hief of mission: Ambassador Sione
KITE chancery: 250 East 51st Street,
[1] (917) 369-1136 consulate(s) general:
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga

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

Economy Tonga

Economy - overview: Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export
base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans
are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total
exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly
from New Zealand. Tourism is the second largest source of hard currency
earnings following remittances. The country remains dependent on external
aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade
deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private
sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing
increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonable basic
infrastructure and well-developed social services.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $225 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 10% services:
60% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 33,908 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 13.3% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $39.9 million expenditures: $52.4 million, including
capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.)

Industries: tourism, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 8.6% (FY98/99)

Electricity - production: 30 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 27.9 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans,
cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Exports: $9.3 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Exports - partners: Japan 50.4%,