, 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 nobles, and nine elected by
popular vote; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held NA March 1999 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 40%; seats -
pro-democratic 5, traditionalist 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the monarch;
Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme
Court sits as the Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Human Rights and Democracy Movement
[Huliki WATAB, chairman, Viliami FUKOFUKA, president, 'Akilisi POHIVA,
vice president]

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Tonga does not have an embassy in
the US; Ambassador Akosita FINEANGANOFO, resides in London; address:
Embassy of the Kingdom of Tonga, c/o Tonga High Commission, 36
Molyneux Street, London W1H 6AB, telephone (171) 724-5828, FAX
(171) 723-9074
consulate(s) general: San Francisco

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

@Tonga:Economy

Economy - overview: The economy's base is agriculture, which
contributes 30% to GDP. 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