The climate is semitropical. High humidity and high temperatures make the months of December to April frequently uncomfortable. The northern islands closest to the equator are subject to typhoons. The economy of Tonga centers around agriculture, and most people live in villages. Coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main cash crops.
All land belongs to the crown, but it is subdivided among the nobility.
All male citizens over the age of 16 are allotted land for raising crops. This policy necessarily diminishes the amount of land available for each person to cultivate. A growth in population has resulted in land shortages. Because of this and a high unemployment rate, many people have left the kingdom. There are a few manufacturing enterprises, mostly food processing.