TONGA: INTRODUCTION:

Located in ocenia, Tonga is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, directly south of Western Samoa and about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand.The government system is constitutional monarchy, whereby the King is the Head of State and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The chief of state is the King and the head of government is the Prime Minister. Tonga has a mixed economic system in which there is a variety of private freedom, combined with centralized economic planning and government regulation.

Tonga Introduction overall:

Tonga officially the kingdom of tonga,is a Polynesian soveriage state and archipelago comprising 176 islandswith a surface are of about 750 square kilometres (290 sq mi) scattered over 700,000 square kilometres (270,000 sq mi) of the southern Pacific Ocean, of which 52 are inhabited by its 103,000 people

Tonga stretches over about 800 kilometres (500 mi) in a north-south line about a third of the distance from New Zealand to Hawaii. It is surrounded by Fiji and Wallis and Futuna (France) to the northwest, Samoa to the northeast, Niue to the east, Kermadec (part of New Zealand) to the southwest, and New Caledonia (France) andVanuatu to the west..

HISTORY:

Seafarers associated with the Lapita diaspora first settled the islands making up the Kingdom of Tonga in the century after 900 BC.[1] The area served (along with Fiji and Samoa) as a gateway into the rest of the Pacific region known as Polynesia. Ancient Tongan mythologies recorded by early European explorers report the islands of 'Ata and Tongatapu as the first islands being hauled to the surface from the deep ocean by Maui….

Kingdom of Tonga

Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga

Flag Coat of arms

Motto: "Ko e ʻOtua mo Tonga ko hoku tofiʻa""God and Tonga are my Inheritance"

Anthem: Ko e fasi ʻo e tuʻi ʻo e ʻOtu TongaThe Song of the King of the Tongan Islands

MENU

0:00

Capitaland largest city

Nukuʻalofa21°08′S 175°12′W

Official languages

TonganEnglish

Demonym Tongan

Government Unitary parliamentaryconstitutional monarchy

 - Monarch Tupou VI

 - Prime Minister

Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō

Legislature Legislative Assembly

Independence

 - from British protection

4 June 1970 

Area

 - Total 748 km2 (186th)289 sq mi

 - Water (%) 4.0

Population

 - 2011 census 103,036[1]

 - Density 139/km2 (76tha)360/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2011 estimate

 - Total $763 million[2]

 - Per capita $7,344[2]

GDP (nominal) 2011 estimate

 - Total $439 million[2]

 - Per capita $4,220[2]

HDI (2013)  0.705[3]

medium · 100th

Currency Paʻanga (TOP)

Time zone (UTC+13)

DST not observed

Drives on the left

Calling code +676

ISO 3166 code TO

Internet TLD .to

a Based on 2005 figure

Tonga-International trade:

According to statistics from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Tonga has had a

negative trade balance since 1975. In 1975, Tonga's imports totaled $17 million and its

exports $6 million. By 1998, according to the CIA World Factbook 2000 , imports had risen

to $69 million and exports to $8 million. This illustrates Tonga's very narrow export base,

as it relies mainly on squash and fish, with small contributions from other agricultural

and manufacturing products. Since squash is the most valuable export and the total

production goes to Japan to be used in soups and various food products, that country

accounts for more than 40 percent of Tonga's exports. The United States and New Zealand

are the other significant export destinations, importing fish and small agricultural and

manufacturing products respectively.

The most important imports into Tonga are foodstuffs, machines,

and transport equipment. New Zealand is the most important source of foodstuffs and of

some manufactures and is the source of about 35 percent of all imports. The next most

important import sources are Australia, the United States, and Fiji.

The large negative trade balance is offset by other international transfers. Tourism

contributes some international income, and there is potential for expansion in this sector.

At the household level, the most important source of income is remittances from relatives

living overseas, particularly in New Zealand, the United States and Australia. At the

government level, international aid helps to counterbalance the large imbalance in trade

Relations between   tonga   and the   European Union:

Tonga has been a member of theAfrican Caribbean Pacific (ACP) group since 1975. Since 2006, the focus of EU's development cooperation was on the sustainable management of natural resources.

Political dialogue:

The EU's political dialogue with Tonga focuses on:

protecting its vulnerable environment, especially in relation to climate change

defending human rights and gender issues.

The EU and Tonga are discussing how to collaborate more closely in multilateral fora on these and other issues.

Aid and cooperation:

Under the Cotonou Agreement, Tonga benefits from European Development Fund (EDF),

assistance of some €15m for 2008-13.

EU assistance has focused on:

Renewable energy (€7.08m)

Coping with the impact of the global financial and economic crisis, through the Vulnerability-FLEX mechanism (€5.5m).

Climate change assistance - financed under the framework of the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA), including:

Building resilience to climate change  (with the University of South Pacific) Promoting sustainable long-term adaptation strategies (with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community).

Disaster risk reduction - some €20m for the 15 ACP Pacific Islands under the 10th EDF ACP-EU Natural Disaster Facility.

 

The EU and Tonga, jointly with other Pacific island nations, are currently negotiating an

Economic Partnership Agreement to cover areas such as fisheries, services and tourism.

ECONOMY:

 Tongan one-cent (seniti taha) coin.

Tonga's economy is characterised by a large non-monetary sector and a heavy dependence

on remittances from the half of the country's population who live abroad (chiefly in

Australia, New Zealand and the United States). The royal family and the nobles dominate

and largely own the monetary sector of the economy – particularly the telecommunications

and satellite services. Tonga was named the sixth most corrupt country in the world by

Forbes magazine in 2008.[31]

Tonga was ranked the 165th safest investment destination in the world in the March 2011

Euromoney Country Risk rankings.

T he manufacturing sector consists of handicrafts and a few other very small scale

industries, which contribute only about 3% of GDP. Commercial business activities also

are inconspicuous and, to a large extent, are dominated by the same large trading

companies found throughout the South Pacific. In September 1974, the country's first

commercial trading bank, the Bank of Tonga, opened. There are no patent laws in Tonga.

In 2005, the country became eligible to become a member of the World Trade

Organization. After an initial voluntary delay, Tonga became a full member of the WTO

on 27 July 2007.

The Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), incorporated in 1996, endeavours

to represent the interests of its members, private sector businesses, and to promote

economic growth in the Kingdom.

Tonga is home to some 106,000 people, but more than double that number live overseas,

mainly in the US, New Zealand and Australia.

Remittances from the overseas population has been declining since the onset of the 2008

global economic crisis. The tourism industry is improving, but remains modest at under

90,000 tourists per year

Tonga : future trends:

The late 1990s was a period of economic stagnation by some indicators. Primary exports in

agriculture, forestry, and fishing had declined as a result of drought, hurricane

damage and unstable world prices. However, the balance of payments was still positive as a

result of some growth in services and a steady flow of remittances. Both the private

and public sectors have been making an ongoing attempt to identify niche markets for

Tongan enterprise, ranging from the export of new agricultural products such as the

vaguely narcotic but reputedly therapeutic kava, to the acquisition of a number

of satellite television bands, which Tonga has successfully leased. Despite a relative lack of

resources, there is some optimism for the future based on the high educational levels of

Tonga's population and the international networks established by Tongan migrants. At the

same time, there will be ongoing pressure to further democratize Tonga's political system.

In the long term, the monarchy may survive, accompanied by a more democratic

Parliament, although such a change is not likely to have a significant economic impact,

other than perhaps allowing a more equitable distribution of wealth.

Tonga - Country history and economic development

1140 B.C. Evidence of human habitation and Lapita pottery.

950 A.D. Tuíi Tonga is the dominant leader.

1643. First European (Dutch) sighting of Tonga by Schouten and Le Maire.

1643-1800s. Many European contacts include visits by "explorers" from

the Netherlands, Great Britain, France, and Spain, who introduce many new trade

goods and diseases.

1777. British Captain James Cook explores what he calls the "Friendly Isles."

1822. First Christian conversions, by Wesleyan missionaries; Tonga becomes nominally

Christian over the next 20 years.

1845. After civil wars, King Taufa'ahau Tupou I (George Tupou I) of the Ha'apai group

becomes first ruler of a united Tonga.

1875. New constitution proclaims Tonga an independent constitutional monarchy.

1900. Great Britain declares Tonga a "protected state" but does not impose full colonial

rule.

1918. Queen Salote Tupou III is crowned, and rules until 1965.

1960s. Large-scale migrations to New Zealand and elsewhere begin.

1965. King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, the current monarch, is crowned.

1990s. Rise of republican movement proposing full democracy and end of monarchy;

squash becomes primary export, to Japanese market.

Tonga : industry:

Industry contributed 10.7 percent of GDP in 1999, a slight decline from 1984, when it

contributed 13.8 percent of GDP. The importance of industry to employment is somewhat

greater than this, however, since 22.8 percent of the labor force is industrial. Construction

was the biggest single sector, followed by manufacturing. The contribution of construction

is variable, depending on the expansion of tourism infrastructure (especially hotels) and

new businesses in any one year.

The most important manufacturing activities are related to food and timber processing,

mainly for the local market. Under a trade agreement with Australia and New Zealand

(SPARTECA), Tonga is allowed to export manufactured goods duty-free, and at times has

been successful in establishing a market for woolen goods and other products produced in

small factories or from home. The advantages of this trade agreement have declined with

trade liberalization , which has opened up the Australian and New Zealand markets to

cheaper Asian products.

Tonga:Economic sectors:

According to the Asian Development Bank, Tonga's economic sectors contributed to total

GDP in 1999 in the following proportion: agriculture, fishing, and hunting, 29.9 percent;

industry, 10.7 percent; services, 43.8 percent; other, 15.7 percent. In 1996, the same source

reported that the total labor force of 33,900 wasdistributed in these sectors as follows:

agriculture, 34 percent; industry, 22.8 percent; services, 43.2 percent.

The agriculture sector's contribution to GDP has been fairly consistent, dropping slightly

from 31.6 percent in 1984 to 29.9 percent in 1999. Between 1994 and 1996, Tonga

experienced a downturn in agricultural performance, along with declining price

competitiveness internationally, and a weakening level of remittances from

overseas migrants. This caused high unemployment in 1996. Industry, which contributed

10.7 percent of GDP in 1999, is made up of relatively small-scale processing of food

and timber products for the local market, as well as small factories making products for

export, including woolen goods. The service sector is the largest, made up mostly of the

government subsector, and a smaller tourism one.

Tonga - Infrastructure, power, and communications

Transport needs within Tonga are served by roads, shipping services, and air. There are

about 680 kilometers (423 miles) of roads, with 184 kilometers (114 miles) paved. These

serve most areas within the main islands, with transport provided by private vehicles and

bus services. Shipping among the 3 main island groups is provided by the government-

owned Shipping Corporation of Polynesia and the private Uata Shipping Lines. These offer

regular passenger, cargo, and car ferry services throughout the country.

Royal Tongan Airlines provides international air services from Fua'amotu Airport, the

only of the country's 5 airports that has a paved runway. It also links the 3 island groups

with regular domestic flights.

Parts of Tonga's telecommunications network are old. Domestic phone services link most of

the country via the government-owned Tonga Telecommunications Commission, but there

has been little upgrading since the 1950s. International communications via satellite are

provided by Cable and Wireless Limited. Electricity is widespread and is generated

completely by imported fuels. Tonga had 1 Internet service provider as of 1999.

Communications

countryTelephones 

a

Telephones,

Mobile/Cellula

r a

Radio

Stations a

Radios a

TV

Stations a

Televisions a

Internet

Service

Providers c

Interne

t

Users c

Tonga8,000

(1996)302 (1996)

AM 1;

FM 2;

shortwav

e 1

(2001)

61,000 1 (2001) 2,000 2 1,000

United

States194 M

69.209 M

(1998)

AM

4,762;

FM

5,542;

shortwav

e 18

575 M 1,500 219 M 7,800 148 M

Philippin

es1.9 M 1.959 M (1998)

AM 366;

FM 290;

shortwav

e 3

(1999)

11.5 M 31 3.7 M 33500,00

0

Solomon

Islands8,000 658

AM 3;

FM 0;

shortwav

e 0

57,000 0 3,000 1 3,000

a Data is for 1997 unless otherwise noted.b Data is for 1998 unless otherwise noted.

c Data is for 2000 unless otherwise noted

Governance :

The Government Structure described by the constitution.

Administrative divisions of Tonga:

The island country of Tonga can be divided into 5 divisions and 23 districts

Tongatapu Kolofo'ou Kolomotu'a Vaini Tatakamotonga Lapaha Nukunuku Kolovai

Vava'u Neiafu Pangaimotu Hahake Leimatu'a Hihifo Motu Ofu

Ha'apai Pangai Foa Lulunga Mu'omu'a Ha'ano 'Uiha

'Eua 'Eua Motu'a 'Eua Fo'ou

Ongo Niua Niua Toputapu Niua Fo'ou

Security :

The Tonga Defense Services (TDS) is the armed force of Tonga. It is composed of

three operational command components, two support elements (logistics and

training groups).

The mission of the Tonga Defence Services is to: Defend the sovereignty of the

Kingdom of Tonga.

The TDS is partially supported by defense cooperation agreements

with Australia, United States, China, United Kingdom, India and New Zealand.

These Security Cooperation aim at capacity development through training of TDS

personnel in leadership, academic and trades while support for infrastructure

development is another part of these Security Cooperation.

In recent years, members of the TDS have supported Coalition of the Willing in

Operation Iraqi Freedom, theInternational Security Assistance Force in

Afghanistan, and the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon islands. 

Tonga - Banking and securities:

The Bank of Tonga was formed in 1971, with the government holding 40% of the shares

and 20% each held by the Bank of Hawaii, the Bank of New Zealand, and the Bank of New

South Wales. The overseas banks provided staff and supervision for the Bank of Tonga,

which offers all commercial services and has assumed responsibility for government

savings, traders' current accounts, and foreign exchange dealings. The Tongan

Development Bank (TDB) was founded in 1977.

Tonga's fiscal policy has traditionally been cautious, with taxation and expenditure

measures balancing in the recurrent budget and the development budged being financed

mainly through grants and soft loans. Legislation to set up a central bank was passed in

late 1988 and the National Reserve Bank came into existence the following year. The

Ministry of Finance, the Board of Currency Commissioners, the Board of Coinage

Commissioners, and the island's only commercial bank, the Bank of Tonga, had until then

jointly performed central bank functions. A second commercial bank, MBF Bank, was

launched in late 1993.

Legislation has been passed to enable Tonga to become an international banking center.

The legislation permits up to four foreign banks to establish operations in the capital. The

International Monetary Fund reports that in 2001, currency and demand deposits—an

aggregate commonly known as M1—were equal to $20.6 million. In that same year, M2—

an aggregate equal to M1 plus savings deposits, small time deposits, and money market

mutual funds—was $67.0 million.

Tonga has no stock issues or securities trading

Geography :

Located in Oceania, Tonga is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, directly south

of Western Samoa and about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. Its

176 islands, 36 of them inhabited, are divided into three main groups

– Vava'u, Ha'apai, and Tongatapu – and cover an 800-kilometre (500-mile)-long north-

south line. The largest island, Tongatapu, on which the capital city of Nukuʻalofa is

located, covers 257 square kilometres (99 sq mi). Geologically the Tongan islands are of

two types: most have a limestone base formed from uplifted coral formations; others

consist of limestone overlaying a volcanic base..

Climate:

Tonga has a tropical climate with only two seasons, wet and dry, with most rain falling

between February and April. The tropical cyclone season currently runs from 1

November to 30 April, though tropical cyclones can form and affect Tonga outside of

the season.

Climate data for Nuku alofa

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Record high °C (°F)32

(90)32

(90)31

(88)30

(86)30

(86)28

(82)28

(82)28

(82)28

(82)29

(84)30

(86)31

(88)

Average high °C (°F)28

(82)29

(84)28

(82)27

(81)26

(79)25

(77)25

(77)24

(75)25

(77)25

(77)27

(81)27

(81)

Daily mean °C (°F)25

(77)25

(77)25

(77)24

(75)23

(73)21

(70)21

(70)21

(70)21

(70)22

(72)23

(73)23

(73)

Average low °C (°F)22

(72)22

(72)22

(72)21

(70)20

(68)18

(64)17

(63)18

(64)17

(63)19

(66)20

(68)20

(68)

Record low °C (°F)16

(61)17

(63)15

(59)15

(59)13

(55)11

(52)10

(50)11

(52)11

(52)12

(54)13

(55)16

(61)

Rainfall mm (inches)130

(5.12)190

(7.48)210

(8.27)120

(4.72)130

(5.12)100

(3.94)100

(3.94)130

(5.12)110

(4.33)90

(3.54)

100(3.94)

120(4.72)

Avg. rainy days 11 13 14 12 12 10 10 12 10 10 10 10

 % humidity 77 78 79 76 78 77 75 75 74 74 73 75

Source: Weatherbase

Demographics emographics of Tonga, data of FAO, year 2005; number of inhabitants in

thousands.

Over 70% of the 101,991 inhabitants live on its main island, Tongatapu. Although an

increasing number of Tongans have moved into the only urban and commercial centre,

Nukuʻalofa, where European and indigenous cultural and living patterns have blended,

village life and kinship ties remain influential throughout the country. Despite emigration,

Tonga grew in population from about 32,000 in the 1930s to more than 90,000 by 1976.[40]

According to the government portal, Tongans, Polynesian by ethnicity with a very small

mixture of Melanesian, represent more than 98% of the inhabitants. 1.5% are mixed

Tongans and the rest are European (the majority are British), mixed European, and

other Pacific Islanders. According to a New Zealand paper in 2001 there were

approximately 3,000 or 4,000 Chinese in Tonga, thus comprising 3 or 4% of the total

Tongan population.[41] In2006, Nuku ̒ alofa riots  mainly targeted Chinese-owned businesses,

leading to the emigration of several hundred Chinese.[42] so that only about 300 remain.

Primary education between ages 6 and 14 is compulsory and free in state schools. Mission

schools provide about 8% of the primary and 90% of the secondary level of education.

State schools make up for the rest. Higher education includes teacher training, nursing and

medical training, a small private university, a woman's business college, and a number of

private agricultural schools. Most higher education is pursued overseas.

Ninety percent of the population are considered overweight using NIH interpretation of

body mass index (BMI) data, with more than 60% of those obese.[43] 70% of Tongan women

aged 15–85 are obese. Tonga and nearby Nauru have the world's highest overweight and

obese population.

LANGUAGES

Tongan, a Polynesian language not written down until the 19th century, is the language of

the kingdom, but government publications are issued in both Tongan and English, and

English is taught as a second language in the schools.

Tonga-Religions:

The Free Wesleyan Church.

Everyday life is heavily influenced by Polynesian

traditions and especially by the Christian faith; for example, all commerce and

entertainment activities cease from midnight on Saturday until midnight on Sunday, and

the constitution declares the Sabbath sacred forever. As of 2006 somewhat more than a

third of Tongans adhered to the Methodist

tradition with Catholic and Mormon populations equalling another third of the adherents.

A minority of worshippers form the Free Church of Tonga. The official figures from the

latest government census of 2011 show that 90% of the population are affiliated with a

Christian church or sect, with the four major church affiliations in the kingdom as follows:

Free Wesleyans /Methodists (36,592 or 36%)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  (LDS Church) (18,554 or 18%)

Roman Catholics (15,441 or 15%)

Free Church of Tonga  (11,863 or 12%)

Sports :

Rugby union is the national sport in Tonga. Soccer has a following,

while judo, surfing, volleyball, and cricket have gained popularity in recent years. Rugby

league is also played. France vs. Tonga at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Rugby union is the national

sport and the national team (Ikale Tahi, or Sea Eagles) has performed quite well on the

international stage. Though Tongans are passionate rugby followers and players, their

small population base means that much alike to its Pacific Island

neighbours, Samoa and Fiji, Tonga has a limited yet talented player pool, and sometimes

struggles with the resources and numbers of larger nations. Young talent often emigrates

or is poached to countries which offer greater prospects of individual success such as New

Zealand, Australia and Europe. Nevertheless, all three countries perform far beyond their

population base size.

Tonga has competed in six Rugby World Cups since 1987. Both the 2007 and 2011 Rugby

World Cups were Tonga's most successful to date, both winning two out of four matches

and both in a running chance for the quarter finals. In the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Tonga

won its first two matches, against the USA 25–15, andSamoa 19–15; and came very close to

upsetting the eventual winners of the 2007 tournament, the South African Springboks,

losing 30–25. A loss to England, 36–20 in their last pool game ended their hopes of making

the knockout stages. Nevertheless, by picking up third place in their pool games behind

South Africa and England, Tonga earned automatic qualification for the 2011 Rugby

World Cup in New Zealand.

Boxing:

Boxing is a growing sport in Tonga. Boxer Paea Wolfgramm won the silver medal in the

Super Heavyweight division (> 91 kg) at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Although he is not

the first Pacific Islander to win a medal at an Olympics, he is the first to do so representing

a Pacific Island nation. This makes Tonga the first and only Pacific island nation to date to

ever win a medal at the Olympic Games.

Education System in Tonga:

Primary Education:

Not much can be said about education in this string of south pacific islands where as many people have moved away as those who live there. At least education is free and compulsory between ages 6 and 14 and the literacy rate is close to 99%. About 80% of all primary schools are run by missionaries.

Secondary Education:

There are 22 high schools, 90% of which are run by missionaries too. Those who desire a first-world education for their children are more inclined to send them overseas, especially to Australia where the government there maintains a paternal influence over the affairs of Tonga.

Tertiary Education

Although there is some post-secondary education in Tonga in the fields of agricultural, medicine, nursing, and teaching, most young Tongan people choose to pursue their studies overseas. As a result many of them now live there especially in New Zealand and Australia, while 25% of their compatriots back homeexist below the poverty line. 

The University of the South Pacific is a regional university owned in part by Tonga. This institutionmaintains a presence in the form of the ‘Atele Campus where support is provided to distance-learning students on the islands.

Colleges and universities :

This list includes universities, colleges, vocational schools, and other higher education institutions.

Web Rank

University City

1 University of the Nations Nuku'alofa

2 Atenisi Institute Nuku‘alofa

Flag :

The flag of Tonga consists of a red field with a white canton charged with a red couped cross. Adopted in 1875 after being officially enshrined into the nation's constitution, it has been the flag of the Kingdom of Tonga since that year. The constitution stipulates that the national flag can never be changed.

Transport in Tonga

 

Tonga possesses a number of transportation systems using road, air and water-based

infrastructure. There are 680 km of highways in Tonga, of which 184 km are paved, and

there are a number of air and seaports.

There are three harbours in Tonga: Neiafu, Nuku ̒ alofa  and Pangai, and in terms

of merchant marine, the country possesses seven ships that exceed 1,000GRT, whose

masses combined total 17,760GRT. By type, there is one bulk ship, two cargo ships, 2

liquefied gas ships, one petroleum tanker and roll-on/roll-off ship.

By 1999 estimates, there are 6 airports in Tonga. Of these, one has paved runways,

the Fua ̒ amotu International Airport  on Tongatapu. Of the remaining airports, one has

runways exceeding length 1,524m, two have runways longer than 914m, with the remaining

two having runways shorter than 914m. The airline of Tonga is Peau Vava'u.

There was formerly a railway in Nuku'alofa, but it no longer exists

Culture and diaspora.

Kava culture.

umans have lived in Tonga for nearly 3,000 years, since settlement in late Lapita times.

Before the arrival of European explorers in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Tongans

had frequent contacts with their nearest oceanic neighbours, Fijiand Niue. In the 19th

century, with the arrival of Western traders and missionaries, Tongan culture changed,

especially in religion, such that As of 2013 almost 98 percent of residents profess

Christianity. The people discarded some old beliefs and habits and adopted others.

Start of a Tongan tau’olunga dance

Contemporary Tongans often have strong ties to overseas lands. Many Tongans have

emigrated to Australia, New Zealand, or the United States to seek employment and a

higher standard of living. The Tongan diaspora retains close ties to relatives at home,[citation

needed] and a significant portion of Tonga's income derives from remittances[citation needed] to

family members (often aged) who prefer to remain in Tonga.

Tonga - Labor

The total wage labor force in 1996, the last year reported, was 33,908. As of 1997,

approximately 65% of the workforce engaged in agriculture. The unemployment rate that

year was 13.3%.

The government has issued a labor code establishing a wage structure, a system

of job classification, and provisions for workers' compensation. Holidays are prescribed by

law. According to the constitution, it is not lawful to work, to play games, or to engage in

trade on Sunday. Workers have the right, in theory, to form unions under the 1964 Trade

Union Act, but as of 2002, none had been formed. Various government agencies and public

enterprises offer vocational training.Child labor is not used in the wage sector and

is virtually nonexistent throughout the economy. The workweek is limited to 40 hours.

There is no set minimum wage. Generally, labors laws are well enforced on the main island

of Tongatapu but are more inconsistently enforced on the outer islands.

Tonga – Agriculture:

About 69% of Tonga is agricultural land, including small amounts of permanent pasture.

With increasing population pressure on the land, more land is being intensively cultivated

and less is available for fallow. The use of fertilizers, high-protein strains of corn, and

similar methods to improve the efficiency of land use has become increasingly necessary.

According to the constitution of 1875, all the land in the kingdom belongs to the crown and

cannot be alienated. Much of it, however, consists of hereditary estates that were bestowed

upon various chiefs, who lease the lands to farmers at a nominal annual rent. Since 1890,

the crown has been responsible for the collection of rents and the granting of allotments.

On reaching the age of 16, every Tongan male taxpayer is entitled under the constitution to

a tax allotment of one api (3.34 ha/8.25 acres). These allotments are hereditary, pass from

generation to generation in accordance with the law of succession, and may not be sold. A

tenant may be ejected for nonpayment of rent or for failing to comply with the planting

regulations, under which every Tongan holder of a tax allotment is legally required to plant

200 coconut trees, which he must keep free from weeds. In recent years, however,

population increases have made it impossible to guarantee the api to all those entitled to

one.

Principal subsistence crops are yams, taro, sweet potatoes, and manioc. Estimated

production in 1999 included coconuts, 25,000 tons; sweet potatoes, 5,000 tons; cassava,

28,000 tons; oranges, 3,000 tons; and bananas, 1,000 tons. Vanilla beans have become an

important cash crop, especially on Vava'u. Agricultural products accounted for 67% of

exports in 2001.

Tonga - Tourism, travel, and recreation:

Popular tourist sites are the royal palace and terraced tombs in Nuku'alofa. Most visitors

enjoy a traditional evening feast of suckling pig, crayfish, chicken, and assorted

accompaniments. Fishing, swimming, and sailing are popular, and rugby is a favorite

spectator sport.

The minister of police grants prior-arrival visitors' permits up to a maximum of six

months. Permits are not required from persons in direct transit, holders of Tongan

passports, or foreign government officials traveling on official

business. Vaccination against yellow fever is required.

The tourist industry is a small but growing source of foreign exchange revenues. In 2000

there were 34,694 tourist arrivals, with 46% of travelers coming from Australia and New

Zealand. Tourism receipts totaled $7 million.

In 2001 the US State Department estimated the cost of staying in Nuku'alofa at $94 per

day.

Tonga - Poverty and wealth :

GDP per capita rose from $1,300 in 1975 to $1,868 in 1998, according to the

Asian Development Bank. The CIA World Factbook 2000 reports a slightly higher figure,

which it estimated at US$2,200 for 1998. Although the Human Development Indicator

(HDI) for Tonga does not appear among the 174 countries which are ranked in the

UNDP's Human Development Report 2000 , it does appear in the UNDP's Pacific Human

GDP per Capita (US$)

Country 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Tonga 2,250 2,100 2,200 N/A 2,200

United States 28,600 30,200 31,500 33,900 36,200

Philippines 2,600 3,200 3,500 3,600 3,800

Solomon Islands 3,000 3,000 2,600 2,650 2,000

Note: Data are estimates.

SOURCE: Handbook of the Nations , 17th,18th, 19th and 20theditions for 1996, 1997, 1998

and 1999 data; CIA World Factbook 2001 [Online] for 2000 data.

Development Report 1999. In that report, Tonga has the sixth highest HDI of the 15 Pacific

countries considered. Its GDP per capita is only the eighth highest of these countries, but it

makes up for this with high indicators of education and health. Adult literacy for both men

and women is reported to be near 99 percent, the highest of any Pacific country. Infant

mortality, at 19 per 1,000, is one of the lowest in the Pacific, and this is illustrative of a good

system of health delivery and a safe water system. Primary education is free and

compulsory, and participation at secondary school is also high, resulting in a combined

enrollment rate of 83 percent.

Still, there is some evidence of inequalities within the country. No calculated measures of

GDP per Capita (US$)

Country 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

the distribution of income or consumption are available, but there is some inequality of

income between urban and rural areas. Squatter (one who lives somewhere without

paying rent) settlements around the capital, Nuku'alofa, have a poor standard of housing

and inadequate water and sanitation systems. In some rural areas, land access is

inequitably distributed, despite the fact that all adult males on reaching their sixteenth

birthday are supposed to be granted a plot of land by the local noble.

Tonga:Money:

The value of the pa'anga against the U.S. dollar has halved over the past 2 decades, from

0.9859 to the U.S. dollar in 1982 to 1.997 in February 2001. Much of this devaluation took

place during the early 1980s, and then again in the late 1990s. During the 1980s, the export

value

Trade (expressed in billions of US$): Tonga

Exports Imports

1975 .006 .017

1980 .007 .038

1985 .005 .041

1990 .011 .062

Trade (expressed in billions of US$): Tonga

Exports Imports

1995 .014 .077

1998 N/A N/A

SOURCE: International Monetary Fund. International Financial Statistics Yearbook 1999.

Exchange rates: Tonga

pa'anga (T$) per US$1

Jan 2001 1.9885

2000 1.7585

1999 1.5991

1998 1.4920

1997 1.2635

1996 1.2323

SOURCE: CIA World Factbook 2001 

of coconut products and vanilla declined, and remittance income fluctuated, causing an

impact on the currency. In the late 1990s and early 2000s a further serious devaluation

occurred, and this may be partly attributed to the strong American dollar against the

currencies of the Pacific region, including the New Zealandand Australian dollars, which

are part of a number of currencies to which the pa'anga is linked.

The National Reserve Bank of Tonga (NRBT) has several functions. One of these is to

stabilize the Tongan currency. This is only possible, though, within the network of the

other currencies to which the pa'anga is linked. The NRBT also monitors the economy by

maintaining databases and providing advice on government spending and revenue, the

supply of money, interest rates, and the trade balance.

Tonga - Working conditions

According to official statistics, about one-third of the workforce is not "economically

active." These people are mainly village-based subsistence workers, a disproportionate

number of whom are women, who are producing goods and services that are not exchanged

for cash. Many of these aspire to become part of the country's formal sector. The situation

for those who want wage employment does not appear good. It is estimated that of the

2,000 school graduates each year, only about 500 will find work in the formal sector. The

rest must either return to the subsistence economy, continue job searching and become

officially unemployed, or migrate. It is the latter option that many choose, and this partly

explains why there are an estimated 50,000 Tongans living in other countries.

In the formal sector, about 37 percent of the work-force is female. While it is difficult to

calculate, about 12 percent of the labor force is said to be unemployed. There is no

comprehensive system of unemployment compensation, nor is there a general pension

scheme. The country does not have a minimum wage law; workers did have some amount

of protection in that they could live without a monetary income with the support of

extended families and subsistence farming , if needed. There is no legal provision for labor

unions in Tonga, although 2 associations that represent working groups are the Tonga

Nurses' Association and the Friendly Islands Teachers' Association.

References :

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonga#Education

2) http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Tonga.html