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'''GNI per capita (U.S.$)''' ( | '''GNI per capita (U.S.$)''' (2013) 4,490<br> | ||
1Includes 17 directly elected seats and 9 nobles elected by the hereditary nobles of Tonga, as well as 2 cabinet members who are not elected. | |||
==Background of Tonga== | ==Background of Tonga== | ||
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Tonga, officially Kingdom of Tonga, Tongan Fakatuʿi ʿo Tonga, also called Friendly Islands, country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of some 170 islands divided into three main island groups: Tongatapu in the south, Haʿapai in the centre, and Vavaʿu in the north. Isolated islands include Niuafoʿou, Niuatoputapu, and Tafahi (together known as the Niuatoputapu, or Niuas, island group) in the far north and ʿAta in the far south. Tonga’s total land area is dispersed between latitudes 15° to 23° S and longitudes 173° to 177° W. The capital, Nukuʿalofa, is on the island of Tongatapu. Tonga is a member of the Commonwealth and of the United Nations. | Tonga, officially Kingdom of Tonga, Tongan Fakatuʿi ʿo Tonga, also called Friendly Islands, country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of some 170 islands divided into three main island groups: Tongatapu in the south, Haʿapai in the centre, and Vavaʿu in the north. Isolated islands include Niuafoʿou, Niuatoputapu, and Tafahi (together known as the Niuatoputapu, or Niuas, island group) in the far north and ʿAta in the far south. Tonga’s total land area is dispersed between latitudes 15° to 23° S and longitudes 173° to 177° W. The capital, Nukuʿalofa, is on the island of Tongatapu. Tonga is a member of the Commonwealth and of the United Nations. | ||
''' | ==Geography of Tonga== | ||
'''Land''' | |||
*Relief | |||
The summit of volcanic undersea mountains forms the two roughly parallel chains of the Tongan islands. Most of the islands of the western chain are classified as high islands, because they have been raised well above sea level by repeated volcanic activity. Four of them are still active volcanoes. Some of the islands composed of lava formed by shield volcanoes, such as Late and Kao, have a hard cone-shaped surface that is not easily eroded. Others, such as Fonuafoʿou (Falcon Island), were formed by more explosive volcanoes, and their surfaces, composed of ash and pumice, erode readily. Fonuafoʿou has arisen and disappeared repeatedly, owing to its cycles of eruption and erosion. | |||
The low islands of the eastern chain have been capped by coral polyps and foraminifera (marine organisms that have calcareous shells), which build coral rock and limestone reefs. The continuing growth of coral counteracts the sea’s erosion of the reefs and the islands enclosed by them. A protective reef surrounds Tongatapu Island; many islands in the Vavaʿu Group lack such protection and are shrinking. | |||
Tongatapu Island, a raised atoll in the Tongatapu Group, with an area of 100.6 square miles (260.5 square km), is the largest and most densely populated island in Tonga. The highest point in Tonga, 3,389 feet (1,033 metres), is on Kao Island in the Haʿapai Group. ʿEua Island (Tongatapu Group) has an old volcanic ridge rising to 1,078 feet (329 metres) above sea level. The Vavaʿu Group has hills ranging from 500 to 1,000 feet (150 to 300 metres), and Late Island, in its western volcanic chain, rises to 1,700 feet (518 metres). Vavaʿu Island has a fine, large landlocked harbour. The effects of natural erosion are particularly vivid in Vavaʿu. Rainwater reacting with the carbon dioxide in vegetation acquires acidic properties and dissolves coral and limestone rock, thereby forming caves. The constant action of the waves has created the sheer cliffs and sandspits of Vavaʿu and Nukuʿalofa. There are no rivers in Tonga, although ʿEua and Niuatoputapu have creeks. | |||
*Climate | |||
Tonga has a semitropical climate except in the northernmost islands, where truly tropical conditions prevail. Temperatures range between 60 and 70 °F (16 and 21 °C) in June and July and reach 80 °F (27 °C) in December and January. The mean annual humidity is 77 percent. The mean annual precipitation varies from 64 inches (1,620 mm) in the Haʿapai Group to 97 inches (2,450 mm) on Niuafoʿou. Humidity increases as the distance from the Equator lessens. The northern islands, which are closest to the Equator, are particularly vulnerable to typhoons, which generally occur between December and April. | |||
*Plant and animal life | |||
The well-drained, fertile soils of ʿEua, Kao, Tofua, and Late islands and the slopes and hilltops of Vavaʿu support original forests. ʿEua has the greatest number and variety of trees, and the ridge on the eastern side is a forest reserve. The fast-growing toi and the tavahi constitute a majority of the tree cover on ʿEua. The sandy, rocky, dry soils of the coasts and the direct exposure there to strong winds and salty spray create unfavourable conditions for coastal vegetation. To conserve moisture, plants near the shore have small waxy or hairy leaves. Tidal sand and mudflats have swampy areas that support mangroves. Behind the mudflats, trees with buttress roots, such as the lekileki, sometimes grow. | |||
Tonga’s land birds include doves, rails, starlings, kingfishers, and many others. The red-breasted musk parrot and the blue-crowned lory, considered by some to be the most beautiful birds in the Pacific, inhabit ʿEua. Island cliffs serve as homes for red-tailed and white-tailed tropic birds. Among the native birds of Niuafoʿou Island is the incubator bird. The common reef heron is a native shorebird. Transient species include golden plovers, wandering tattlers, long-billed curlews, and bar-tailed godwits. Tongan waters attract several varieties of seabirds such as noddies, terns, frigate birds, and mutton birds. The village of Kolovai on Tongatapu Island is home to a colony of flying foxes (Pteropus tonganus, a type of Old World fruit bat). The bats cling to large trees by day and fly at night to forage for food. | |||
==Demography of Tonga== | |||
Tongans are closely related to Samoans and other Polynesians in culture, language, and racial makeup. Nearly the entire population claims an original Polynesian ancestry, with a small amount of Melanesian influence through contact with Fiji. Intermarriage with Europeans has become more common, especially as a result of the increasing out-migration of Tongans since the 1970s. Religion is an important aspect of Tongan society, and most Tongan families are members of a Christian church. About two-fifths belong to the Free Wesleyan (Methodist) Church; there are smaller numbers of Mormons and Bahāʾīs; and the remainder belong to smaller, mostly Protestant, denominations. The Tongan language is taught in primary schools and is the official language, in addition to English, which is studied as a second language. | |||
Most of the Tongan population lives in the three major island groups, and nearly three-fourths live on Tongatapu Island. The urban population has been steadily growing and now accounts for about one-third of the total population. Many Tongans migrate overseas, in particular to the United States and New Zealand. | |||
The majority of the population lives in villages. Traditional structures are called fale; they are rectangular in shape and have thatched or corrugated tin roofs and sides made of woven coconut leaves, reeds, or timber. Some Tongans reside in South Seas colonial-style wooden homes with gingerbread trim and exterior walls in pastel shades. | |||
Nukuʿalofa has all the amenities of a capital city. It is also a major port of entry and has several wharves and piers. Much of Nukuʿalofa’s economic activity revolves around coconuts and coconut products. Other ports and commercial centres are Neiafu in the Vavaʿu Group and Pangai in the Haʿapai Group. | |||
==Economy of Tonga== | |||
Agriculture is the mainstay of the Tongan economy. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans constitute the main cash crops, and other important crops include yams, taro, cassava, corn (maize), watermelons, pineapples, breadfruit, limes, and tomatoes. All land is essentially owned by the Tongan monarchy, but large estates have been divided among the country’s nobles. Land is parceled out to peasant proprietors: traditionally, every male age 16 or over was entitled to an allotment of 7.5 acres (3 hectares) of land for cultivation; more recently, population growth has reduced the size of actual allotments in many places. Timber production, livestock raising, and fishing also contribute to Tonga’s economy. Many of Tonga’s products are consumed domestically, but imports—mainly from New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, and the United States—form the bulk of the goods consumed in the country. Food and beverages account for the largest category of imports, in terms of value. | |||
Manufactures include concrete products, construction and transportation equipment, furniture, clothing, food products, and various small handicrafts. A small mining industry quarries coral and sand. Crop processing and marketing have been undertaken by cooperative societies. Remittances from Tongans working overseas—especially in New Zealand, the United States, and Australia—and tourism have both contributed significantly to the growth of the Tongan economy. | |||
About one-fourth of Tonga’s road network consists of paved all-weather roads, almost all of which are located on the two largest islands; the remaining roads are of dirt or coral. Tonga has no railroad. Nukuʿalofa and Neiafu are ports used for external shipping. Copra and bananas are exported from Pangai. Regular international air service to New Zealand, Fiji, Australia, Samoa, American Samoa, Niue, and Hawaii (Honolulu) is available from Fuaʿamotu International Airport on Tongatapu. Domestic flights are serviced by airports on ʿEua, Haʿapai, Vavaʿu, Niuafoʿou, and Niuatoputapu. An undersea fibre-optic cable linking Tonga with a Fiji-based regional telecommunications network provides high-speed Internet access. | |||
==Government and Society of Tonga== | |||
==Culture Life of Tonga== | |||
==History of Tonga== | |||
==Disclaimer== | ==Disclaimer== | ||
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[[category:countries]] | [[category:countries]] | ||