Tonga

**Tonga** is a country in Pacific Ocean. It has 169 islands. Only 36 islands have inhabitants. The most important island is Tongatapu. Tupou IV is the king of Tonga and the Prime Minister is Siaosi Sovaleni. The capital of Tonga is Nuku'alofa, which is on Tongatapu.

The official languages of Tonga are Tongan and English. Tonga had 102,321 inhabitants in 2000. It is a very hot country. Tonga became independent in 1970.

## History

About 3000 years before, the Polynesians had settled in Tongatapu. In 1845, Tāufaʻāhau united Tonga into a kingdom. He declared Tonga a constitutional monarchy. Between 1845 and 1893, slavery was stopped. Also, constitution was made up.

In 1900, Tonga became a protected state of the United Kingdom. Tonga maintained its sovereignty. It remained the only Pacific nation never to have given up its monarchical government. Foreign affairs was managed by the UK. Tonga was no longer a protected state and became independent in 1970. Tonga joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. It became a member of the United Nations in September 1999. Tonga has never lost indigenous governance.

## Geography

Tonga is in Oceania. It is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean. It has 177 islands. Thirty-six of them are inhabited. The islands are divided into three main groups – Vava'u, Ha'apai, and Tongatapu. The largest island is Tongatapuon. The capital city of Nukuʻalofa is on Tongatapuon.

## Politics

Tonga is a constitutional monarchy.

Tonga provides for its citizens:
- free and mandatory education for all
- secondary education with only nominal fees
- and foreign-funded scholarships for post-secondary education

Tongans have universal access to a national health care system. The Tongan constitution protects land ownership. Land cannot be sold to foreigners. While there is a land shortage on the urbanised main island of Tongatapu, there is farmland available in the outlying islands.

The majority of the population engages in some form of subsistence production of food. Women and men have equal access to education and health care. They are fairly equal in employment. Women are discriminated against in land holding, electoral politics, and government ministries.

## Climate

The climate is tropical with a distinct warm period (December–April) and a cooler period (May–November). The average wettest period is around March. The average daily humidity is 80%.

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: Kingdom of Tonga
- **native name**: _Puleanga Fakatui o Tonga_
- **common name**: Tonga
- **image flag**: Flag of Tonga.svg
- **image coat**: Coat of arms of Tonga.svg
- **national motto**: "Ko e Otua mo Tonga ko hoku tofia"

- **national anthem**: _Ko e fasi ʻo e Tuʻi ʻo e ʻOtu Tonga, Ko e fasi o e tui o e Otu Tonga_

- **image map**: Tonga on the globe (Polynesia centered).svg
- **official languages**: Tongan
- **national languages**: English
- **demonym**: Tongan
- **capital**: Nukuʻalofa, Nukualofa
- **latd**: 21
- **latm**: 08
- **latns**: S
- **longd**: 175
- **longm**: 12
- **longew**: W
- **largest city**: capital
- **government type**: Unitary state, Unitary parliamentary system, parliamentary constitutional monarchy
- **leader title1**: List of monarchs of Tonga, Monarch
- **leader name1**: Tupou VI
- **leader title2**: Prime Minister of Tonga, Prime Minister
- **leader name2**: Siaosi Sovaleni
- **legislature**: Legislative Assembly of Tonga, Legislative Assembly
- **area km2**: 748
- **area sq mi**: 289
- **area rank**: 186th
- **area magnitude**: 1 E12
- **percent water**: 4.0
- **population census**: 100,209
- **population census rank**: 199th
- **population census year**: 2021
- **population density km2**: 139
- **population density sq mi**: 360
- **population density rank**: 76th<sup>a</sup>
- **gdp ppp**: $655 million
- **gdp ppp year**: 2019
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $6,496
- **gdp nominal**: $493 million
- **gdp nominal year**: 2019
- **gdp nominal per capita**: $4,888
- **gini**: 37.6
- **gini year**: 2015
- **gini change**: steady
- **hdi**: 0.725
- **hdi year**: 2019
- **hdi change**: increase
- **hdi rank**: 104th
- **sovereignty type**: Independence
- **established date1**: 4 June 1970
- **currency**: Tongan paʻanga, Paanga
- **currency code**: TOP
- **utc offset**: UTC+13:00, +13
- **drives on**: Right- and left-hand traffic, left
- **calling code**: +676
- **cctld**: .to
- **footnote a**: Based on 2005 figures.