Tonga: The Friendly Islands

 Where is Tonga?

Tonga on a South Pacific map is just west of the international dateline were it meets the Tropic of Cancer. From  the Island of Niuafo'ou in the north Tonga stretches nearly 1000 kilometers to the Minerva Reef in the south.  Tonga consists of 171 islands, spreading over 700,000 square kilometers of the South Pacific. The country's total land area is 290 square miles (750 square kilometers) located between latitude 15 to 23 S. & longitude 173 to 177 W.
Only 45 of its 171 islands are inhabited. The country's population is about 100,000; and about two thirds of its inhabitants live on the island of Tongatapu.
Tonga lies about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. The largest island, Tongatapu, is approximately 1,245 miles (2,000 kilometers) northeast of Auckland, N.Z .

From the Online ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA:

The official name in english is: Kingdom Of Tonga, in Tongan: Tongan Pule'anga Fakatu' i 'o Tonga, also called Friendly Islands, constitutional monarchy in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, 2,000 miles (3,000 km) northeast of Sydney, Australia, and about 400
miles (640 km) east of Fiji. It comprises an archipelago of 169 islands (only 36 of which are permanently inhabited) that extends north to south in two parallel chains for about 500 miles (800 km). With a total land area of 290 square miles (750 square km), they are divided into three main groups--Vava'u (in the north), Ha'apai (the central group), and Tongatapu (in the south)--together with several isolated islands to the far north and one to the south. The capital is Nuku'alofa, on the largest of the islands, Tongatapu, which has an area of 99 square miles (256 square km). Pop. (1993 est.) 99,100.

The land.

The islands in the eastern chain are lower and of coral limestone formation, while those in the west are higher and of volcanic origin. Coral reefs are common throughout the archipelago. Four of the western islands have active volcanoes. The soils on the limestone islands are partly derived from volcanic ash and are generally fertile. The climate of the islands is warm, and rainfall is abundant. Typhoons may occur between December and April, particularly in the northern islands. Vegetation is luxuriant, and many varieties of cultivated tropical plants have been introduced.

The people.

 Polynesian Tongans constitute nearly all of the country's population. They live in a predominantly rural, rigidly stratified society that is based on traditional patterns but has incorporated many elements of Western civilization. Two-thirds of the total population live on the main island of Tongatapu. Apart from Nuku'alofa, which is the country's only urban and commercial centre, the only other sizable towns are Mu'a on Tongatapu and Neiafu on Vava'u. The official languages are Tongan, an Austronesian language, and English. About two-fifths of  the people are Free Wesleyan (Methodist), and there are sizable numbers of Roman Catholics,
as well as members of the Free Church of Tonga and a small group of Mormons.

 The economy.

 Tonga has a developing free market economy based mainly on agriculture. Its gross national product (GNP) is growing more rapidly than the population; the GNP per capita is relatively low for a Pacific Islands country. Every male of age 16 or more is entitled to an allotment of about 7.5 acres (3 hectares) of land for cultivation, but land shortages deprive many of this privilege.
The main cash crops include coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans. Subsistence crops are yams, taro, cassava, peanuts (groundnuts), corn (maize), watermelons, and pineapples. Pigs, goats, cattle, and horses also are raised. Fish are abundant in the surrounding waters and are a staple source of protein. There is some light manufacturing, and handicrafts are produced for
the tourist trade. Relatively high levels of unemployment have led to much temporary migration, particularly to New Zealand, the United States, and Australia.

Exports consist mostly of pumpkins, vanilla beans, and coconut-oil products; food and capital goods make up the bulk of imports. New Zealand and Australia are Tonga's main trading partners. The islands' chief ports are at Nuku'alofa and at Neiafu on Vava'u. International air service is available from Fua'amotu Airport on Tongatapu.

Agriculture is the mainstay of the Tongan economy. Coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans constitute the main cash crops, and other important crops include yams, taro, cassava, corn (maize), watermelons, pineapples,and tomatoes. All land is essentially owned by the Crown, but large estates have been divided among the nobles of Tonga. Land is parceled out to peasant proprietors: every male aged 16 or over is entitled to an allotment of 7.5 acres (three hectares) of land for cultivation. Timber production, livestock raising, and fishing also contribute to Tonga's economy.

 Manufacturing industries include a plant that produces plastic pipe; several charcoal-producing plants, which export charcoal to New Zealand; canning and corrugated-iron-rolling factories; small handicraft enterprises; and other manufacturing concerns established by local and foreign investors. Crop processing has been undertaken by cooperative societies; the Tonga Feeds Manufacturing Society procures stock feed, and vanilla is processed by the Leimatu'a Vanilla Society located in the Vava'u group. Remittances from Tongans working overseas--especially in New Zealand, the United States, and Australia--and tourism have both contributed significantly to the growth of the Tongan economy.

More than half of Tonga's road network is all-weather roads, almost all of which are located on the two largest islands. Tonga has no railroad. Nuku'alofa and Neiafu (Vava'u) are ports used for external shipping. Copra and bananas are exported from Pangai (Ha'apai group). Regular international air service to New Zealand, Fiji, Western and American Samoa, and Niue is available from Fua'amotu Airport on Tongatapu. Domestic flights are serviced by airports on 'Eua, Ha'apai, Vava'u, Niuafo'ou, and Niuatoputapu.

 
Government, Administration and social conditions

 Tonga's constitution, granted in 1875 by King George Tupou I and amended only slightly since, establishes a constitutional monarchy. The chief executive is the monarch, who appoints a Privy Council. The council consists of the monarch and the Cabinet. The Cabinet has a prime minister, deputy prime minister, six other ministers, and the governors of Ha'apai and Vava'u.
The unicameral legislature consists of a speaker, the members of the Cabinet, nine nobles selected by the 33 nobles of Tonga, and nine representatives elected for three-year terms by literate taxpaying males and literate females aged 21 and over. Popularly elected town and district officials are the only form of local government; town officials represent villages, and district officials have authority over groups of villages. The most important administrative divisions are the three island groups. The main source of revenue is import duties.

Education is free for all Tongans, and attendance is compulsory between the ages of six and 14. The government runs primary, secondary, and vocational training schools, including a teacher-training college. Some primary and secondary schools as well as vocational institutions are run by churches. Tongans receive free dental and medical treatment. Although the general health of the population is adequate, several communicable diseases, such as influenzas, typhoid, filariasis, and tuberculosis, exist. Family planning aids are disseminated with the help of the United Nations and New Zealand.

The government operates a public hospital on each of the islands of Tongatapu, Vava'u, and Ha'apai, as well as a number of dispensaries on other islands. The general health of the people is good, and life expectancy is 63 years. Primary education is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 14, and government schools are free.

History.

Tonga was inhabited at least 3,000 years ago by Austronesian-speaking peoples who made elaborately decorated Lapita pottery similar to that found on Fiji. The Tongans developed a stratified social system headed by a paramount ruler whose dominion in the 13th century extended as far as the Hawaiian Islands.

The first European to visit Tonga was the Dutch navigator Jakob Le Maire, who sighted Tafahi (formerly Boscawen) in 1616. Abel Tasman made more extended visits in 1643. Effective contact, however, dates from 1773, when the British explorer Captain James Cook arrived and named the archipelago Friendly Islands. A Methodist mission was successfully established at
Tonga in 1826. This mission effectively abolished the traditional religion and converted Chief Taufa'ahau, who eventually, as King George Tupou I, came to rule the entire island group. George, descended from the Tu'i Tonga, a line of sacred kings who had ruled from at least the 10th century, was able to establish a limited monarchy based on a code of laws (1862) and a
constitution (1875). In separate treaties, Germany (1876), Great Britain (1879), and the United States (1888) recognized Tonga's independence.

King George Tupou I died in 1893. His great-grandson succeeded to the throne as King George Tupou II at a time of serious financial stress. By 1900 he had negotiated with Britain a treaty of friendship that provided Tonga with the assistance of the British consul in transacting foreign affairs. An amendment to the treaty (1905) gave the British consul veto power over Tongan
decisions in foreign affairs and thus made Tonga a British protectorate. Upon George Tupou II's death in 1918, the crown passed to his daughter, Queen Salote Tupou III, who during her long reign (1918-65) endeared herself to her subjects and to Britain. She was followed by her son Prince Tungi as Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.

The protectorate was dissolved on June 4, 1970, when Tonga, the only ancient kingdom surviving from the pre-European period in Polynesia, achieved complete independence within the Commonwealth.
 
Tonga Cultural life

Although Western influence has somewhat altered traditions and culture in Tonga, certain Tongan rituals and art forms survive. For example, Tonga shares with Fiji, Samoa, and parts of French Polynesia the elaborate ritual surrounding the drinking of kava. The drink, prepared from the root of a pepper plant, has the properties of a mild narcotic.

Carving was traditionally done by men, but the craftsmanship was inferior to that of other Polynesians, such as the Maori. Carving and other traditional crafts of higher quality have been produced, however, in response to the demands of the tourist market. Women manufacture tapa cloth from bark and weave mats and baskets from several varieties of pandanus leaves. Traditional dancing is an important part of national ceremonies and local village festivities. In the popular paddle dance, called me'etu'upaki, dancers carry paddle-shaped boards painted or carved with abstractions of the human body. Other popular dances include the kailao, a war dance; the lakalaka, a group action song performed while standing; the ma'ulu'ulu, an action song performed while seated; and the tau'olunga, an individual dance that is accompanied by singing. An oral tradition persists in Tongan villages in the form of proverbs, religious epics, genealogies, poetry, fables, and myths.

Tonga Statistics

 Official name: Pule'anga Fakatu'i 'o Tonga (Tongan); Kingdom of Tonga (English).

 Form of government: constitutional monarchy with one legislative house (Legislative Assembly
 [30{1}]).

 Head of state and government: King assisted by Privy Council.

 Capital: Nuku'alofa.

 Official languages: Tongan; English.

 Official religion: none.

 Monetary unit: 1 pa'anga{2} (T$) = 100 seniti; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = T$1.70; 1
 £ = T$2.89.

 Demography

 Population (1998): 97,900.

 Density (1998){3}: persons per sq mi 352.0, persons per sq km 135.9.

 Urban-rural (1997): urban 43.0%; rural 57.0%.

 Sex distribution (1992): male 50.28%; female 49.72%.

 Age breakdown (1986): under 15, 40.6%; 15-29, 29.0%; 30-44, 13.8%; 45-59, 10.2%; 60-74,
 5.0%; 75 and over, 1.4%.

 Population projection: (2000) 98,500; (2010) 101,000.

 Doubling time: 33 years.

 Ethnic composition (1986): Tongan 95.5%; part Tongan 2.8%; other 1.7%.

 Religious affiliation (1998): Free Wesleyan 41.2%; Roman Catholic 15.8%; Mormon 13.6%.

 Major cities (1986): Nuku'alofa 21,383; Neiafu 3,879; Haveluloto 3,070.

 Vital statistics

 Birth rate per 1,000 population (1997): 27.0 (world avg. 25.0).

 Death rate per 1,000 population (1997): 5.8 (world avg. 9.3).

 Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1997): 21.2 (world avg. 15.7).

 Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1997): 3.4.

 Marriage rate per 1,000 population (1992): 8.2.

 Divorce rate per 1,000 population (1992): 1.1.

 Life expectancy at birth (1997): male 68.0 years; female 72.0 years.

 Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1993){4}: circulatory diseases 58.1; nervous
 system diseases 51.0; senility 27.6; diabetes mellitus 17.3.

 National economy

 Budget (1996-97). Revenue: T$68,300,000 (foreign-trade taxes 41.6%, government services
 revenue 16.5%, direct taxes 12.0%, indirect taxes 10.7%, interest and rent 6.8%).
 Expenditures{5}: T$68,700,000 (education 17.8%, public works and communications 17.3%,
 general administration 14.4%, health 11.4%, law and order 10.5%, agriculture 9.0%).

 Public debt (external, outstanding; 1996): U.S.$68,300,000.

 Tourism (1995): receipts U.S.$11,000,000; expenditures (1993) U.S.$3,000,000.

 Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): yams 31,000,
 cassava 28,000, taro 27,200, coconuts 24,500, fruits 12,500, vegetables 7,308, sweet potatoes
 5,137, copra (1994) 2,000; livestock (number of live animals) 80,853 pigs, 13,939 goats,
 11,400 horses, 9,318 cattle, 266,000 chickens; roundwood (1995) 4,600 cu m; fish catch (1995)
 2,596. Mining and quarrying (1982): coral 150,000; sand 25,000. Manufacturing (output in
 T$'000,000; 1994): food products and beverages 7,766; chemical products 4,294; wood
 products 1,330; paper products 859; nonmetallic products 814; textile and wearing apparel
 806. Construction (value in T$; 1984): residential 9,552,300; nonresidential 11,377,100. Energy
 production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 29,000,000 (29,000,000); petroleum
 (barrels; 1989) none (154,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) n.a. (34,000).

 Gross national product (1996): U.S.$175,000,000 (U.S.$1,790 per capita).

 Population economically active (1993-94): total 36,665; activity rate 36.9% (participation rates:
 ages 10 and over 52.2%; female 42.9%; unemployed 11.8%).

 Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1986) 6.3; income per household:
 n.a.; sources of income: n.a.; expenditure (1984){6}: food 49.3%, household operations
 13.3%, housing 10.5%, tobacco and beverages 7.0%, transportation 5.8%, clothing and
 footwear 5.6%.

 Land use (1994): forest 11.1%; pasture 5.6%; agriculture 66.7%; other 16.6%.

 Foreign trade{7}

 Imports (1995-96): T$94,960,000 (food and live animals 28.7%, machinery and transport
 equipment 20.6%, basic manufactures 17.0%, mineral fuels 13.7%, chemicals 6.8%). Major
 import sources: New Zealand 36.1%; Australia 28.9%; U.S. 11.5%; Japan 8.0%; Fiji 7.2%.

 Exports (1995-96): T$17,020,000 (squash 49.3%, fish 24.4%, vanilla beans 12.5%, root crops
 5.5%). Major export destinations: Japan 51.8%; U.S. 27.7%; New Zealand 8.3%; Australia
 4.0%; Fiji 1.5%.

 Transport

 Transport. Railroads: none. Roads (1995): total length 674 km (paved 27%). Vehicles (1995):
 passenger cars 1,136, commercial vehicles 766. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross
 tons and over) 15; total deadweight tonnage 13,740. Air transport (1994): passenger-km
 9,397,000; metric ton-km cargo 16,000; airports (1996) with scheduled flights 6.

 Education and health

 Educational attainment (1986). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: complete
 primary 38.3%; lower secondary 30.3%; secondary 23.4%; postsecondary 4.9%; higher 1.0%;
 not stated 2.1%. Literacy (1976): total population age 15 and over literate 46,456 (92.8%);
 males 23,372 (92.9%); females 23,084 (92.8%).

 Health: physicians (1993) 45 (1 per 2,201 persons); hospital beds (1992) 307 (1 per 320
 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (1997) 15.

 Food (1992): daily per capita caloric intake 2,946 (vegetable products 82%, animal products
 18%); 129% of FAO recommended minimum requirement.

 Military

 Total active duty personnel (1991): Tonga has a national police (defense) force of about 300.
 Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1989): 4.9% (world 4.9%); per capita expenditure
 U.S.$21.
 

 {1} Includes 12 nonelective seats and 9 nobles elected by the 33 hereditary nobles
 of Tonga. {2} The pa'anga was pegged at par to the Australian dollar through Feb.
 8, 1991, but beginning Feb. 11, 1991, it was linked to a weighted basket of foreign
 currencies. {3} Density is based on land area. {4} Reported inpatient deaths at all
 hospitals. {5} Excludes amortization of public debt and sinking funds. {6} Current
 weight of consumer price index components. {7} Import data used in computing
 balance of trade is c.i.f.
 

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