Tonga

The first humans arrived in Tonga around 1000 B.C. The islands’ politics were highly centralized under the Tu’i Tonga, or Tongan king, by A.D. 950, and by 1200, the Tu’i Tonga had expanded his influence throughout Polynesia and into Melanesia and Micronesia. The Tongan Empire began to decline in the 1300s, with civil wars, a military defeat to Samoa, and internal political strife. By the mid-1500s, some Tu’i Tongans were ethnic Samoan, and day-to-day administration of Tonga was transferred to a new position occupied by ethnic Tongans.

Dutch navigators explored the islands in the 1600s, followed by the British in the 1770s, who named them the Friendly Islands. Between 1799 and 1852 Tonga went through a period of war and disorder. In the 1830s, a low-ranking chief from Ha’apai began to consolidate control over the islands and was crowned King George TUPOU I in 1845, establishing the only still-extant Polynesian monarchy. During TUPOU's reign (1845–93), Tonga became a unified and independent country with a modern constitution (1875), legal code, and administrative structure. In separate treaties, Germany (1876), Great Britain (1879), and the US (1888) recognized Tonga’s independence. His son and successor, King George TUPOU II, agreed to enter a protectorate agreement with the UK in 1900 after rival Tongan chiefs tried to overthrow him. As a protectorate, Tonga never completely lost its indigenous governance, but it did become more isolated and the social hierarchy became more stratified between a group of nobles and a large class of commoners. Today, about one third of parliamentary seats are reserved for nobles.

Tonga regained full control of domestic and foreign affairs and became a fully independent nation within the Commonwealth in 1970. A pro-democracy movement gained steam in the early 2000s, led by ‘Akilisi POHIVA, and in 2006, riots broke out in Nuku’alofa to protest the lack of progress on reform. To appease the activists, in 2008, King George TUPOU V announced he was relinquishing most of his powers leading up to parliamentary elections in 2010 and henceforth most of the monarch’s governmental decisions, except those relating to the judiciary, were to be made in consultation with the prime minister. The 2010 Legislative Assembly was called Tonga’s first democratically elected Parliament. King George TUPOU V died in 2012 and was succeeded by his brother Crown Prince Tupouto‘a Lavaka who ruled as George TUPOU VI. In 2015, ‘Akalisi POHIVA became Tonga’s first non-noble prime minister.

20 00 S, 175 00 W

cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou

Volcanism: Moderate volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has had frequent activity in recent years, and Niuafo'ou (260 m) has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua

four times the size of Washington, D.C.

deforestation from land being cleared for agriculture and settlement; soil exhaustion; water pollution due to salinization, sewage, and toxic chemicals from farming activities; coral reefs and marine populations threatened

Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

Signed, but not ratified: None of the selected agreements

tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)

419 km

Total: 0 km

Agricultural land: 48.6% (2022 est.)

Arable land: 27.8% (2022 est.)

Permanent crops: 15.3% (2022 est.)

Permanent pasture: 5.6% (2022 est.)

Forest: 12.4% (2022 est.)

Other: 39% (2022 est.)

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

arable land, fish

the western islands (making up the Tongan Volcanic Arch) are all of volcanic origin; the eastern islands are nonvolcanic and are composed of coral limestone and sand

mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock

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

Oceania

0 sq km (2022)

over two thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied

Highest point: Kao Volcano on Kao Island 1,046 m

Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Total : 747 sq km

Land: 717 sq km

Water: 30 sq km

0-14 years: 29.3% (male 15,627/female 15,142)

15-64 years: 63.2% (male 33,445/female 32,867)

65 years and over: 7.4% (2024 est.) (male 3,534/female 4,274)

At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total population: 91.1% (2019 est.)

Male: 83.8% (2019 est.)

Female: 97.6% (2019 est.)

Noun: Tongan(s)

Adjective: Tongan

Urban population: 23.2% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Improved:

Urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 98.6% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 1.4% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

23,000 NUKU'ALOFA (2018)

1.01 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

24.9 years (2012 est.)

Note: Data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Total dependency ratio: 58.2 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio: 46.4 (2024 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio: 11.8 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio: 8.5 (2024 est.)

Improved:

Urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

Tongan 96.5%, other (European, Fijian, Samoan, Indian, Chinese, other Pacific Islander, other Asian, other) 3.5% (2021 est.)

Protestant 63.9% (Free Wesleyan Church 34.2%, Free Church of Tonga 11.3%, Church of Tonga 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.5%, Assembly of God 2.5%, Tokaikolo/Maamafo'ou 1.5%, Constitutional Church of Tonga 1.2%, other Protestant 4%), Church of Jesus Christ 19.7%, Roman Catholic 13.7%, other 2.1%, none 0.6%, no answer 0.1% (2021 est.)

Tongan only 85%, Tongan and other language 13.9%, Tongan not used at home 1.1% (2021 est.)

Note: Data represent language use at home of persons aged 5 and older

6.3% of GDP (2021)

8.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Total: 18 years (2020 est.)

Male: 16 years (2020 est.)

Female: 19 years (2020 est.)

Women married by age 15: 0.4% (2019)

Women married by age 18: 10.1% (2019)

Men married by age 18: 2.8% (2019)

1.3 (2024 est.)

54.9% (2023 est.)

Total: 6.3% (2024 est.)

Male: 3.9% (2024 est.)

Female: 10% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

-18.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 25.9 years (2024 est.)

Male: 25.4 years

Female: 26.4 years

67 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

2.65 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Total: 104,889 (2024 est.)

Male: 52,606

Female: 52,283

Total: 11.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Male: 12.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Total: 30.5% (2025 est.)

Male: 46.1% (2025 est.)

Female: 15.8% (2025 est.)

48.2% (2016)

5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

19.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

0.8% (2019)

Total: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Beer: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total population: 78 years (2024 est.)

Male: 76.4 years

Female: 79.7 years

5.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

9.3% national budget (2024 est.)

-0.34% (2024 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 17,200 tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.2% (2022 est.)

7.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

174,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 174,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

23.272 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Chief of mission: Ambassador Marie DAMOUR (since 6 December 2022); note - Ambassador DAMOUR is based in the US Embassy in the Republic of Fiji and is accredited to Tonga as well as Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu

Embassy: Although the US opened an embassy in Tonga on 9 May 2023, the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga while the Embassy is being staffed

5 island divisions; 'Eua, Ha'apai, Ongo Niua, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Name: Nuku'alofa

Geographic coordinates: 21 08 S, 175 12 W

Time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in November; ends second Sunday in January

Etymology: Name is said to be composed of the local words nuku, meaning "residence or abode," and alofa, meaning "love;" it may also mean "the south," describing Tonga's position in relation to most other Polynesian islands

History: Adopted 4 November 1875, revised 1988, 2016

Amendment process: Proposed by the Legislative Assembly; passage requires approval by the Assembly in each of three readings, the unanimous approval of the Privy Council (a high-level advisory body to the monarch), the Cabinet, and assent to by the monarch

Chief of state: King TUPOU VI (since 18 March 2012)

Head of government: Prime Minister Aisake Valu EKE (since 22 January 2025)

Cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch

Election/appointment process: The monarchy is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly and appointed by the monarch

Most recent election date: 24 December 2024

Election results:
2024: Aisake Valu EKE elected prime minsiter by the Legislative Assembly; Aisake Valu EKE (Independent) 16 votes, Viliami LATU (Independent) 8

2021: Siaosi SOVALENI elected prime minister by the Legislative Assembly; Siaosi SOVALENI 16 votes, Aisake EKE 10

Note: A Privy Council advises the monarch

Description: Red with a red cross on a white rectangle in the upper-left corner

Meaning: The cross stands for Christianity in Tonga, red for Christ's blood and sacrifice, and white for purity

4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate status)

Highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and a number of judges determined by the monarch)

Judge selection and term of office: Judge appointments and tenures made by the King in Privy Council and subject to consent of the Legislative Assembly

Subordinate courts: Supreme Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land Courts

Note: Appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are brought before the King in Privy Council, the monarch's advisory organ that has both judicial and legislative powers

English common law

Legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea)

Legislative structure: Unicameral

Number of seats: 30 (17 directly elected; 9 indirectly elected)

Electoral system: Plurality/majority

Scope of elections: Full renewal

Term in office: 4 years

Most recent election date: 11/18/2021

Percentage of women in chamber: 10%

Expected date of next election: November 2025

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Official birthday of King TUPOU VI, 4 July (1959)

Note: The monarch's actual birthday is 12 July 1959, 4 July (2015) is the day the king was crowned; Constitution Day (National Day), 4 November (1875)

Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands or DPFI or PTOA 
Tonga People's Party (Paati ʻa e Kakai ʻo Tonga) or PAK or TPPI

21 years of age; universal

constitutional monarchy

Conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga

Conventional short form: Tonga

Local long form: Pule'anga Fakatu'i 'o Tonga

Local short form: Tonga

Former: Friendly Islands

Etymology: The name is of local origin and is said to mean "island;" the former name, the Friendly Islands, came from Captain James COOK in 1773, based on the welcome he received from the inhabitants

Chief of mission: Ambassador Viliana Va’inga TONE (since 20 April 2021)

Chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022

Telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025

FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024

Email address and website:
Tongaconsnot@gmail.com

Consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Title: "Ko e fasi 'o e tu'i 'o e 'Otu Tonga" (Song of the King of the Tonga Islands)

Lyrics/music: Uelingatoni Ngu TUPOUMALOHI/Karl Gustavus SCHMITT

History: In use since 1874; more commonly known as "Fasi Fakafonua" (National Song)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

red cross on white field

Citizenship by birth: No

Citizenship by descent only: The father must be a citizen of Tonga; if a child is born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Tonga

Dual citizenship recognized: Yes

Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

red, white

20.6% (2021 est.)

Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Lowest 10%: 4% (2021 est.)

Highest 10%: 22% (2021 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

refined petroleum, gold, processed fruits and nuts, cassava, fish (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Guyana 17%, USA 17%, NZ 15%, Australia 15%, UAE 12% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

coconuts, pumpkins/squash, cassava, sweet potatoes, vegetables, yams, taro, root vegetables, plantains, lemons/limes (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Revenues: $276.025 million (2023 est.)

Expenditures: $244.97 million (2023 est.)

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

refined petroleum, plastic products, poultry, cars, sheep and goat meat (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
2.373 (2024 est.)
2.364 (2023 est.)
2.328 (2022 est.)
2.265 (2021 est.)
2.3 (2020 est.)

tourism, construction, fishing

upper middle-income Pacific island economy; enormous diaspora and remittance reliance; key tourism and agricultural sectors; major fish exporter; rapidly growing Chinese infrastructure investments; rising methamphetamine hub

$508.735 million (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Household consumption: 107.6% (2023 est.)

Government consumption: 29.1% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital: 27.3% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories: -0.3% (2023 est.)

Exports of goods and services: 18.8% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services: -75.4% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Fiji 27%, NZ 24%, China 21%, Australia 8%, USA 5% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

50% of GDP (2023 est.)
41.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
42% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

34,800 (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

$159.276 million (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

$377.299 million (2024 est.)
$396.53 million (2023 est.)
$375.564 million (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

43.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

2.2% (2024 est.)
2.3% (2023 est.)
2.4% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

23.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Note: Central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

$740.082 million (2023 est.)
$724.972 million (2022 est.)
$742.114 million (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

3.2% (2024 est.)
6.4% (2023 est.)
11% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

-$21.165 million (2024 est.)
-$30.087 million (2023 est.)
-$27.749 million (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$7,100 (2023 est.)
$6,900 (2022 est.)
$7,000 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

$392.888 million (2024 est.)
$383.475 million (2023 est.)
$330.306 million (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$119.511 million (2024 est.)
$95.345 million (2023 est.)
$59.926 million (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

2.1% (2023 est.)
-2.3% (2022 est.)
0.4% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

-11.1% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Agriculture: 17.5% (2023 est.)

Industry: 13.5% (2023 est.)

Services: 50.2% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Fossil fuels: 89% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Solar: 9.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity: 34,000 kW (2023 est.)

Consumption: 67.01 million kWh (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 5.99 million kWh (2023 est.)

Percent of population: 59% (2023 est.)

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1 state-owned TV station and 3 privately owned TV stations; satellite and cable TV services available; 1 state-owned and 5 privately owned radio stations; Radio Australia available via satellite (2019)

Total subscriptions: 64,000 (2021 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 61 (2021 est.)

Total: 9,000 (2022 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions: 11,000 (2021 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.)

A3

6 (2025)

Total: 29 (2023)

By type: Container ship 1, general cargo 13, oil tanker 1, other 14

voluntary military service for men and women 18-25; no conscription (2023)

His Majesty's Armed Forces Tonga (HMAF; aka Tonga Defense Services): Tonga Royal Guard, Tonga Land Force (Royal Tongan Marines), Tonga Navy, Air Wing

Ministry of Police and Fire Services: Tonga Police Force (2025)

1.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

approximately 600 active Armed Forces (2025)

the military's primary missions are defending Tonga's sovereignty, providing maritime security, and protecting the King; it is also responsible for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, search and rescue operations, monitoring against illegal fishing, and delivering supplies to the outer islands; the military has contributed limited numbers of personnel to multinational military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Solomon Islands; Australia, New Zealand, and the US are key partners

Tonga has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Tonga's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas

Tonga participated in World War I as part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, but the Tonga Defense Force (TDF) was not established until 1939 at the beginning of World War II; in 1943, New Zealand helped train about 2,000 Tongan troops who saw action in the Solomon Islands; the TDF was disbanded at the end of the war, but was reactivated in 1946 as the Tonga Defense Services (TDS); in 2013, the name of the TDS was changed to His Majesty’s Armed Forces of Tonga (HMAF) (2025)

the military's inventory consists of light weapons, as well as some naval patrol vessels from Australia and a few US-origin aircraft (2024)

Total ports: 3 (2024)

Large: 0

Medium: 0

Small: 0

Very small: 3

Ports with oil terminals: 0

Key ports: Neiafu, Nuku Alofa, Pangai

27.1 (2021 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality