Tonga

Land Characteristics

Name of Country: Kingdom of Tonga

Form of Government: Constitutional monarchy (Commonwealth)

Capital: Nuku'alofa

Area: 748 km²

Time Zone: GMT + 13 hours

Population: 104 000

Population 2015: (estimated) 110 000

Population density: 139 per km²

Life expectancy: 68.6 years

Infant mortality (per 1000): 13.7

Languages: English* and Tongan*

Literacy: 98.5%

Religions: Protestant and Wesleyan 60%, Catholics 16%, Mormon and the other 14%

Population: Polynesians 98%, Europeans 1%, other 1%

Currency: Pa'anga

Economy: Agriculture 20%, Industry 18%, Services 62%

GDP per capita: 3260 US-Dollars

Climate: Tropical, rainy season from December to March

Highest point: Mount Kao (1033m high)

Tonga is a Polynesian kingdom that is made up of 176 islands, however only about 40 of them are inhabited. Tonga was inhabited more than 3000 years age (ca. 1000 BC) because Tongans were once an outstanding sailing power. James Cook was the first European to set foot on the islands, in 1770. Through the introduction of Methodist missionaries, the islanders soon moved on to Christianity. Near the end of the 19th Century, Germany was interested in Tonga and wanted to colonize it. To avoid this, the king made a friendship and protection treaty with Great Britain. Tonga has never been a colonial area and is the only kingdom in the Pacific. However, the pressure on the king is steadily increasing because many now want a democratic system. In 1995, the king announced that there could soon be an elected government.