
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.

GDP (purchasing

power parity): $178.5 million (2004 est.)

GDP (official

exchange rate): $244 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real

growth rate: 2.4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $2,200 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition

by sector:
agriculture: 23%

industry: 27%

Labor force: 33,910 (2003)

Labor force – by occupation:
agriculture: 65%

industry and services: 35% (1997 est.)
unemployment rate: 13% (FY03/04 est.)

Population below

poverty line:       
24% (FY03/04)

Inflation rate
(consumer prices): 11.1% (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $56.97 million

expenditures: $83.88 million; including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY04/05)

Agriculture –

products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Industries: tourism, fishing

Electricity – production: 41 million kWh (2004)

Electricity –

consumption: 38.13 million kWh (2004)

Oil – consumption: 900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Current account balance: $4.321 million (FY04/05)

Exports: $34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports – commodities: squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Exports –

partners: Japan 41.8%, US 33.4%, NZ 6.3% (2005)

Imports: $122 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports – commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports –  partners: NZ 33.4%, Fiji 26.6%, Australia 10.5%, US 8.4% (2005)

Reserves of  foreign exchange and gold: $40.83 million (yearend, FY04/05)

Debt - external: $80.7 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient: $19.3 million (2004)

Telephones – main lines in use: 11,200 (2002)

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: fully automatic switched network
international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (2006)

Internet  country code:

Internet hosts: 18,775 (2006)

Internet users: 3,000 (2004)

Airports: 6 (2006)    

Airports –  with paved  runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
Airports – with unpaved runways: total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:

total: 680 km

paved: 184 km
unpaved: 496 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 62,185 GRT/72,960 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1
foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 1, Norway 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2006)

Ports and  terminals:
Nuku'alofa

Military branches:
Tonga Defense Services: Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2006)

Military service age and  obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 25,420
females age 18-49: 24,827 (2005 est.)

manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 19,840
females age 18-49: 21,342 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 1,586

females age 18-49: 1,538 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2006 est.)

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Born 1945, he attended St Bede's College in Christchurch, New Zealand, before going to  the   University of Canterbury where he graduated with a BSc in Math, a BA, an MA and a PhD in Economic Geography. He was elected as one of nine People's Representatives to the Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea in 1999 and re-elected in 2002 and in 2005. He was appointed Minister for Labour, Commerce and Industries.

As Minister he negotiated Tonga's becoming a member of the World Trade Organization in December 2005. He was appointed to the Prime Minister's position after the sudden resignation of Ahoeitu Unuakiotonga Tukuaho (at that time commonly known as: Ulukâlala Lavaka Ata) on  February 11,  2006. Sevele's role was made permanent by  King Tâufaâhau Tupou IV, when His Majesty appointed Dr Sevele as the first citizen Prime Minister of Tonga on 30 March 2006. Sevele is the country's first non-  noble Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister is a participant of the Asian Development Bank’s “Mobilizing Aid for Trade” Conference form 18 to 20 September 2007.  On the sidelines, the Prime Minister will be meeting with officials of TESDA and the Bureau of fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

His Excellency Feleti Vakauta Sevele shall be welcomed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and hosted for lunch at the Malacanan Palace on 19 September 2007.

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