Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
Country Name
Conventional long form:Kingdom of Tonga
Conventional short form:Tonga
Local long form:Pule'anga Tonga
Local short form:Tonga
Former:Friendly Islands
Government Type
constitutional monarchy
Capital
Name: Nuku'alofa
Geographic coordinates:21 08 S, 175 12 W
Time difference:UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Independence
4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
National Holiday
Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Constitution
4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967
Legal system
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state:King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)
Head of government:Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 11 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16 May 2006)
Cabinet: Cabinet consists of 14 members, 10 are appointed by the monarch for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly, including 2 each from the nobles' and peoples' representatives serving three-year terms
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note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the cabinet, and 2 governors
Elections:the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, 9 for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, 9 members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
Elections:last held on 23-24 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
Election results:Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - independents 54%, THRDM 28%, PDP 14%; seats - THRDM 4, independents 3, PDP 2
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (Chief Justice and high court justices from overseas chosen and approved by Privy Council)
Political Parties and Leaders
People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tesina FUKO]; Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Uliti UATA]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE]
International organization participation
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission:Ambassador Sonatane Tu'akinamolahi TAUMOEPEAU-TUPOU
Chancery:250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022
Telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025
FAX:[1] (917) 369-1024
Consulate(s) general:San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US
the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga
Flag description
red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
