CapitalNuku'alofa
Population104,519
Area747 km²
GDP per capita$7,100
Languagesspeak Tongan exclusively, use Tongan in conjunction with other languages, and do not use Tongan at home
Currencypa'anga
Life Expectancy78.0 yr
Governmentconstitutional monarchy
Introduction
Background
The first humans arrived in Tonga around 1000 B.C. The islands’ politics were highly centralized under the Tu’i Tonga, or Tongan king, by A.D. 950, and by 1200, the Tu’i Tonga had expanded his influence throughout Polynesia and into Melanesia and Micronesia. The Tongan Empire began to decline in the 1300s, with civil wars, a military defeat to Samoa, and internal political strife. By the mid-1500s, some Tu’i Tongans were ethnic Samoan, and day-to-day administration of Tonga was transferred to a new position occupied by ethnic Tongans.
Dutch navigators explored the islands in the 1600s, followed by the British in the 1770s, who named them the Friendly Islands. Between 1799 and 1852 Tonga went through a period of war and disorder. In the 1830s, a low-ranking chief from Ha’apai began to consolidate control over the islands and was crowned King George TUPOU I in 1845, establishing the only still-extant Polynesian monarchy. During TUPOU's reign (1845–93), Tonga became a unified and independent country with a modern constitution (1875), legal code, and administrative structure. In separate treaties, Germany (1876), Great Britain (1879), and the US (1888) recognized Tonga’s independence. His son and successor, King George TUPOU II, agreed to enter a protectorate agreement with the UK in 1900 after rival Tongan chiefs tried to overthrow him. As a protectorate, Tonga never completely lost its indigenous governance, but it did become more isolated and the social hierarchy became more stratified between a group of nobles and a large class of commoners. Today, about one third of parliamentary seats are reserved for nobles.
Tonga regained full control of domestic and foreign affairs and became a fully independent nation within the Commonwealth in 1970. A pro-democracy movement gained steam in the early 2000s, led by ‘Akilisi POHIVA, and in 2006, riots broke out in Nuku’alofa to protest the lack of progress on reform. To appease the activists, in 2008, King George TUPOU V announced he was relinquishing most of his powers leading up to parliamentary elections in 2010 and henceforth most of the monarch’s governmental decisions, except those relating to the judiciary, were to be made in consultation with the prime minister. The 2010 Legislative Assembly was called Tonga’s first democratically elected Parliament. King George TUPOU V died in 2012 and was succeeded by his brother Crown Prince Tupouto‘a Lavaka who ruled as George TUPOU VI. In 2015, ‘Akalisi POHIVA became Tonga’s first non-noble prime minister.
Geography
Area
land
717 sq km
water
30 sq km
total
747 sq km
Climate
tropical; influenced by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Terrain
predominantly flat islands featuring limestone bedrock, which has resulted from uplifted coral formations; some islands consist of limestone situated atop volcanic rock
Land use
other
39.3% (2023 est.)
forest
12.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
48.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 27.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 15.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.)
Location
Oceania, an archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean, roughly two-thirds of the distance from Hawaii to New Zealand
Coastline
419 km
Elevation
lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point
Kao Volcano on Kao Island 1,046 m
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Map references
Oceania
Land boundaries
total
0 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
continental shelf
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
cyclones (October to April); seismic activity and volcanic eruptions on Fonuafo'ou
volcanism: moderate volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has experienced frequent eruptions in recent times, while Niuafo'ou (260 m) has necessitated evacuations; historically active volcanoes also include Late and Tofua
Geography - note
the islands to the west (comprising the Tongan Volcanic Arch) are entirely of volcanic origin; conversely, the eastern islands are nonvolcanic and consist of coral limestone and sand
Natural resources
arable land, fish
Area - comparative
four times larger than Washington, D.C.
Geographic coordinates
20 00 S, 175 00 W
Population distribution
more than two-thirds of the population resides on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 out of the nation's 171 islands are inhabited
People & Society
Literacy
male
83.8% (2019 est.)
female
97.6% (2019 est.)
total population
91.1% (2019 est.)
Languages
85% speak Tongan exclusively, 13.9% use Tongan in conjunction with other languages, and 1.1% do not use Tongan at home (2021 estimate)
Religions
Protestant 63.9% (Free Wesleyan Church 34.2%, Free Church of Tonga 11.3%, Church of Tonga 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.5%, Assembly of God 2.5%, Tokaikolo/Maamafo'ou 1.5%, Constitutional Church of Tonga 1.2%, other Protestant 4%), Church of Jesus Christ 19.7%, Roman Catholic 13.7%, other 2.1%, none 0.6%, no answer 0.1% (2021 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.02 male(s)/female
total population
1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.83 male(s)/female
Birth rate
19.43 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
4.98 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
25.4 years
total
26.4 years (2025 est.)
female
26.4 years
Population
male
52,421
total
104,519 (2025 est.)
female
52,098
Nationality
noun
Tongan(s)
adjective
Tongan
Tobacco use
male
46.1% (2025 est.)
total
30.5% (2025 est.)
female
15.8% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
23.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
29.3% (male 15,627/female 15,142)
15-64 years
63.2% (male 33,445/female 32,867)
65 years and over
7.4% (2024 est.) (male 3,534/female 4,274)
Ethnic groups
96.5% speak Tongan, while 3.5% communicate in other languages (including European, Fijian, Samoan, Indian, Chinese, other Pacific Islander, and other Asian languages) (2021 estimate)
Child marriage
men married by age 18
2.8% (2019)
women married by age 15
0.4% (2019)
women married by age 18
10.1% (2019)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
57.2 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
45.2 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
8.4 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
11.9 (2025 est.)
Physician density
1.01 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
6.3% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
8.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-18.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 98.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 1.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
5.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
9.3% national budget (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
12.8 deaths/1,000 live births
total
11.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
10.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
-0.37% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.28 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
more than two-thirds of the population resides on Tongatapu; merely 45 out of the nation's 171 islands are inhabited
Life expectancy at birth
male
76.4 years
female
79.7 years
total population
78 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
67 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
23,000 NUKU'ALOFA (2018)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
48.2% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
24.9 years (2012 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
50.7% (2021 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
0.8% (2019 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
16 years (2020 est.)
total
18 years (2020 est.)
female
19 years (2020 est.)
Environment
Climate
tropical; influenced by trade winds; warm period (December to May), cool period (May to December)
Land use
other
39.3% (2023 est.)
forest
12.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
48.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 27.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 15.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
23.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
17,200 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
12.2% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
deforestation resulting from land conversion for agriculture and habitation; soil depletion; water contamination caused by salinization, sewage, and hazardous chemicals from agricultural practices; coral reefs and marine life at risk
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
174,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
174,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
7.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Government
Flag
description: red featuring a red cross on a white rectangle located in the upper-left corner
meaning: the cross symbolizes Christianity in Tonga, red represents the blood and sacrifice of Christ, while white signifies purity
Capital
name
Nuku'alofa
etymology
the name is believed to be derived from the local terms nuku, which translates to "residence or abode," and alofa, meaning "love;" it may also refer to "the south," indicating Tonga's geographical position relative to most other Polynesian islands
time difference
UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, commences on the first Sunday of November; concludes on the second Sunday of January
geographic coordinates
21 08 S, 175 12 W
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
the father must hold citizenship in Tonga; in cases of children born outside of marriage, the mother is required to be a citizen of Tonga
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
adopted 4 November 1875, revised 1988, 2016
amendment process
introduced by the Legislative Assembly; for passage, approval is needed from the Assembly through three readings, unanimous consent from the Privy Council (an elite advisory group to the monarch), the Cabinet, and final assent from the monarch
Country name
former
Friendly Islands
etymology
the name has local roots and is interpreted to mean "island;" the previous designation, the Friendly Islands, was given by Captain James COOK in 1773, inspired by the warm reception he received from the locals
local long form
Pule'anga Fakatu'i 'o Tonga
local short form
Tonga
conventional long form
Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form
Tonga
Independence
4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate status)
Legal system
English common law
Government type
constitutional monarchy
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and a number of judges determined by the monarch)
subordinate courts
Supreme Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land Courts
judge selection and term of office
judge appointments and tenures made by the King in Privy Council and subject to consent of the Legislative Assembly
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch
chief of state
King TUPOU VI (since 18 March 2012)
election results
2025: Fatafehi FAKAFANUA chosen as prime minister by the Legislative Assembly; Fatafehi FAKAFANUA (Independent) received 16 votes, Aisake Valu EKE (Independent) garnered 10 votes
2024: Aisake Valu EKE selected as prime minister by the Legislative Assembly; Aisake Valu EKE (Independent) obtained 16 votes, Viliami LATU (Independent) acquired 8
head of government
Prime Minister Fatafehi FAKAFANUA (since 18 December 2025)
most recent election date
15 December 2025
election/appointment process
the monarchy is inherited; the prime minister and deputy prime minister are indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly and appointed by the monarch
National holiday
Official birthday of King TUPOU VI, 4 July (1959)
National color(s)
red, white
Political parties
Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands or DPFI or PTOA
Tonga People's Party (Paati ʻa e Kakai ʻo Tonga) or PAK or TPPI
Legislative branch
term in office
4 years
number of seats
30 (17 directly elected; 9 indirectly elected)
electoral system
plurality/majority
legislature name
Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
11/20/2025
expected date of next election
November 2025
percentage of women in chamber
3.8%
National anthem(s)
title
"Ko e fasi 'o e tu'i 'o e 'Otu Tonga" (Song of the King of the Tonga Islands)
history
in use since 1874; more commonly referred to as "Fasi Fakafonua" (National Song)
lyrics/music
Uelingatoni Ngu TUPOUMALOHI/Karl Gustavus SCHMITT
National symbol(s)
red cross on white field
Administrative divisions
5 island divisions: 'Eua, Ha'apai, Ongo Niua, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (917) 369-1024
chancery
250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022
telephone
[1] (917) 369-1025
chief of mission
Ambassador Viliana Va’inga TONE (since 20 April 2021)
consulate(s) general
San Francisco
email address and website
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy
despite the US establishing an embassy in Tonga on 9 May 2023, the US Ambassador to Fiji is currently accredited to Tonga while the Embassy is in the process of being staffed
chief of mission
Ambassador Marie DAMOUR (since 6 December 2022); note - Ambassador DAMOUR operates from the US Embassy in the Republic of Fiji and is accredited to Tonga, Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu
International organization participation
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
has not provided an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; not a party state to the ICCt
Economy
Budget
revenues
$276.025 million (2023 est.)
expenditures
$244.97 million (2023 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$59.926 million (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$95.345 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$119.511 million (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$330.306 million (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$383.475 million (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$392.888 million (2024 est.)
Industries
tourism, construction, fishing
Labor force
34,800 (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2020
43.9% of GDP (2020 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2021
42% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2022
41.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
50% of GDP (2023 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
2.3 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
2.265 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
2.328 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
2.364 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
2.373 (2024 est.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
$159.276 million (2023 est.)
Economic overview
upper middle-income Pacific island economy; significant reliance on diaspora and remittances; prominent sectors include tourism and agriculture; substantial fish exporter; rapidly increasing Chinese investments in infrastructure; emerging hub for methamphetamine
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
2.4% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
2.3% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
2.2% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
Guyana 17%, USA 17%, NZ 15%, Australia 15%, UAE 12% (2023)
Imports - partners
Fiji 27%, NZ 24%, China 21%, Australia 8%, USA 5% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2021
$7,000 (2021 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022
$6,900 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$7,100 (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2021
0.4% (2021 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022
-2.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
2.1% (2023 est.)
Agricultural products
coconuts, pumpkins/squash, cassava, sweet potatoes, vegetables, yams, taro, root vegetables, plantains, lemons/limes (2023)
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, gold, processed fruits and nuts, cassava, fish (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, plastic products, poultry, cars, sheep and goat meat (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
-$27.749 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$30.087 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
-$21.165 million (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
23.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$508.735 million (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
107.6% (2023 est.)
government consumption
29.1% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories
-0.3% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital
27.3% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services
18.8% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services
-75.4% (2023 est.)
Population below poverty line
20.6% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
11% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
6.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
3.2% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
-11.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$742.114 million (2021 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$724.972 million (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$740.082 million (2023 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
3.9% (2024 est.)
total
6.3% (2024 est.)
female
10% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$375.564 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$396.53 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$377.299 million (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
13.5% (2023 est.)
services
50.2% (2023 est.)
agriculture
17.5% (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
4% (2021 est.)
highest 10%
22% (2021 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021
27.1 (2021 est.)
Energy
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption
1,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
consumption
67.01 million kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
34,000 kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
5.99 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
23.272 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
wind
1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
9.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
89% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
59% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
There is 1 television station that is state-owned and 3 that are privately owned; satellite and cable television services are accessible; the radio landscape includes 1 state-owned radio station and 5 privately owned ones; Radio Australia is accessible via satellite as of 2019.
Internet country code
.to
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
11,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
3 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
64,800 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
62 (2022 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
9,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
8 (2022 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
0
small
0
medium
0
key ports
Neiafu, Nuku Alofa, Pangai
very small
3
total ports
3 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
0
Airports
6 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
29 (2023)
by type
1 container ship, 13 general cargo vessels, 1 oil tanker, and 14 others
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
A3
Military & Security
Military - note
The fundamental missions of the military include safeguarding Tonga's sovereignty, ensuring maritime security, and protecting the King; it is also tasked with providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief, conducting search and rescue missions, monitoring illegal fishing activities, and supplying outer islands. The military has deployed a limited number of personnel to participate in multinational military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Solomon Islands. Key partners in these efforts include Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
Tonga has established a "shiprider" agreement with the United States, which permits local maritime law enforcement officers to board US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels. This includes the authority to board and inspect ships suspected of breaching laws or regulations within Tonga's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or in international waters.
Tonga participated in World War I as part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, however, the Tonga Defense Force (TDF) was not formed until 1939, coinciding with the onset of World War II. In 1943, New Zealand assisted in training approximately 2,000 Tongan soldiers who engaged in combat in the Solomon Islands. The TDF was disbanded following the conclusion of the war but was re-established in 1946 under the name Tonga Defense Services (TDS). In 2013, the TDS was renamed His Majesty’s Armed Forces of Tonga (HMAF) (2025).
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2020
2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021
1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024
1.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military and security forces
His Majesty's Armed Forces Tonga (HMAF; also known as Tonga Defense Services): Tonga Royal Guard, Tonga Land Force (Royal Tongan Marines), Tonga Navy, Air Wing.
Ministry of Police and Fire Services: Tonga Police Force (2025).
Military service age and obligation
Men and women aged 16 to 25 are eligible to apply for trainee soldier positions; there is no conscription (2025).
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The military's inventory includes light weaponry, along with several naval patrol vessels obtained from Australia (2025).
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 600 active Armed Forces (2025)
