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Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean,
about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 175 00 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km
water: 30 sq km
Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 419 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
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
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m
Natural resources: fish, fertile soil
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 43%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 11%
other: 16% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
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; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)
Geography
Tonga, independent island nation in the southern Pacific Ocean,
located approximately 650 km (approximately 400 mi) southeast of
Fiji and approximately 1,850 km (approximately 1,150 mi) northeast
of New Zealand. Tonga is the only remaining Polynesian monarchy.
Nukualofa is the country's capital, chief port, and largest town.
Climate
Tonga's climate is marginally cooler than most tropical areas. The
best time is from May to November. Heavy rains occur from December
to March.
Tonga is a country made up of about 150 islands in the South Pacific
Ocean. The British explorer Captain James Cook, who first visited
the islands in 1773, called them the Friendly Islands.
In 1789, Captain William Bligh and 18 crewmen of the British ship
Bounty floated through the islands after being cast adrift in a
small boat by mutineers.
Tonga is the only remaining kingdom of Polynesia, one of the three
main groups of the Pacific Islands. It became independent in 1970
after being a protectorate of the United Kingdom since 1900. It
is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Most of Tonga's people grow crops. Over half the people live on
Tongatapu, the largest island. Nukualofa, Tonga's capital, chief
port, and commercial centre, lies on Tongatapu. Nukualofa has a
population of about 18,000.
The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian
kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and
a British protectorate in 1900.
Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the
Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific
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