Tonga

Geography

Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean. Area: 748 sq. km. Tourist attractions: Mapu'a 'a Vaca Blowholes, Mu'a, and Tongan Na­tional Centre. Time zone: GMT+13 hours.

People

Population: 116,921 (July 2007 est.). Population growth rate: 1.847% (2007 est.). Sex ratio: 0.993 male(s)/ female (2007 est,). Religions: Christian. Languages: Tongan, English. Literacy rate: Total 98.5%, Male 98.4%, Female 98.7% (1996 est.). Infant mortality rate: 11.99 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2006 est.). Life expectancy: Total 70.12 years, Male 67.6 years, Female 72.76 years (2007 est.).

Government

Capital: Nuku'aEofa. National an­them; Ko e fasi 'o e tu'i 'o e 'otu Tonga. Government type: Hereditary constitutional monarchy. Independence: 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate). Legal system: Based on English law. Executive branch: Chief of state: King George Tupou V (since I I September 2006). Head of government: Prime Minister Feleti Sevele (since February 2006). Legislative branch: Tonga has a unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea which has 30 seats. Judicial branch: Supreme court Court of appeal. 

Economy

Currency: Pa'anga. Currency conversion: Pa'anga per Indian rupee— 0.0475 Qune 2007 est.). GDP: Purchasing power parity—$178.5 million (2004 est.). GDP—real growth rate: 2.4% (2005 est.). GDP—per capita: Purchasing power parity— $2,200 (2005 est.). Inflation rate: 11.1% (2005 est.). Unemployment rate: 13.3% (EY03/04 est.). Exports: $34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.). Imports: $122 million f.o.b. (2004 est.). External debt: $80.7 million (2004).

Transport and Communications

Railways: None. Roads: 680 km. Air­ports: Fua'amotu International Airport. Telephones: 11,200 (2002). Mobile cellular: 16,400 (2004). Internet users: 2,900 (2002). Internet country code: .to. ISD code: 676.