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)

People

Population: 109,082 (July 1999 est.)

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

Population growth rate: 0.8% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 25.92 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 37.93 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.78 years
male: 67.73 years
female: 72.22 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.56 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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/or English
total population: 98.5%
male: 98.4%
female: 98.7% (1996 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga
former: Friendly Islands

Data code: TN

Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital: Nuku'alofa

Administrative divisions: three island groups; Ha'apai,
Tongatapu, Vava'u

Independence: 4 June 1970 (emancipation from UK protectorate)

National holiday: Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Constitution: 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Legal system: based on English law

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)
head of government: Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991)
and Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch and
the Cabinet
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea
(30 seats--12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine
for nobles selected by the country's 33 no