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.

Tonga Geography

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)

Tonga People

Population: 104,227 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.93% (male 21,739; female 20,916)

15-64 years: 54.99% (male 28,231; female 29,082)

65 years and over: 4.08% (male 1,912; female 2,347) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.79% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 23.59 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 5.74 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001