emes:
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: 23.61%
permanent crops: 43.06%
other: 33.33% (2001)

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 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:
110,237 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.1% (male 20,873; female 20,050)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 32,018; female 32,707)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,005; female 2,584) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.1 years
male: 19.7 years
female: 20.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.94% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
24.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.45 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.2 years
male: 66.74 years
female: 71.79 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3 children born/woman (2004 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 about 300

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

Languages:
Tongan, English

Literacy:
definition: can read and write Tongan and