Tonga
Tonga is the only Pacific island nation never brought under foreign rule, and it is still ruled by a king today.
- CapitalNukualofaOn the island of Tongatapu
- PopulationAbout 105,000Around 170 islands, 36 inhabited
- Area747 km2Land only, scattered over a huge sea area
- GovernmentConstitutional monarchyThe only remaining Pacific kingdom
Tonga is a string of about 170 islands running north to south. Some are flat coral islands, others are volcanic peaks. The main island, Tongatapu, is flat and holds roughly two thirds of the population.
Tonga was never colonised. Britain protected it from 1900 to 1970 but the Tongan royal family always kept control of the country, which makes it unique in the Pacific.
National symbols
- National colours Red and white
- National anthem Ko e fasi o e tui o e Otu Tonga (Translation: Song of the King of the Tonga Islands)
- National day Constitution Day, 4 November
- National sport Rugby union
Map of Tonga
Geography
Tonga covers 747 km2 of land spread over about 700,000 km2 of ocean south of Samoa, with no land borders. The islands fall into three main groups: Tongatapu, Haapai and Vavau.
The eastern islands are low and made of coral, while the western ones are volcanic and steep. Just east of the country lies the Tonga Trench, one of the deepest parts of any ocean at over 10,800 m.
Climate
Tonga is tropical but a little cooler than countries nearer the equator, usually 20C to 29C. The warm wet season runs from November to April and the cooler dry season from May to October.
Cyclones are a regular threat in the wet season, and because so much of Tongatapu is low and flat, storm surge and rising sea levels are serious worries.
Culture
Tongan and English are the official languages. Respect for rank runs through everything: the king, nobles and elders are all treated with formal courtesy.
Almost everyone is Christian, and Sunday rest is written into the constitution, so shops, sport and even swimming are largely off limits that day. Tapa cloth, made by beating mulberry bark flat and painting it, is given at weddings and funerals.
Economy
Tonga exports squash pumpkins, vanilla, root crops and fish, mostly to Japan, New Zealand and Australia.
Like Samoa, though, the biggest source of income is money sent home by Tongans living overseas. More Tongans live abroad than in Tonga itself.
The flag
The flag is red with a white rectangle in the top left corner, and inside that white block is a red cross.
The cross is there because the constitution of 1875 declared Tonga a Christian country, and the design has not changed since. Red stands for the blood of Christ. The law says the flag can never be altered.