Tonga
Encyclopedia
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga (Tongan
: Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a state and an archipelago
in the South Pacific Ocean
, comprising 176 islands scattered over 700000 square kilometres (270,271.5 sq mi) of ocean in the South Pacific. Fifty-two of the islands are inhabited.
The Kingdom stretches over a distance of about 800 kilometres (497.1 mi) in a north-south line located at about a third of the distance from New Zealand
to Hawaii
.
Tonga also became known as the Friendly Islands because of the friendly reception accorded to Captain James Cook
on his first visit there in 1773. He happened to arrive at the time of the inasi festival, the yearly donation of the first fruits
to the Tui Tonga
, the islands' paramount chief, and received an invitation to the festivities. According to the writer William Mariner
, in reality the chiefs had wanted to kill Cook during the gathering, but could not agree on a plan.
Tonga is also the only island nation in the region to have avoided formal colonisation.
In 2010, Tonga took a decisive step towards becoming a fully functioning constitutional monarchy
after legislative reforms paved the way for its first ever fully representative elections which resulted in the election of Noble Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō
as its first democratically elected Prime Minister.
. The name is pronounced as ˈtoŋa;. The pronunciation ˈtɒŋɡə, popular in American English
, is incorrect. The name of Tonga is cognate to the Hawaiian
region of Kona
.
-speaking group linked to the archaeological construct known as the Lapita
cultural complex reached and colonised Tonga around 1500–1000 BCE. Scholars continue to debate the exact dates of the initial settlement of Tonga. Not much is known about Tonga before European contact because of the lack of a writing system during prehistoric times. However, oral history has survived and been recorded after the arrival of the Europeans. The Tongan people first encountered Europeans in 1616 when the Dutch vessel Eendracht
made a short visit to the islands to trade.
By the 12th century Tongans, and the Tongan paramount chief, the Tuʻi Tonga, had a reputation across the central Pacific – from Niue
, Samoa
, Eastern Fiji
, Rotuma
, Wallis & Futuna, New Caledonia
to Tikopia
– leading some historians to speak of a 'Tongan Empire
'. In the 15th century and again in the 17th, civil war erupted. Into this situation the first European explorers arrived, beginning in 1616 with the Dutch
explorers Willem Schouten
and Jacob Le Maire
(who called on the northern island of Niuatoputapu
), and in 1643 with Abel Tasman
(who visited Tongatapu
and Haapai
). Later noteworthy European visitors included James Cook
(British Navy) in 1773, 1774, and 1777, Alessandro Malaspina
(Spanish Navy) in 1793, the first London missionaries in 1797, and the Wesleyan Methodist
Rev. Walter Lawry in 1822.
In 1845 the ambitious young warrior, strategist, and orator Tāufaāhau united Tonga into a kingdom. He held the chiefly title of Tui Kanokupolu
, but had been baptised with the name Jiaoji ("George") in 1831. In 1875, with the help of missionary Shirley Waldemar Baker
, he declared Tonga a constitutional monarchy, formally adopted the western royal style, emancipated the "serfs", enshrined a code of law, land tenure, and freedom of the press, and limited the power of the chiefs.
Tonga became a British-protected state under a Treaty of Friendship on 18 May 1900, when European settlers and rival Tongan chiefs tried to oust the second king. Within the British Empire
, which posted no higher permanent representative on Tonga than a British Consul
(1901–1970), Tonga formed part of the British Western Pacific Territories
(under a colonial High Commissioner
, residing on Fiji) from 1901 until 1952. Although under the protection of Britain, Tonga remained the only Pacific nation never to have given up its monarchical government – as did Tahiti
and Hawaii
. The Tongan monarchy follows an uninterrupted succession of hereditary rulers from one family. In 1918 the influenza epidemic that spread through the world caused the deaths of 1,800 people in Tonga, approximately 8% of the population.
The Treaty of Friendship and Tonga's protectorate status ended in 1970 under arrangements established by Queen Salote Tupou III prior to her death in 1965. Tonga joined the Commonwealth of Nations
in 1970 (atypically as an autochthonous
monarchy, that is one with its own local monarch rather than that of the United Kingdom – compare Malaysia, Lesotho
, and Swaziland
), and became a member of the United Nations
in September 1999. While exposed to colonial pressures, Tonga has never lost indigenous
governance, a fact that makes Tonga unique in the Pacific and gives Tongans much pride, as well as confidence in their monarchical system. As part of cost cutting measures across the British Foreign Service, the British Government closed the British High Commission in Nukualofa in March 2006, transferring representation of British interests in Tonga to the UK High Commissioner in Fiji. The last resident British High Commissioner was Paul Nessling.
: 'Eua
, Ha'apai
, Niuas
, Tongatapu
, and Vava'u
.
with only two seasons, summer and winter. Most rain falls around February and April. The tropical cyclone
season lasts from November to April.
. Reverence for the monarch replaces that held in earlier centuries for the sacred paramount chief, the Tui Tonga. Criticism of the monarch is held to be contrary to Tongan culture and etiquette. A direct descendant of the first monarch, King George Tupou V
, his family, some powerful nobles, and a growing non-royal elite caste live in much wealth, with the rest of the country living in relative poverty. The effects of this disparity are mitigated by three factors: education, medicine, and land tenure.
Tonga provides for its citizens:
Tongans enjoy a relatively high level of education, with a 98.9% literacy
rate, and higher education up to and including medical and graduate degrees (pursued mostly overseas).
Tongans also have universal access to a national health care system. The Tongan constitution protects land ownership: land cannot be sold to foreigners (although it may be leased). While there is a land shortage on the urbanized main island of Tongatapu
(where 70% of the population resides), there is farm land available in the outlying islands. The majority of the population engages in some form of subsistence production of food, with approximately half producing almost all of their basic food needs through farming, sea harvesting, and animal husbandry. Women and men have equal access to education and health care, and are fairly equal in employment, but women are discriminated against in land holding, electoral politics, and government ministries. However, in Tongan tradition women enjoy a higher social status than men, a cultural trait that is unique among the insular societies of the Pacific.
The pro-democracy
movement in Tonga promotes reforms, including better representation in the Parliament for the majority commoners, and better accountability in matters of state. An overthrow of the monarchy itself is not part of the movement and the institution of monarchy continues to hold popular support, even while reforms are advocated. Until recently, the governance issue was generally ignored by the leaders of other countries, but major aid donors and neighbours New Zealand
and Australia
are now expressing concerns about some Tongan government actions.
Following the precedents of Queen Sālote and the counsel of numerous international advisors, the government of Tonga under King Tāufaāhau Tupou IV
(reigned 1965–2006) monetized the economy, internationalized the medical and education system, and enabled access by commoners to increasing forms of material wealth (houses, cars, and other commodities), education, and overseas travel. The government has supported Olympic and other international sports competition.
The Tongan government supported the American "coalition of the willing
" action in Iraq
, and a small number of Tongan soldiers were deployed, as part of an American force, to Iraq in late 2004. However, the contingent of 40+ troops returned home on 17 December 2004. In 2007, a second contingent was sent to Iraq while two more were sent during 2008 to be part of Tonga's continuous support for the coalition. This Tongan involvement was finally concluded at the end of 2008 with no loss of Tongan life reported.
In 2010, Tongan Brigadier General Tau'aika 'Uta'atu, Commander of the Tonga Defence Services, signed an agreement in London
committing a minimum of 200 Tongan troops to cooperate with Britain’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan
.
Tonga has also contributed troops and police to the Bougainville
conflict and the Australian led RAMSI force in the Solomon Islands
.
The previous king, Tāufaāhau Tupou IV and his government made some problematic economic decisions and were accused of wasting millions of dollars in poor investments. The problems have mostly been driven by attempts to increase national revenue through a variety of schemes, considering making Tonga a nuclear waste disposal site (an idea floated in the mid-90s by the current crown prince); selling Tongan Protected Persons Passports (which eventually forced Tonga to naturalize the purchasers, sparking ethnicity-based concerns within Tonga); registering foreign ships (which proved to be engaged in illegal activities, including shipments for al-Qaeda
); claiming geo-orbital satellite slots (the revenue from which seems to belong to the Princess Royal, not the state); holding a long-term charter on an unusable Boeing 757
that was sidelined in Auckland
Airport, leading to the collapse of Royal Tongan Airlines; building an airport hotel and potential casino with an Interpol-accused criminal; and approving a factory for exporting cigarette
s to China (against the advice of Tongan medical officials, and decades of health promotion messaging).
The king proved vulnerable to speculators with big promises and lost several million (reportedly 26 million USD) to Jesse Bogdonoff
, a financial adviser who called himself the king's Court Jester. The police have imprisoned pro-democracy leaders, and the government repeatedly confiscated the newspaper The Tongan Times (which was printed in New Zealand and sold in Tonga) because the editor had been vocally critical of the king's mistakes. Notably, the Kelea, produced specifically to critique the government and printed in Tonga by pro-democracy leader Akilisi Pōhiva, was not banned during that time. Pōhiva, however, had been subjected to harassment in the form of frequent lawsuits
.
In mid-2003 the government passed a radical constitutional amendment to "Tonganize" the press, by licensing and limiting freedom of the press, so as to protect the image of the monarchy. The amendment was defended by the government and by royalists on the basis of traditional cultural values. Licensure criteria include 80% ownership by Tongans living in the country. As of February 2004, those papers denied licenses under the new act included the Taimi o Tonga (Tongan Times), the Kelea and the Matangi Tonga, while those which were permitted licenses were uniformly church-based or pro-government.
The bill was opposed in the form of a several-thousand-strong protest march in the capital, a call by the Tui Pelehake (a prince, nephew of the king and elected member of parliament) for Australia and other nations to pressure the Tongan government to democratize the electoral system, and a legal writ calling for a judicial investigation of the bill. The latter was supported by some 160 signatures, including seven of the nine elected "People's Representatives".
The former Crown Prince and current monarch, Tupoutoa, and Pilolevu, the Princess Royal, remained generally silent on the issue. In total, the changes threatened to destabilize the polity, fragment support for the status quo, and place further pressure on the monarchy.
In 2005 the government spent several weeks negotiating with striking civil-service workers before reaching a settlement. The civil unrest that ensued was not limited to just Tonga; protests outside the king's New Zealand residence made headlines, too. A constitutional commission is currently (2005–06) studying proposals to update the constitution.
Prime Minister Prince Ahoeitu Unuakiotonga Tukuaho (Lavaka Ata Ulukālala) resigned suddenly on February 11, 2006, and also gave up his other cabinet portfolios. The elected Minister of Labour, Dr Feleti Sevele
, replaced him in the interim.
On July 5, 2006 a driver in Menlo Park, California
caused the deaths of Prince Tu'ipelehake Uluvalu
, his wife, and their driver. Tu'ipelehake, 55, was the co-chairman of the constitutional reform commission, and a nephew of the King.
The Tongan public expected some changes when Siaosi Tupou V (later King George Tupou V) succeeded his father in September 2006. On November 16, 2006, rioting broke out in the capital city of Nuku'alofa when it seemed that the parliament would adjourn for the year without having made any advances in increasing democracy in government. Pro-democracy activists burned and looted shops, offices, and government buildings. As a result, more than 60% of the downtown area was destroyed, and as many as 6 people died.
On July 29, 2008 the Palace announced that King George Tupou V would relinquish much of his power and would surrender his role in day-to-day governmental affairs to the Prime Minister. The royal chamberlain said that this was being done to prepare the monarchy for 2010, when most of the first parliament will be elected, and added: "The Sovereign of the only Polynesian kingdom... is voluntarily surrendering his powers to meet the democratic aspirations of many of his people." The previous week, the government said the king had completed the sale of his ownership of state assets which had contributed to much of the royal family's wealth.
Tonga's economy is characterized by a large non-monetary sector and a heavy dependence on remittances
from the half of the country's population which lives abroad (chiefly in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States). The royal family and the nobles dominate and largely own the monetary sector of the economy - particularly the telecommunications and satellite services. Tonga was named the sixth most corrupt country in the world by Forbes magazine in 2008. Much of small business, particularly retail establishments on Tongatapu, is now dominated by recent Chinese
immigrants who arrived under a cash-for-passports scheme that ended in 1998.
Tonga was ranked the 165th safest investment destination in the world in the March 2011 Euromoney Country Risk rankings.
The manufacturing sector consists of handicrafts and a few other very small scale industries, all of which contribute only about 3% of GDP. Commercial business activities also are inconspicuous and, to a large extent, are dominated by the same large trading companies found throughout the South Pacific. In September 1974, the country's first commercial trading bank, the Bank of Tonga, opened. There are no patent laws in Tonga.
Rural Tongans rely on plantation
and subsistence agriculture
. Coconut
s, vanilla beans, banana
s, coffee bean
s and root crops such as yams, taro and cassava, are the major cash crop
s. The processing of coconuts into copra
and desiccated
(dried) coconut was once the only significant industry but deteriorating prices on the world market has brought this once vibrant industry, as everywhere throughout the island nations of the south Pacific, to a complete standstill. In addition, the feudal land ownership system meant that farmers had no incentive to invest in planting long-term tree crops on land they did not own. Pigs and poultry are the major types of livestock
. Horses are kept for draft purposes, primarily by farmers working their 'api 'uta (a plot of bushland). More cattle are being raised, and beef imports are declining. The export of squash to Japan once brought relief to a struggling economy but recently local farmers are increasingly wary of this market due to price fluctuations, not to mention the huge financial risks involved.
Tonga's development plans emphasize a growing private sector, upgrading agricultural productivity, revitalizing the squash and vanilla bean industries, developing tourism, and improving the island's communications and transportation systems. Substantial progress has been made, but much work remains to be done. A small but growing construction sector is developing in response to the inflow of aid monies and remittances from Tongans abroad. In recognition of such a crucial contribution the present Tongan government has created a new department within the Prime Minister's Office with the sole purpose of catering for the needs of Tongans living abroad. Furthermore, in 2007 the Tongan Parliament amended citizenship laws to allow Tongans to hold dual citizenship.
Efforts are being made to discover ways to diversify the economy. One hope is seen in fisheries
; tests have shown that sufficient skipjack tuna pass through Tongan waters to support a fishing industry. Another potential development activity is exploitation of forest
s, which cover 35% of the kingdom's land area but are decreasing as land is cleared. Coconut trees past their prime bearing years also provide a potential source of timber
.
The tourist industry is relatively undeveloped; however, the government recognizes that tourism can play a major role in economic development, and efforts are being made to increase this source of revenue. Cruise ships often stop in Vavau.
Vava'u has a reputation for its whale watching, game fishing, surfing, beaches and is increasingly becoming a major player in the South Pacific tourism market.
Tonga's postage stamps
, which feature colorful and often unusual designs (including heart-shaped and banana-shaped stamps) are popular with philatelists around the world.
In 2005 the country became eligible to become a member of the World Trade Organization
. After an initial voluntary delay, Tonga became a full member of the WTO on July 27, 2007.
The Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), incorporated in 1996, endeavours to represent the interests of its members, private sector businesses, and to promote economic growth in the Kingdom.
In view of the decreasing reliability of fossil-fuel electricity generation, its increasing costs and negative environmental side-effects, renewable energy
solutions have attracted the government’s attention. Together with IRENA
, Tonga has charted out a renewable energy based strategy to power the main and outer islands alike. The strategy focuses on Solar Home Systems that turn individual households into small power plants. In addition, it calls for the involvement of local operators, finance institutions and technicians to provide sustainable business models as well as strategies to ensure the effective operation, management and maintenance once the systems are installed.
With the assistance of IRENA, Tonga has developed the 2010–2020 Tonga Energy Road Map (TERM), which aims for a 50% reduction of diesel importation. This will be accomplished through a range of appropriate renewable technologies, including wind and solar, as well as innovative efficiencies.
According to the government portal, Tongans, Polynesian
by ethnicity with a very small mixture of Melanesia
n, represent more than 98% of the inhabitants. 1.5% are mixed Tongans and the rest are European
(the majority are British
), mixed European, and other Pacific Islanders. According to a New Zealand paper in 2001 there were approximately 3,000 or 4,000 Chinese in Tonga
, thus comprising 3 or 4% of the total Tongan population. In 2006, Nukualofa riots
mainly targeted Chinese-owned businesses, leading to the emigration of several hundred Chinese. so that only about 300 remain.
Primary education between ages 6 and 14 is compulsory and free in state schools. Mission schools provide about 8% of the primary and 90% of the secondary level of education. State schools make up for the rest. Higher education includes teacher training, nursing and medical training, a small private university, a woman's business college, and a number of private agricultural schools. Most higher education is pursued overseas.
The Tongan language
is the official language of the islands, along with English
. Tongan is a Polynesian language which is closely related to Wallisian (Uvean
), Niuean
, Hawaiian
, and Samoan
.
Ninety percent of the nation's population are considered overweight, with more than 60% of those obese
. 70% of Tongan women aged 15–85 are obese. Tonga and nearby Nauru
have the world’s highest overweight and obese populations.
[see figures below] with Catholics
and Mormon populations equalling another third of the adherents. A minority of worshippers are part of the Free Church of Tonga
. The official figures from the latest government census of 2006 show that about 98% of the population are affiliated with a Christian church or sect with the four major church affiliations in the kingdom as follows:
Humans have lived in Tonga for perhaps 3,000 years, since settlement in late Lapita
times. Before the arrival of European explorers in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Tongans had frequent contacts with their nearest oceanic neighbours, Fiji
and Niue
. In the 19th century, with the arrival of Western traders and missionaries, Tongan culture changed especially in religion so that today almost 98% of residents are Christian. The people discarded some old beliefs and habits, and adopted others. Some accommodations made in the 19th century and early 20th century are now being challenged by changing Western civilization.
Contemporary Tongans often have strong ties to overseas lands. Many Tongans have emigrated to Australia
, New Zealand
, or the United States
to seek employment and a higher standard of living. U.S. cities with significant Tongan American populations include Seattle, Washington
; Portland, Oregon
; Anchorage, Alaska
; Inland Empire, California; San Mateo, California
; East Palo Alto, California
; San Bruno, California
; Oakland, California
; San Jose, California
; Inglewood, California
; Los Angeles, California
; Salt Lake City, Utah
; Kona, Hawaii; Lahaina, Hawaii; Reno, Nevada
, St. Petersburg, Florida
; and Euless, Texas
(in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex). Large Tongan communities also live in Tutuila
(American Samoa
), in Auckland
(New Zealand
) and in Melbourne
and Sydney
(Australia
). The Tongan diaspora
retains close ties to relatives at home, and a significant portion of Tonga's income derives from remittances to family members (often aged) who prefer to remain in Tonga.
is the national sport in Tonga, and the national team
('Ikale Tahi, or Sea Eagles) has performed quite well on the international stage. Tonga has competed in five Rugby World Cup
s since 1987
. The 2007 Rugby World Cup
was its most successful to date, with Tonga winning both of its first two matches, against the USA
, 25–15, and Samoa
, 19–15; and came very close to upsetting the eventual winners of the 2007 tournament, the South African Springboks, losing 30–25 in the end. A loss to England, 36–20 in their last pool game ended their hopes of making the knockout stages, but they were by no means disgraced. In fact, by picking up third place in their pool games behind South Africa
and England
, Tonga earned automatic qualification for the 2011 Rugby World Cup
in New Zealand
. At this competition, they beat the 5th ranked national team, France
, 19-14.
Tonga's best result prior to 2007 came in 1995
, when they beat Ivory Coast 29–11, and 1999
when they beat Italy 28–25 (although with only 14 men they lost heavily to England, 10–101). Tonga perform the Ikale Tahi (war dance) before their matches. Tonga used to compete in the Pacific Tri-Nations
against Samoa and Fiji, now replaced by the IRB Pacific 6 Nations involving Japan, the second string All Blacks
(Junior All Blacks) and Wallabies
(Australia A) although from 2008 the Junior All Blacks would be replaced by the Maori All Blacks. At club level, there are the Datec Cup Provincial Championship
and the Pacific Rugby Cup
. Rugby union is governed by the Tonga Rugby Football Union
, which is also a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance
. Tonga contributes to the Pacific Islanders rugby union team
. Jonah Lomu
, Viliami (William) 'Ofahengaue
and George Smith, Wycliff Palu, Doug Howlett
, Tatafu Polota-Nau
are all of Tongan descent. Rugby is popular in the nation's schools and students from schools such as Tonga College, Tupou College
are regularly offered scholarships from New Zealand, Australia and Japan.
Rugby league
has also gained some success in Tonga. In the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
Tonga
recorded wins against Ireland
and Scotland
. In addition to the success of the national team, many players of Tongan descent make it big in the Australian National Rugby League
competition. These include Willie Mason
, Manu Vatuvei
, Brent Kite
, Willie Tonga
, Anthony Tupou
, Antonio Kaufusi
, Israel Folau
, Taniela Tuiaki
, Michael Jennings
, Tony Williams
, Feleti Mateo
, Fetuli Talanoa
, to name but a few. Subsequently, some Tongan Rugby League players have established successful careers in the British Super League.
Tongan Boxer
Paea Wolfgram
won the silver medal in the Super Heavyweight division (>91 kg) at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. Thus far, he remains the only athlete to have won an Olympic medal from the island nations of the South Pacific outside Australia and New Zealand.
Tongan women have a reputation as skilful jugglers.
General information
News media (online only)
Tongan language
Tongan is an Austronesian language spoken in Tonga. It has around 200,000 speakers and is a national language of Tonga. It is a VSO language.-Related languages:...
: Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a state and an archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
in the South Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, comprising 176 islands scattered over 700000 square kilometres (270,271.5 sq mi) of ocean in the South Pacific. Fifty-two of the islands are inhabited.
The Kingdom stretches over a distance of about 800 kilometres (497.1 mi) in a north-south line located at about a third of the distance from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Tonga also became known as the Friendly Islands because of the friendly reception accorded to Captain James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
on his first visit there in 1773. He happened to arrive at the time of the inasi festival, the yearly donation of the first fruits
First Fruits
First Fruits are a religious offering of the first agricultural produce of the harvest. In classical Greek, Roman, Hebrew and Christian religions, the first fruits were offered to the temple or church. First Fruits were often a primary source of income to maintain the religious leaders and the...
to the Tui Tonga
Tu'i Tonga
The Tui Tonga is a line of Tongan kings, which originated in the 10th century with the mythical Ahoeitu; withdrew from political power in the 15th century by yielding to the Tui Haatakalaua; and died out with Laufilitonga in 1865...
, the islands' paramount chief, and received an invitation to the festivities. According to the writer William Mariner
William Mariner (writer)
William Mariner was an Englishman who lived in the Tonga Islands from 29 November 1806 to 8 November 1810. He wrote an account of his experiences, Tonga Islands, that is now one of the major sources of information on pre-Christian Tonga.-Mariner's sojourn in Tonga:William Mariner was a teenage...
, in reality the chiefs had wanted to kill Cook during the gathering, but could not agree on a plan.
Tonga is also the only island nation in the region to have avoided formal colonisation.
In 2010, Tonga took a decisive step towards becoming a fully functioning constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
after legislative reforms paved the way for its first ever fully representative elections which resulted in the election of Noble Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō
Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō
-Descent and naming:Siaosi Kiu Ngalumoetutulu Kaho and his wife Fatafehi-ʻo-Lapaha Liku in 1952 baptised their second child and oldest son as Siale ʻAtaongo Kaho. When his father died in January 1986, Siale ʻAtaongo succeeded him to the traditional Tongan noble title of Tuʻivakanō...
as its first democratically elected Prime Minister.
Etymology
In many Polynesian languages, Tongan included, the word tonga means "south", as the archipelago is the southernmost group of islands of central PolynesiaPolynesia
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...
. The name is pronounced as ˈtoŋa;. The pronunciation ˈtɒŋɡə, popular in American English
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
, is incorrect. The name of Tonga is cognate to the Hawaiian
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
region of Kona
Kona District, Hawaii
Kona is the name of a moku or district on the Big Island of Hawaii in the State of Hawaii. In the current system of administration of Hawaii County, the moku of Kona is divided into North Kona District and South Kona District . The term "Kona" is sometimes used to refer to its largest town,...
.
History
An AustronesianAustronesian languages
The Austronesian languages are a language family widely dispersed throughout the islands of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with a few members spoken on continental Asia that are spoken by about 386 million people. It is on par with Indo-European, Niger-Congo, Afroasiatic and Uralic as one of the...
-speaking group linked to the archaeological construct known as the Lapita
Lapita
Lapita is a term applied to an ancient Pacific Ocean archaeological culture which is believed by many archaeologists to be the common ancestor of several cultures in Polynesia, Micronesia, and some coastal areas of Melanesia...
cultural complex reached and colonised Tonga around 1500–1000 BCE. Scholars continue to debate the exact dates of the initial settlement of Tonga. Not much is known about Tonga before European contact because of the lack of a writing system during prehistoric times. However, oral history has survived and been recorded after the arrival of the Europeans. The Tongan people first encountered Europeans in 1616 when the Dutch vessel Eendracht
Eendracht (1615 ship)
The Eendracht was an early 17th Century Dutch wooden-hulled sailing ship, launched in 1615 in the service of the Dutch East India Company...
made a short visit to the islands to trade.
By the 12th century Tongans, and the Tongan paramount chief, the Tuʻi Tonga, had a reputation across the central Pacific – from Niue
Niue
Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, Eastern Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Rotuma
Rotuma
Rotuma is a Fijian dependency, consisting of Rotuma Island and nearby islets. The island group is home to a small but unique indigenous ethnic group which constitutes a recognizable minority within the population of Fiji, known as "Rotumans"...
, Wallis & Futuna, New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
to Tikopia
Tikopia
Tikopia is a small and high island in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Covering an area of 5 km² , the island is the remnant of an extinct volcano. Its highest point, Mt. Reani, reaches an elevation of 380 m above sea level. Lake Te Roto covers an old volcanic crater which is 80 m...
– leading some historians to speak of a 'Tongan Empire
Tu'i Tonga Empire
Some early European commentators have propagated the notion of a pre-historic "Tui Tonga Empire" or "Tongan Empire" in Oceania.This idea has long been a source of cultural pride among some Tongans even though it has been seriously challenged and generally discounted by modern archaeologists,...
'. In the 15th century and again in the 17th, civil war erupted. Into this situation the first European explorers arrived, beginning in 1616 with the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
explorers Willem Schouten
Willem Schouten
Willem Cornelisz Schouten was a Dutch navigator for the Dutch East India Company. He was the first to sail the Cape Horn route to the Pacific Ocean.- Biography :Willem Cornelisz Schouten was born in c...
and Jacob Le Maire
Jacob Le Maire
Jacob Le Maire was a Dutch mariner who circumnavigated the earth in 1615-16. The strait between Tierra del Fuego and Isla de los Estados was named the Le Maire Strait in his honor, though not without controversy...
(who called on the northern island of Niuatoputapu
Niuatoputapu
For the 2009 tsunami, see the main article: 2009 Samoa tsunami.Niuatoputapu is an island in the island nation of Tonga, Pacific Ocean. Its name means sacred island. Older European names for the island are Traitors island or Keppel island.Niuatoputapu is located in the north of the country,...
), and in 1643 with Abel Tasman
Abel Tasman
Abel Janszoon Tasman was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the VOC . His was the first known European expedition to reach the islands of Van Diemen's Land and New Zealand and to sight the Fiji islands...
(who visited Tongatapu
Tongatapu
Tongatapu is the main island of the Kingdom of Tonga and the location of its capital Nukualofa. It is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name, and is the country's most populous island, with approximately 71,260 residents , 70.5% of the national population...
and Haapai
Ha'apai
Haapai is a group of islands, islets, reefs and shoals in the central part of the Kingdom of Tonga, with the Tongatapu group to the south and the Vavau group to the north. Seventeen of the Haapai islands are populated....
). Later noteworthy European visitors included James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
(British Navy) in 1773, 1774, and 1777, Alessandro Malaspina
Alessandro Malaspina
Alessandro Malaspina was an Italian nobleman who spent most of his life as a Spanish naval officer and explorer...
(Spanish Navy) in 1793, the first London missionaries in 1797, and the Wesleyan Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
Rev. Walter Lawry in 1822.
Tu'i Kanokupolu
The Ha'a Tu'i Kanokupolu is the most junior of the Ha'a Tu'i in Tonga. They are generally refer to as the Kau Halalalo The Ha'a Tu'i Tonga, the most senior and Sacred Ha'a Tu'i in Tonga are generally refer to as the Kauhala'uta, The inland side of the roads...
, but had been baptised with the name Jiaoji ("George") in 1831. In 1875, with the help of missionary Shirley Waldemar Baker
Shirley Waldemar Baker
Shirley Waldemar Baker was a missionary and premier of Tonga.-Early life:Baker was born in London, England of a Devonshire family. He studied medicine, went to Australia in 1852 as a stowaway. He worked as a farm hand, miner and apothecary's assistant on the goldfields in Victoria...
, he declared Tonga a constitutional monarchy, formally adopted the western royal style, emancipated the "serfs", enshrined a code of law, land tenure, and freedom of the press, and limited the power of the chiefs.
Tonga became a British-protected state under a Treaty of Friendship on 18 May 1900, when European settlers and rival Tongan chiefs tried to oust the second king. Within the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, which posted no higher permanent representative on Tonga than a British Consul
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
(1901–1970), Tonga formed part of the British Western Pacific Territories
British Western Pacific Territories
The British Western Pacific Territories was the name of a colonial entity, created in 1877, for the administration, under a single representative of the British Crown, styled High Commissioner, of a series of relatively minor Pacific islands in and around Oceania...
(under a colonial High Commissioner
High Commissioner
High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
, residing on Fiji) from 1901 until 1952. Although under the protection of Britain, Tonga remained the only Pacific nation never to have given up its monarchical government – as did Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
and Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. The Tongan monarchy follows an uninterrupted succession of hereditary rulers from one family. In 1918 the influenza epidemic that spread through the world caused the deaths of 1,800 people in Tonga, approximately 8% of the population.
The Treaty of Friendship and Tonga's protectorate status ended in 1970 under arrangements established by Queen Salote Tupou III prior to her death in 1965. Tonga joined the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
in 1970 (atypically as an autochthonous
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
monarchy, that is one with its own local monarch rather than that of the United Kingdom – compare Malaysia, Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
, and Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
), and became a member of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in September 1999. While exposed to colonial pressures, Tonga has never lost indigenous
Indigenous peoples of Oceania
The indigenous peoples of Oceania are those peoples identified as indigenous peoples, as per the modern global definition of the term.Many of the present-day Pacific Island nations in the Oceania region were originally populated by Polynesian, Melanesian and Micronesian peoples over the course of...
governance, a fact that makes Tonga unique in the Pacific and gives Tongans much pride, as well as confidence in their monarchical system. As part of cost cutting measures across the British Foreign Service, the British Government closed the British High Commission in Nukualofa in March 2006, transferring representation of British interests in Tonga to the UK High Commissioner in Fiji. The last resident British High Commissioner was Paul Nessling.
Geography
Administratively Tonga sub-divides into five divisionsAdministrative divisions of Tonga
The island country of Tonga can be divided into 5 divisions and 23 districts.*Tongatapu**Kolofo'ou**Kolomotu'a**Vaini**Tatakamotonga**Lapaha**Nukunuku**Kolovai*Vava'u**Neiafu**Pangaimotu**Hahake**Leimatu'a**Hihifo**Motu**Ofu*Ha'apai**Pangai**Foa...
: 'Eua
'Eua
Eua is a smaller but still major island in the kingdom of Tonga. It is close to Tongatapu, but forms a separate administrative division. It has an area of 87.44 km2, and a population in 2006 of 5,165 people.- Geography :...
, Ha'apai
Ha'apai
Haapai is a group of islands, islets, reefs and shoals in the central part of the Kingdom of Tonga, with the Tongatapu group to the south and the Vavau group to the north. Seventeen of the Haapai islands are populated....
, Niuas
Niuas
Niuas is a division of Tonga. It consists of three islands:*Niuafoʻou*Niuatoputapu*Tafahi...
, Tongatapu
Tongatapu
Tongatapu is the main island of the Kingdom of Tonga and the location of its capital Nukualofa. It is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name, and is the country's most populous island, with approximately 71,260 residents , 70.5% of the national population...
, and Vava'u
Vava'u
Vavau is an island chain of one large island and 40 smaller ones in Tonga. According to tradition Maui fished both Tongatapu and Vavau but put a little more effort into the former. Vavau rises 204 meters above sea level...
.
Climate
Tonga has a tropical climateTropical climate
A tropical climate is a climate of the tropics. In the Köppen climate classification it is a non-arid climate in which all twelve months have mean temperatures above...
with only two seasons, summer and winter. Most rain falls around February and April. The tropical cyclone
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
season lasts from November to April.
Politics
Tonga operates as a constitutional monarchyConstitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
. Reverence for the monarch replaces that held in earlier centuries for the sacred paramount chief, the Tui Tonga. Criticism of the monarch is held to be contrary to Tongan culture and etiquette. A direct descendant of the first monarch, King George Tupou V
George Tupou V
George Tupou V , is the current King of Tonga.-Early life:...
, his family, some powerful nobles, and a growing non-royal elite caste live in much wealth, with the rest of the country living in relative poverty. The effects of this disparity are mitigated by three factors: education, medicine, and land tenure.
Tonga provides for its citizens:
- free and mandatory educationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
for all - secondary education with only nominal fees
- and foreign-funded scholarships for post-secondary education
Tongans enjoy a relatively high level of education, with a 98.9% literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
rate, and higher education up to and including medical and graduate degrees (pursued mostly overseas).
Tongans also have universal access to a national health care system. The Tongan constitution protects land ownership: land cannot be sold to foreigners (although it may be leased). While there is a land shortage on the urbanized main island of Tongatapu
Tongatapu
Tongatapu is the main island of the Kingdom of Tonga and the location of its capital Nukualofa. It is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name, and is the country's most populous island, with approximately 71,260 residents , 70.5% of the national population...
(where 70% of the population resides), there is farm land available in the outlying islands. The majority of the population engages in some form of subsistence production of food, with approximately half producing almost all of their basic food needs through farming, sea harvesting, and animal husbandry. Women and men have equal access to education and health care, and are fairly equal in employment, but women are discriminated against in land holding, electoral politics, and government ministries. However, in Tongan tradition women enjoy a higher social status than men, a cultural trait that is unique among the insular societies of the Pacific.
The pro-democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
movement in Tonga promotes reforms, including better representation in the Parliament for the majority commoners, and better accountability in matters of state. An overthrow of the monarchy itself is not part of the movement and the institution of monarchy continues to hold popular support, even while reforms are advocated. Until recently, the governance issue was generally ignored by the leaders of other countries, but major aid donors and neighbours New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
are now expressing concerns about some Tongan government actions.
Following the precedents of Queen Sālote and the counsel of numerous international advisors, the government of Tonga under King Tāufaāhau Tupou IV
Taufa'ahau Tupou IV
Tāufaāhau Tupou IV, King of Tonga, GCMG, GCVO, KBE, KStJ son of Queen Sālote Tupou III and her consort Prince Viliami Tungī Mailefihi, was the king of Tonga from the death of his mother in 1965 until his own death in 2006...
(reigned 1965–2006) monetized the economy, internationalized the medical and education system, and enabled access by commoners to increasing forms of material wealth (houses, cars, and other commodities), education, and overseas travel. The government has supported Olympic and other international sports competition.
The Tongan government supported the American "coalition of the willing
Coalition of the willing
The term coalition of the willing is a post-1990 political phrase used to collectively describe participants in military or military-humanitarian interventions for which the United Nations Security Council cannot agree to mount a full UN peacekeeping operation...
" action in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, and a small number of Tongan soldiers were deployed, as part of an American force, to Iraq in late 2004. However, the contingent of 40+ troops returned home on 17 December 2004. In 2007, a second contingent was sent to Iraq while two more were sent during 2008 to be part of Tonga's continuous support for the coalition. This Tongan involvement was finally concluded at the end of 2008 with no loss of Tongan life reported.
In 2010, Tongan Brigadier General Tau'aika 'Uta'atu, Commander of the Tonga Defence Services, signed an agreement in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
committing a minimum of 200 Tongan troops to cooperate with Britain’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
Tonga has also contributed troops and police to the Bougainville
Bougainville Province
The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, previously known as North Solomons, is an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea. The largest island is Bougainville Island , and the province also includes the island of Buka and assorted outlying islands including the Carterets...
conflict and the Australian led RAMSI force in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
.
The previous king, Tāufaāhau Tupou IV and his government made some problematic economic decisions and were accused of wasting millions of dollars in poor investments. The problems have mostly been driven by attempts to increase national revenue through a variety of schemes, considering making Tonga a nuclear waste disposal site (an idea floated in the mid-90s by the current crown prince); selling Tongan Protected Persons Passports (which eventually forced Tonga to naturalize the purchasers, sparking ethnicity-based concerns within Tonga); registering foreign ships (which proved to be engaged in illegal activities, including shipments for al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
); claiming geo-orbital satellite slots (the revenue from which seems to belong to the Princess Royal, not the state); holding a long-term charter on an unusable Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
that was sidelined in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
Airport, leading to the collapse of Royal Tongan Airlines; building an airport hotel and potential casino with an Interpol-accused criminal; and approving a factory for exporting cigarette
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
s to China (against the advice of Tongan medical officials, and decades of health promotion messaging).
The king proved vulnerable to speculators with big promises and lost several million (reportedly 26 million USD) to Jesse Bogdonoff
Jesse Bogdonoff
Jesse Bogdonoff , was financial advisor to the government of Tonga and court jester of Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, the king of Tonga. He was embroiled in a financial scandal.-Scandal:...
, a financial adviser who called himself the king's Court Jester. The police have imprisoned pro-democracy leaders, and the government repeatedly confiscated the newspaper The Tongan Times (which was printed in New Zealand and sold in Tonga) because the editor had been vocally critical of the king's mistakes. Notably, the Kelea, produced specifically to critique the government and printed in Tonga by pro-democracy leader Akilisi Pōhiva, was not banned during that time. Pōhiva, however, had been subjected to harassment in the form of frequent lawsuits
Barratry
Barratry is the name of four legal concepts, three in criminal and civil law, and one in admiralty law.* Barratry, in criminal and civil law, is the act or practice of bringing repeated legal actions solely to harass...
.
The bill was opposed in the form of a several-thousand-strong protest march in the capital, a call by the Tui Pelehake (a prince, nephew of the king and elected member of parliament) for Australia and other nations to pressure the Tongan government to democratize the electoral system, and a legal writ calling for a judicial investigation of the bill. The latter was supported by some 160 signatures, including seven of the nine elected "People's Representatives".
The former Crown Prince and current monarch, Tupoutoa, and Pilolevu, the Princess Royal, remained generally silent on the issue. In total, the changes threatened to destabilize the polity, fragment support for the status quo, and place further pressure on the monarchy.
In 2005 the government spent several weeks negotiating with striking civil-service workers before reaching a settlement. The civil unrest that ensued was not limited to just Tonga; protests outside the king's New Zealand residence made headlines, too. A constitutional commission is currently (2005–06) studying proposals to update the constitution.
Prime Minister Prince Ahoeitu Unuakiotonga Tukuaho (Lavaka Ata Ulukālala) resigned suddenly on February 11, 2006, and also gave up his other cabinet portfolios. The elected Minister of Labour, Dr Feleti Sevele
Feleti Sevele
Feleti Vakaʻuta Sevele , styled Lord Sevele of Vailahi was the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga from 30 March 2006 to 22 December 2010.-Early life:Sevele was born in Ma’ufanga, Nuku’alofa...
, replaced him in the interim.
On July 5, 2006 a driver in Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City...
caused the deaths of Prince Tu'ipelehake Uluvalu
Tu'ipelehake ('Uluvalu)
Sione ʻUluvalu Ngū Takeivūlai Tukuaho became the Tui Pelehake, an hereditary title in the kingdom of Tonga, after the death of his father in 1999....
, his wife, and their driver. Tu'ipelehake, 55, was the co-chairman of the constitutional reform commission, and a nephew of the King.
The Tongan public expected some changes when Siaosi Tupou V (later King George Tupou V) succeeded his father in September 2006. On November 16, 2006, rioting broke out in the capital city of Nuku'alofa when it seemed that the parliament would adjourn for the year without having made any advances in increasing democracy in government. Pro-democracy activists burned and looted shops, offices, and government buildings. As a result, more than 60% of the downtown area was destroyed, and as many as 6 people died.
On July 29, 2008 the Palace announced that King George Tupou V would relinquish much of his power and would surrender his role in day-to-day governmental affairs to the Prime Minister. The royal chamberlain said that this was being done to prepare the monarchy for 2010, when most of the first parliament will be elected, and added: "The Sovereign of the only Polynesian kingdom... is voluntarily surrendering his powers to meet the democratic aspirations of many of his people." The previous week, the government said the king had completed the sale of his ownership of state assets which had contributed to much of the royal family's wealth.
Economy
Remittances
A remittance is a transfer of money by a foreign worker to his or her home country. Note that in 19th century usage a remittance man was someone exiled overseas and sent an allowance on condition that he not return home....
from the half of the country's population which lives abroad (chiefly in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States). The royal family and the nobles dominate and largely own the monetary sector of the economy - particularly the telecommunications and satellite services. Tonga was named the sixth most corrupt country in the world by Forbes magazine in 2008. Much of small business, particularly retail establishments on Tongatapu, is now dominated by recent Chinese
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
immigrants who arrived under a cash-for-passports scheme that ended in 1998.
Tonga was ranked the 165th safest investment destination in the world in the March 2011 Euromoney Country Risk rankings.
The manufacturing sector consists of handicrafts and a few other very small scale industries, all of which contribute only about 3% of GDP. Commercial business activities also are inconspicuous and, to a large extent, are dominated by the same large trading companies found throughout the South Pacific. In September 1974, the country's first commercial trading bank, the Bank of Tonga, opened. There are no patent laws in Tonga.
Rural Tongans rely on plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
and subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed their families. The typical subsistence farm has a range of crops and animals needed by the family to eat and clothe themselves during the year. Planting decisions are made with an eye...
. Coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
s, vanilla beans, banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s, coffee bean
Coffee bean
A coffee bean is a seed of a coffee plant. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit often referred to as a cherry. Even though they are seeds, they are referred to as 'beans' because of their resemblance to true beans. The fruits - coffee cherries or coffee berries - most commonly contain two...
s and root crops such as yams, taro and cassava, are the major cash crop
Cash crop
In agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for profit.The term is used to differentiate from subsistence crops, which are those fed to the producer's own livestock or grown as food for the producer's family...
s. The processing of coconuts into copra
Copra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...
and desiccated
Desiccation
Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container.-Science:...
(dried) coconut was once the only significant industry but deteriorating prices on the world market has brought this once vibrant industry, as everywhere throughout the island nations of the south Pacific, to a complete standstill. In addition, the feudal land ownership system meant that farmers had no incentive to invest in planting long-term tree crops on land they did not own. Pigs and poultry are the major types of livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
. Horses are kept for draft purposes, primarily by farmers working their 'api 'uta (a plot of bushland). More cattle are being raised, and beef imports are declining. The export of squash to Japan once brought relief to a struggling economy but recently local farmers are increasingly wary of this market due to price fluctuations, not to mention the huge financial risks involved.
Tonga's development plans emphasize a growing private sector, upgrading agricultural productivity, revitalizing the squash and vanilla bean industries, developing tourism, and improving the island's communications and transportation systems. Substantial progress has been made, but much work remains to be done. A small but growing construction sector is developing in response to the inflow of aid monies and remittances from Tongans abroad. In recognition of such a crucial contribution the present Tongan government has created a new department within the Prime Minister's Office with the sole purpose of catering for the needs of Tongans living abroad. Furthermore, in 2007 the Tongan Parliament amended citizenship laws to allow Tongans to hold dual citizenship.
Efforts are being made to discover ways to diversify the economy. One hope is seen in fisheries
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
; tests have shown that sufficient skipjack tuna pass through Tongan waters to support a fishing industry. Another potential development activity is exploitation of forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, which cover 35% of the kingdom's land area but are decreasing as land is cleared. Coconut trees past their prime bearing years also provide a potential source of timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
.
The tourist industry is relatively undeveloped; however, the government recognizes that tourism can play a major role in economic development, and efforts are being made to increase this source of revenue. Cruise ships often stop in Vavau.
Vava'u has a reputation for its whale watching, game fishing, surfing, beaches and is increasingly becoming a major player in the South Pacific tourism market.
Tonga's postage stamps
Postage stamps and postal history of Tonga
The postal history of Tonga can be traced to 1886, with the issuance of postage stamps featuring the image of King George Tupou I.-Tin Can mail:...
, which feature colorful and often unusual designs (including heart-shaped and banana-shaped stamps) are popular with philatelists around the world.
In 2005 the country became eligible to become a member of the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
. After an initial voluntary delay, Tonga became a full member of the WTO on July 27, 2007.
The Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), incorporated in 1996, endeavours to represent the interests of its members, private sector businesses, and to promote economic growth in the Kingdom.
Energy
Tonga has begun implementing tailor-made policies to power its remote islands in a sustainable way – without turning to expensive grid-extensions. A number of islands within the Kingdom of Tonga lack a basic electricity supply. A supply entirely coming from imported diesel. Also, in 2009, 19% of Tonga's GDP and 25% of its imports consisted of diesel purchases.In view of the decreasing reliability of fossil-fuel electricity generation, its increasing costs and negative environmental side-effects, renewable energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
solutions have attracted the government’s attention. Together with IRENA
Irena
-Other languages:*Irene in English*Irène in French*Eirini or Irini in Greek-People:*Irena Degutienė, Prime Minister in Lithuania*Irena Fleissnerová , Czech breaststroke swimmer...
, Tonga has charted out a renewable energy based strategy to power the main and outer islands alike. The strategy focuses on Solar Home Systems that turn individual households into small power plants. In addition, it calls for the involvement of local operators, finance institutions and technicians to provide sustainable business models as well as strategies to ensure the effective operation, management and maintenance once the systems are installed.
With the assistance of IRENA, Tonga has developed the 2010–2020 Tonga Energy Road Map (TERM), which aims for a 50% reduction of diesel importation. This will be accomplished through a range of appropriate renewable technologies, including wind and solar, as well as innovative efficiencies.
Demographics
Over 70% of the 101,991 inhabitants of the Kingdom of Tonga live on its main island, Tongatapu. Although an increasing number of Tongans have moved into the only urban and commercial centre, Nukualofa, where European and indigenous cultural and living patterns have blended, village life and kinship ties continue to be important throughout the country.According to the government portal, Tongans, Polynesian
Polynesians
The Polynesian peoples is a grouping of various ethnic groups that speak Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic languages within the Austronesian languages, and inhabit Polynesia. They number approximately 1,500,000 people...
by ethnicity with a very small mixture of Melanesia
Melanesia
Melanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region comprises most of the islands immediately north and northeast of Australia...
n, represent more than 98% of the inhabitants. 1.5% are mixed Tongans and the rest are European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
(the majority are British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
), mixed European, and other Pacific Islanders. According to a New Zealand paper in 2001 there were approximately 3,000 or 4,000 Chinese in Tonga
Chinese in Tonga
A significant Chinese presence in Tonga is relatively recent. There were approximately three or four thousand Chinese people living in Tonga in 2001, thus comprising 3 or 4% of the total Tongan population. This figure includes Tongan citizens of Chinese ethnicity, and marks a sharp increase from...
, thus comprising 3 or 4% of the total Tongan population. In 2006, Nukualofa riots
2006 Nuku'alofa riots
The 2006 Nukualofa riots started on 16 November, in the Tongan capital of Nukualofa. The Legislative Assembly of Tonga was due to adjourn for the year and despite promises of action, had done little to advance democracy in the government. A mixed crowd of democracy advocates took to the streets in...
mainly targeted Chinese-owned businesses, leading to the emigration of several hundred Chinese. so that only about 300 remain.
Primary education between ages 6 and 14 is compulsory and free in state schools. Mission schools provide about 8% of the primary and 90% of the secondary level of education. State schools make up for the rest. Higher education includes teacher training, nursing and medical training, a small private university, a woman's business college, and a number of private agricultural schools. Most higher education is pursued overseas.
The Tongan language
Tongan language
Tongan is an Austronesian language spoken in Tonga. It has around 200,000 speakers and is a national language of Tonga. It is a VSO language.-Related languages:...
is the official language of the islands, along with English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Tongan is a Polynesian language which is closely related to Wallisian (Uvean
Fakauvea
Wallisian or Uvean is the Polynesian language spoken on Wallis Island . The language is also known as East Uvean to distinguish it from the related West Uvean spoken on the outlier island of Ouvéa...
), Niuean
Niuean language
The Niuean language or Niue language is a Polynesian language, belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian subgroup of the Austronesian languages. It is most closely related to Tongan and slightly more distantly to other Polynesian languages such as Māori, Sāmoan, and Hawaiian...
, Hawaiian
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
, and Samoan
Samoan language
Samoan Samoan Samoan (Gagana Sāmoa, is the language of the Samoan Islands, comprising the independent country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language—alongside English—in both jurisdictions. Samoan, a Polynesian language, is the first language for most...
.
Ninety percent of the nation's population are considered overweight, with more than 60% of those obese
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
. 70% of Tongan women aged 15–85 are obese. Tonga and nearby Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
have the world’s highest overweight and obese populations.
Religion
Everyday life is heavily influenced by Polynesian traditions and especially by the Christian faith; for example, all commerce and entertainment activities cease from midnight Saturday until midnight Sunday, and the constitution declares the Sabbath to be sacred, forever. somewhat more than a third of Tongans adhered to the Methodist traditionMethodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
[see figures below] with Catholics
Roman Catholic Church in Tonga
The Catholic Church in Tonga is part of the worldwide Catholic Church. It is a Christian denomination inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth . It is under the leadership of its local Bishop who is in communion with the Pope of Rome...
and Mormon populations equalling another third of the adherents. A minority of worshippers are part of the Free Church of Tonga
Free Church of Tonga
The Free Church of Tonga is a church in Tonga.The church was established in 1885 by King George Tupou I and Rev. Shirley W. Baker. Originally with the name The Wesleyan Free Church of Tonga , it became the official state church...
. The official figures from the latest government census of 2006 show that about 98% of the population are affiliated with a Christian church or sect with the four major church affiliations in the kingdom as follows:
- Free Wesleyans (Methodists) (38,052 or 37%)
- LDS Church (Mormons) (17,109 or 17%)
- Roman Catholics (15,992 or 16%)
- Free Church of TongaFree Church of TongaThe Free Church of Tonga is a church in Tonga.The church was established in 1885 by King George Tupou I and Rev. Shirley W. Baker. Originally with the name The Wesleyan Free Church of Tonga , it became the official state church...
(11,599 or 11%)
Culture and diaspora
Lapita
Lapita is a term applied to an ancient Pacific Ocean archaeological culture which is believed by many archaeologists to be the common ancestor of several cultures in Polynesia, Micronesia, and some coastal areas of Melanesia...
times. Before the arrival of European explorers in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Tongans had frequent contacts with their nearest oceanic neighbours, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and Niue
Niue
Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
. In the 19th century, with the arrival of Western traders and missionaries, Tongan culture changed especially in religion so that today almost 98% of residents are Christian. The people discarded some old beliefs and habits, and adopted others. Some accommodations made in the 19th century and early 20th century are now being challenged by changing Western civilization.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, or the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to seek employment and a higher standard of living. U.S. cities with significant Tongan American populations include Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
; Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
; Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
; Inland Empire, California; San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
; East Palo Alto, California
East Palo Alto, California
East Palo Alto is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States.-Overview:As of the 2010 census, the population of East Palo Alto was 28,155. It is situated on the San Francisco Peninsula, roughly halfway between the cities of San Francisco and San Jose...
; San Bruno, California
San Bruno, California
San Bruno is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. The population was 41,114 at the 2010 census.The city is adjacent to San Francisco International Airport and Golden Gate National Cemetery.-Geography:San Bruno is located at...
; Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
; San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
; Inglewood, California
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
; Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
; Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
; Kona, Hawaii; Lahaina, Hawaii; Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
; and Euless, Texas
Euless, Texas
Euless, known as "Tree City USA," is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a suburb of Fort Worth. Euless is part of the Mid-Cities between Dallas and Fort Worth...
(in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex). Large Tongan communities also live in Tutuila
Tutuila
Tutuila is the largest and the main island of American Samoa in the archipelago of Samoan Islands. It is the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain of the Central Pacific located roughly northeast of Brisbane, Australia and over northeast of Fiji. It contains a large, natural harbor,...
(American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
), in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
(New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
) and in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
(Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
). The Tongan diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
retains close ties to relatives at home, and a significant portion of Tonga's income derives from remittances to family members (often aged) who prefer to remain in Tonga.
Sport
Rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
is the national sport in Tonga, and the national team
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
('Ikale Tahi, or Sea Eagles) has performed quite well on the international stage. Tonga has competed in five Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
s since 1987
1987 Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
. The 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
was its most successful to date, with Tonga winning both of its first two matches, against the USA
United States national rugby union team
USA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
, 25–15, and Samoa
Samoa national rugby union team
The Manu Samoa is the men's representative side of the Samoa Rugby Union in both the 15's and the 7's for international competitions. The Samoa Rugby Union is owned by the affiliated rugby unions of Samoa. In Samoa, Manu Samoa is in honour of a famous Samoan warrior. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was...
, 19–15; and came very close to upsetting the eventual winners of the 2007 tournament, the South African Springboks, losing 30–25 in the end. A loss to England, 36–20 in their last pool game ended their hopes of making the knockout stages, but they were by no means disgraced. In fact, by picking up third place in their pool games behind South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Tonga earned automatic qualification for the 2011 Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. At this competition, they beat the 5th ranked national team, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 19-14.
Tonga's best result prior to 2007 came in 1995
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
, when they beat Ivory Coast 29–11, and 1999
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
when they beat Italy 28–25 (although with only 14 men they lost heavily to England, 10–101). Tonga perform the Ikale Tahi (war dance) before their matches. Tonga used to compete in the Pacific Tri-Nations
Pacific Tri-Nations
The Pacific Tri-Nations is the traditional rugby union series between Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. It was established in 1982 with the Samoan team, then known as Western Samoa, winning the tournament...
against Samoa and Fiji, now replaced by the IRB Pacific 6 Nations involving Japan, the second string All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
(Junior All Blacks) and Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
(Australia A) although from 2008 the Junior All Blacks would be replaced by the Maori All Blacks. At club level, there are the Datec Cup Provincial Championship
Datec Cup Provincial Championship
The Datec Cup Provincial Championship is the second highest level of rugby union competition within Tongan rugby and is a stepping stone for local players into international rugby union....
and the Pacific Rugby Cup
Pacific Rugby Cup
The IRB Pacific Rugby Cup is an annual rugby union development competition. First held in 2006, it features representative teams from the three Pacific rugby union unions - Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.The participating teams are:*Samoa A from Samoa...
. Rugby union is governed by the Tonga Rugby Football Union
Tonga Rugby Football Union
The Tonga Rugby Union are the governing body of the sport of rugby union in Tonga. They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
, which is also a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance
Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance
The Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance was set up in 2002 as a basis of co-operation between the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga Rugby Unions. Niue and the Cook Islands are also members of the Alliance, and while not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they can and do supply members to the Pacific...
. Tonga contributes to the Pacific Islanders rugby union team
Pacific Islanders rugby union team
The Pacific Islanders rugby union team is an international rugby union team, started in 2004, that represents Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. While Niue and the Cook Islands are not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004...
. Jonah Lomu
Jonah Lomu
Jonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...
, Viliami (William) 'Ofahengaue
Viliami Ofahengaue
Viliami 'Ofahengaue , widely known as Willie O, earned 41 caps for the Australian rugby union side from 1990 to 1998 and played in the World Cups of 1991 and 1995 as well as the World Cup Sevens in 1993....
and George Smith, Wycliff Palu, Doug Howlett
Doug Howlett
Douglas Charles Howlett is a professional New Zealand rugby union player of Tongan descent. He is primarily a wing but he has also covered fullback at national and international levels. He currently plays in Ireland with Munster. He is the brother of former Tongan rugby league international Phil...
, Tatafu Polota-Nau
Tatafu Polota-Nau
- Biography :At 25 years of age, Polota-Nau achieved the rare feat of Test selection before playing a match at Super 14 level. His performances in his Test debut against England at Twickenham and in the win over Ireland at Lansdowne Road were impressive.v Signed to the New South Wales Waratahs...
are all of Tongan descent. Rugby is popular in the nation's schools and students from schools such as Tonga College, Tupou College
Tupou College
Tupou College is a Methodist boys' secondary boarding school in Toloa on the island of Tongatapu, Tonga.It is located on the Eastern District of Tongatapu near the village of Malapo. The school is owned by the Free Weslyan Church of Tonga. Established in 1866 by James Egan Moulton, it claims to be...
are regularly offered scholarships from New Zealand, Australia and Japan.
Rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
has also gained some success in Tonga. In the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
Tonga
Tonga national rugby league team
The Tonga national rugby league team is a national sporting side, representing Tonga in rugby league football. Rugby league is a popular sport in Tonga, and the national team has become one of the best performed nations in the world...
recorded wins against Ireland
Ireland national rugby league team
The Ireland national rugby league team, known as the Wolfhounds, represent the island of Ireland in rugby league football. The team is organized by Rugby League Ireland and are accredited as an affiliate member of the Rugby League International Federation...
and Scotland
Scotland national rugby league team
The Scotland national rugby league team represent Scotland in international rugby league football tournaments. The team is run under the auspices of the Scotland Rugby League, and are nicknamed The Bravehearts. Scotland are not regarded as a test nation...
. In addition to the success of the national team, many players of Tongan descent make it big in the Australian National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
competition. These include Willie Mason
Willie Mason
William Marshall "Willie" Mason is an Australian professional rugby union footballer for Toulon in the Top 14 competition, having previously being a rugby league footballer for Hull KR in the European Super League.Mason signed a 3-year contract with Hull KR in September 2010, pending a successful...
, Manu Vatuvei
Manu Vatuvei
Manu Vatuvei is a New Zealand rugby league player for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League competition. His position of choice is on the wing. He is the cousin of Japanese Rugby Union player Ruatangi Vatuvei. Vatuvei was a member of the New Zealand Kiwis squad that won the 2008...
, Brent Kite
Brent Kite
Brent Kite is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently playing in the NRL with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. A Tonga and Australia international, and New South Wales State of Origin representative front-row forward, he has played club football for the St. George Illawarra...
, Willie Tonga
Willie Tonga
Willie Tonga is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the North Queensland Cowboys of the NRL...
, Anthony Tupou
Anthony Tupou
Anthony Tupou is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks of the National Rugby League...
, Antonio Kaufusi
Antonio Kaufusi
Antonio Kaufusi is a Tongan-Australian professional rugby league footballer currently playing for the London Broncos of the English Super League. An Australian and Tongan international and Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he previously played for the Melbourne Storm, North...
, Israel Folau
Israel Folau
Israel Folau is a professional Australian rules footballer currently listed with the Greater Western Sydney Football Club in the Australian Football League . He previously played Rugby league for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League from 2007 to 2008 where he broke the record for most...
, Taniela Tuiaki
Taniela Tuiaki
Taniela Tuiaki is a retired New Zealand professional rugby league player who played for the Wests Tigers in the Australian National Rugby League competition. Tuiaki was a versatile player but primarily played on the wing.-Club :Tuiaki played junior football with North Curl Curl...
, Michael Jennings
Michael Jennings (rugby league)
Michael Joseph "Jenko" Jennings is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Penrith Panthers of the National Rugby League...
, Tony Williams
Tony Williams (rugby league)
Tony Williams is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League...
, Feleti Mateo
Feleti Mateo
Feleti Sosefo Mateo is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League competition. Mateo plays a variety of positions from centre to five-eighth to second row and is renowned for his versatility and extravagant style of play...
, Fetuli Talanoa
Fetuli Talanoa
Fetuli Talanoa is a New Zealand-born Tongan rugby league player who currently plays his club football for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the Australian National Rugby League competition...
, to name but a few. Subsequently, some Tongan Rugby League players have established successful careers in the British Super League.
Tongan Boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Paea Wolfgram
Paea Wolfgram
Paea Wolfgramm is a former Tongan boxer. Nicknamed "The Tongan Warrior", Wolfgramm won the Super Heavyweight silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics.-Personal:...
won the silver medal in the Super Heavyweight division (>91 kg) at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. Thus far, he remains the only athlete to have won an Olympic medal from the island nations of the South Pacific outside Australia and New Zealand.
Tongan women have a reputation as skilful jugglers.
Regional distribution
- Taimi o TongaTimes of TongaThe Times of Tonga also known as Taimi o Tonga is published by the Taimi Media Network Ltd from Auckland, New Zealand. It started publication in April 1989. It is published twice a week. The newspaper's owner and publisher is Kalafi Moala, a Tongan-American citizen.The newspaper has been a...
— Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, United States of America
Domestic distribution
- Kele'a — newspaper
- Talaki — newspaper
- KalonikaliTonga ChronicleTonga Chronicle, also known as Kalonikali Tonga, is a state owned Weekly in Tonga.It was established in 1964 and until 2009, publishes both in the English as well as the Tongan language....
— newspaper - Tau'ataina — newspaper
- Tonga Broadcasting CommissionTonga Broadcasting CommissionTonga Broadcasting Commission is the first and largest broadcasting station in Tonga, solely owned by the government of Tonga. It operates two free-to-air TV channels , one AM commercial radio channel , one FM commercial radio channel , and a 24-hour Radio Australia relay channel...
(Television TongaTelevision TongaTelevision Tonga is a Tongan television channel operated by the Tonga Broadcasting Commission. It was founded on July 4, 2000 by King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV....
, Television Tonga 2Television Tonga 2Television Tonga 2 is a Tongan television channel operated by the Tonga Broadcasting Commission. It was launched on July 4, 2008. The channel's programmes will include sports, films, "other foreign programmes" and a six-hour programme from China Central Television....
, Radio Tonga 1Radio TongaRadio Tonga is Tonga's main commercial radio station, founded in 1961 by Queen Salote Tupou III, and operating as a service of the Tonga Broadcasting Commission . Its slogan is "The Call of the Friendly Islands"...
, Radio Tonga 2 – Kool 90FMRadio TongaRadio Tonga is Tonga's main commercial radio station, founded in 1961 by Queen Salote Tupou III, and operating as a service of the Tonga Broadcasting Commission . Its slogan is "The Call of the Friendly Islands"...
, 103FMRadio TongaRadio Tonga is Tonga's main commercial radio station, founded in 1961 by Queen Salote Tupou III, and operating as a service of the Tonga Broadcasting Commission . Its slogan is "The Call of the Friendly Islands"...
See also
- 2006 Tonga earthquake2006 Tonga earthquakeThe 2006 Tonga earthquake occurred on 4 May 2006 at 04:26 local time . There were no reports of death or injury. With a strength of 7.9 it was the strongest quake since the 28 March 2005 Sumatra earthquake following from the infamous 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake .-Summary:The United States...
- 2006 Tonga riots
- 2007 Tonga earthquake2007 Tonga earthquakeThe 2007 Tonga earthquake occurred on 9 December 2007 at 20:28:24 local time . NOAA rated a strength of 7.9 on the Richter scale, and USGS at 7.6. There were no reports of damage, death or injury....
- 2009 Samoa tsunami and earthquake
- 2009 Tonga earthquake2009 Tonga earthquakeThe 2009 Tonga earthquake was a 7.6 magnitude earthquake that occurred off the coast of Tonga on March 19, 2009 UTC. It occurred at 18:17:41 UTC and had a depth of around . A tsunami warning was not issued in the aftermath of the earthquake, and people got angry, although this was later cancelled...
- Commonwealth of NationsCommonwealth of NationsThe Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
- Communications in TongaCommunications in TongaTelephones - main lines in use:14,000 Telephones - mobile cellular:35,000 Telephone system: Fixed PSTN, GSM 900domestic:NAinternational:satellite earth station - 2 Intelsat...
- Culture of TongaCulture of TongaThe Tongan archipelago has been inhabited for perhaps 3000 years, since settlement in late Lapita times. The culture of its inhabitants has surely changed greatly over this long time period. Before the arrival of European explorers in the late 17nd and early 18th centuries, the Tongans were in...
- Foreign relations of TongaForeign relations of TongaTonga, by a modification of its treaty of friendship with the United Kingdom in July 1970, is responsible for its own external affairs. It maintains cordial relations with most countries and has close relations with its Pacific neighbors and the United Kingdom...
- Geography of TongaGeography of Tonga-Geology:Though administratively divided into the three main island groups of Tongatapu, Ha'apai, and Vava'u , the Tonga archipelago is actually made of two geologically different parallel chains of islands....
- Kava cultureKava cultureKava cultures are the religious and cultural traditions of western Oceania which consume kava. There are similarities in the use of kava between the different cultures, but each one also has its own traditions.-Hawaii:...
- Music of TongaMusic of Tonga- History :Tonga was discovered by European explorers in 1616. Early visitors, such as Captain Cook in the 1770s, and William Mariner in the 19th century, describe traditional dance performances featuring singing and drumming....
- Postage stamps and postal history of TongaPostage stamps and postal history of TongaThe postal history of Tonga can be traced to 1886, with the issuance of postage stamps featuring the image of King George Tupou I.-Tin Can mail:...
- Sioeli NauSioeli Nau (Wesleyan Missionary)Sioeli Nau or Joel Nau , He was the son of Luisa Lauaki and Filipe 'Onevela. His also the grandson of Matapule Lauaki the Nima Tapu.-Origin of his name:...
a Methodist Minister - Tonga branch of The Scout AssociationTonga branch of The Scout AssociationTonga is one of 29 countries where Scouting exists but where there is no National Scout Organization. Scouting is active in Tonga as an overseas branch of The Scout Association, which allows Tonga to act as a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.The membership badge of the Tonga...
- Military of TongaTonga Defence ServicesThe Tonga Defense Services is the armed force of Tonga. It is composed of three operational command components, two support elements ....
- Tongan creation myth
- Tongan NoblesTongan NoblesThere are 33 traditional noble titles in the modern Kingdom of Tonga. They all are estate holders. 20 titles were established by Siaosi Tupou I with the Constitution of 1875. In 1880 he added 10 more. Tupou II created the titles Lasike in 1894 and Veikune in 1903. Sālote Tupou III made in 1921 the...
- Transportation in Tonga
- Tu'i Tonga EmpireTu'i Tonga EmpireSome early European commentators have propagated the notion of a pre-historic "Tui Tonga Empire" or "Tongan Empire" in Oceania.This idea has long been a source of cultural pride among some Tongans even though it has been seriously challenged and generally discounted by modern archaeologists,...
- TupenuTupenuTupenu is the Tongan term for a wrapped garment also called a sarong, lungi, or lava-lava, worn through much of South Asia and Oceania. It is analogous to the kilt worn in Scotland....
- William MarinerWilliam Mariner (writer)William Mariner was an Englishman who lived in the Tonga Islands from 29 November 1806 to 8 November 1810. He wrote an account of his experiences, Tonga Islands, that is now one of the major sources of information on pre-Christian Tonga.-Mariner's sojourn in Tonga:William Mariner was a teenage...
accounts of pre-Christian Tonga.
Further reading
- Ancient Tonga and the Lost City of Mu'a: Including Samoa, Fiji and Raratonga by David Hatcher Childress
- The Art of Tonga by Keith St Cartmail
- Becoming Tongan: An Ethnography of Childhood by Helen Morton
- Birds of Fiji, Tonga and Samoa by Dick Watling
- A Guide to the Birds of Fiji and Western Polynesia: Including American Samoa, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Wallis and Futuna by Dick Watling
- Guide to the Birds of the Kingdom of Tonga by Dick Watling
- Lonely Planet Guide: Samoan Islands and Tonga by Susannah Farfor and Paul Smitz
- Moon Travel Guide: Samoa-Tonga by David Stanley
- Queen Salote of Tonga: The Story of an Era, 1900–65 by Elizabeth Wood-Ellem
- Toki by Brian K. Crawford
- Tonga by James Siers
- The Tonga Book by Paul. W. Dale
- Tonga: A New Bibliography by Martin Daly
- Tradition Versus Democracy in the South Pacific: Fiji, Tonga and Western Samoa by Stephanie Lawson
- Voyages: From Tongan Villages to American Suburbs Cathy A. Small
External links
Government- Ministry of Information and Communications
- Prime Minister's Office
- Tonga Legislation
- Tonga Visitors Bureau, Ministry of Tourism, Kingdom of Tonga
- Chief of State and Cabinet Members
- Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Ministry of Finance, Kingdom of Tonga
- Ministry of Lands, Survey and Natural Resources, Kingdom of Tonga
- National Reserve Bank of Tonga, Kingdom of Tonga
- Tonga Coronation of King George Tupou V
General information
- Tonga from UCB Libraries GovPubs
- The Friendly Islands: 1616 to 1900
News media (online only)
- Matangi Tonga national magazine