%
other: 65.33% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

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, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

People
Tonga

Population:

119,009 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 33.7% (male 20,484/female 19,633)
15-64 years: 62% (male 36,699/female 37,108)
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 2,135/female 2,950) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.8 years
male: 21.3 years
female: 22.3 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.669% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

21.81 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

NA (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 11.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.44 years
male: 67.9 years
female: 73.1 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.5 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan

Ethnic groups:

Polynesian, Europeans

Religions:

Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Languages:

Tongan, English

Literacy:

definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.9%
male: 98.8%
female: 99% (1999 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2004)

Educatio