My World Factbook
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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.
Government
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga
local long form: Pule’anga Tonga
local short form: Tonga
former: Friendly Islands
constitutional monarchy
name: Nuku’alofa
geographic coordinates: 21 08 S, 175 12 W
time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
3 island groups; Ha’apai, Tongatapu, Vava’u
4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
21 years of age; universal
chief of state: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Lord Siale’ataonga TU’IVAKANO (since 22 December 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet is nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch
(For more information visit the World Leaders website 
)
note: there is also a Privy Council that advises the monarch
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members of parliament and appointed by the monarch
election results: Lord Siale’ataonga TU’IVAKANO elected by parliament on 21 December 2010 with 14 of 26 votes
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (26 seats - 9 for nobles elected from among the country’s 29 nobles, 17 members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 25 November 2010 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - independents 67.3%, Democratic Party 28.5%; seats - Democratic Party 12, independents 5
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)
Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands [Samuela ’Akilisi POHIVA]; People’s Democratic Party or PDP [Tesina FUKO]; Sustainable Nation-Building Party [Sione FONUA]; Tonga Democratic Labor Party [NA]; Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Uliti UATA]
Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant’s Association [Finau TUTONE]
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, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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
the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga
red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner; the cross reflects the deep-rooted Christianity in Tonga; red represents the blood of Christ and his sacrifice; white signifies purity
name: “Ko e fasi ‘o e tu‘i ‘o e ‘Otu Tonga” (Song of the King of the Tonga Islands)
lyrics/music: Uelingatoni Ngu TUPOUMALOHI/Karl Gustavus SCHMITT
note: in use since 1875; the anthem is more commonly known as “Fasi Fakafonua” (National Song)
Military
Tonga Defense Services (TDS): Land Force (Royal Guard), Maritime Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2010)
16 years of age for voluntary enlistment (with parental approval); no conscription (2010)
males age 16-49: 34,254
females age 16-49: 32,974 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 27,404
females age 16-49: 28,509 (2010 est.)
male: 1,448
female: 1,392 (2010 est.)
0.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 
141
Transnational Issues
none
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