Tonga

The Kingdom of Tonga is a Polynesian sovereign state in the South Pacific. It comprises 169 islands, of which 36 are inhabited. The capital and largest city is Nuku'alofa, located on Tongatapu. The population is around 100,000. The pa'anga (TOP) is the currency. Official languages are Tongan and English.

Tonga is a constitutional monarchy. The King is Tupou VI, who ascended in 2012. The political system features a Legislative Assembly with 26 seats: 17 elected by the people and 9 held by nobles; the Prime Minister, chosen by the Assembly, heads government. The monarch retains considerable ceremonial influence. The country joined the United Nations in 1999 and is a member of the Commonwealth.

History: First settled by Polynesians more than 2,000 years ago; developed a long dynastic history under the Tu'i Tonga and Tu'i Kanokupolu lines. Contact with Europeans began in the 17th–18th centuries (Tasman, Cook). In 1900 Tonga became a British protected state; it regained internal self-government and full independence in 1970.

Economy and society: The economy relies on remittances, agriculture (coconut, vanilla, root crops), fishing, and increasingly tourism. The government has promoted diversification and development in infrastructure. Education is compulsory; high literacy. The church, particularly the Methodist denomination, plays a major social role; Christianity is dominant, with other denominations present.

Geography and environment: The islands lie in the South Pacific, with a tropical climate and a susceptibility to tropical cyclones. Biodiversity includes coral reefs and endemic species; climate change poses risks to coastal areas and freshwater resources.