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Geography |
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Capital |
Nuku'alofa (pop. 34,000). |
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Area |
747 sq. km. (288 sq. mi.). |
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Terrain |
171 islands, mainly raised coral but some volcanic; 48
inhabited. |
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Climate |
Tropical, modified by trade winds. Warm season (December to May),
cool season (May to December). |
Tonga is an archipelago directly south of Western Samoa. Its 171
islands, 48 of them inhabited, are divided into three main groups--Vava'u,
Ha'apai, and Tongatapu--and cover an 800-kilometer (500 mi.)-long
north-south line. The largest island, Tongatapu, on which the
capital city of Nuku'alofa is located, covers 257 square kilometers
(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.
The climate is basically subtropical with a distinct warm period
(December-April), during which the temperatures rise above 32oC
(90oF), and a cooler period (May-November), with temperatures rarely
rising above 27oC (80oF). The temperature increases from 23oC to
27oC (74oF to 80oF), and the annual rainfall is from 170 to 297
centimeters (67-117 in.) as one moves from Tongatapu in the south to
the more northerly islands closer to the Equator. The mean daily
humidity is 80%. |
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People |
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Nationality |
Noun and adjective--Tongan(s). |
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Population |
(2006 census): 101,169. |
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Groups |
Tongan 98%, other Polynesian, European. |
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Religions |
Christian. |
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Languages |
Tongan, English. |
Tongans, a Polynesian group with a very small mixture of Melanesian,
represent more than 98% of the inhabitants. The rest are European,
mixed European, and other Pacific Islanders. There also are about
500 Chinese.
More than two-thirds of the population of the Kingdom of Tonga live
on its main island, Tongatapu. An increasing number of Tongans have
moved into Nuku'alofa, Tonga's capital and only urban and commercial
center, where increasingly Western and indigenous Polynesian
cultural and living patterns have blended. For instance, the
extended family lifestyle is declining, with young couples choosing
to live on their own. Nonetheless, village life and kinship ties
continue to be important throughout the country. The Christian faith
that has dominated Tongan life for almost two centuries is still
influential. All commerce and entertainment activities cease on
Sunday from midnight, and the constitution declares the Sabbath to
be sacred, forever. However, within the past five years, an
unsuccessful attempt was made in parliament to amend the Sunday law.
Primary education between ages 6 and 14 is compulsory and free in
state schools. The state owns and operates 99% of the primary
schools and 44% of secondary schools. Higher education includes
teacher training, nursing and medical training, a small private
university, a women's business college, and a number of private
agricultural schools. Most higher education is pursued overseas. |
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Government &
History |
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Official Name |
Kingdom of Tonga |
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Government |
Constitutional hereditary monarchy. |
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Independence |
June 4, 1970. |
The word Tonga means "south" in numerous Polynesian languages. Some
scholars believe the inhabitants originally came from the islands
now known as Samoa. Archaeological evidence indicates that the Tonga
islands have been settled since at least 500 B.C., and local
traditions have carefully preserved the names of the Tongan
sovereigns for about 1,000 years. The power of the Tongan monarchy
reached its height in the 13th century. At the time, chieftains
exercised political influence as far away as Samoa.
During the 14th century, the King of Tonga delegated much of his
temporal power to a brother while retaining the spiritual authority.
Sometime later, this process was repeated by the second royal line,
thus resulting in three distinct lines: the Tu'i Tonga with
spiritual authority, which is believed to have extended over much of
Polynesia; the Tu'i Ha'atakalaua; and the Tu'i Kanokupolu. The
latter two had temporal authority for carrying out much of the
day-to-day administration of the kingdom.
Dutch navigators in 1616 were the first Europeans to sight the
Tongan archipelago. The main island of Tongatapu was first visited
by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1643. Continual contact with
Europeans, however, did not begin until more than 125 years later.
Captain James Cook visited the islands in 1773 and 1777 and gave the
archipelago the name "the Friendly Islands" because of the gentle
nature of the people he encountered. He, of course, was never aware
of the acrimonious debate that raged among contending nobles over
who should have the honor of attacking Cook's tiny fleet and killing
its sailors. In 1789, the famous mutiny on the British ship, Bounty,
took place in the waters between the Ha'apai and Nomuka island
groups.
Shortly after Captain Cook's last visit, warfare broke out in the
islands as the three lines of kings contended for dominance. At
about the same time, young Tongan nobles serving as mercenaries took
Tongan culture to Fiji's most eastern island group, the Laus. The
first missionaries, attached to the London Missionary Society,
arrived in Tonga in 1747. A second missionary group followed in
1822, led by Walter Lawry of the Wesleyan Missionary Society. They
converted Taufa'ahau, one of the claimants to the Tu'i Kanokupolu
line, and Christianity began to spread throughout the islands.
At the time of his conversion, Taufa'ahau took the name of Siaosi
(George) and his consort assumed the name Salote (Charlotte) in
honor of King George III and Queen Charlotte of England. In the
following years, he united all of the Tongan islands for the first
time in recorded history. In 1845, he was formally proclaimed King
George Tupou I, and the present dynasty was founded. He established
a constitution and a parliamentary government based, in some
respects, on the British model. In 1862, he abolished the existing
system of semi-serfdom and established an entirely alien system of
land tenure. Under this system every male Tongan, upon reaching the
age of 16, was entitled to rent--for life and at a nominal fee--a
plot of bushland (called "api tukuhau") of 8.25 acres, plus a
village allotment of about three-eights of an acre for his home (‘api
kolo).
Tonga concluded a treaty of friendship and protection with the
United Kingdom in 1900 and came under British protection. It
retained its independence and autonomy, while the United Kingdom
agreed to handle its foreign affairs and protect it from external
attack.
During World War II, in close collaboration with New Zealand, Tonga
formed a local defense force of about 2,000 troops that saw action
in the Solomon Islands. In addition, New Zealand and U.S. troops
were stationed on Tongatapu, which became a staging point for
shipping.
A new treaty of friendship and protection with the United Kingdom,
signed in 1958 and ratified in May 1959, provided for a British
Commissioner and consul in Tonga who were responsible to the
Governor of Fiji in his capacity as British Chief Commissioner for
Tonga. In mid-1965 the British Commissioner and consul became
directly responsible to the U.K. Secretary of State for Colonial
Affairs. Tonga became fully independent on June 4, 1970, an event
officially designated by the King as Tonga's "reentry into the
community of nations." On August 1, 2008, King Siaosi Tupou V, who
ascended the throne in September 2006, was formally crowned as
Tonga’s king. |
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