ports

Radios: 1,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

Defense
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Defense note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

======================================================================

@Tonga
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Map
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Location: 20 00 S, 175 00 W -- Oceania, archipelago in the South
Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Flag
----

Description: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the
upper hoist-side corner

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 area: 748 sq km
land area: 718 sq km
comparative area: 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

International disputes: none

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
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: on Kao Island 1,033 m

Natural resources: fish, fertile soil

Land use:
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 55%
meadows and pastures: 6%
forest and woodland: 12%
other: 2%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

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
natural hazards: cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and
volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
international agreements: party to - Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Geographic note: archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)

People
------

Population: 106,466 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 0.82% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 27.33 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 6.26 deaths/1,000 popul