Tongatapu
Encyclopedia
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
and the location of its capital Nukualofa
Nukuʻalofa
Nukualofa is the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the southern most island group of Tonga.-Mythological origins:...
. 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 (2006), 70.5% of the national population. Tongatapu is Tonga's centre of government and the seat of its monarchy.
Tongatapu, as a commercial and transport hub, has (led by Nukualofa) experienced more rapid economic development than, as well as attracting many internal migrants from, the other islands of the Kingdom
European discovery
Tongatapu was discovered by Europeans on 20 January 1643 by Abel Janszoon Tasman commanding two ships, the Heemskerck and the Zeehaen commissioned by the Dutch East India CompanyDutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
of Batavia (Jakarta). The expedition's goals were to chart the unknown southern and eastern seas and to find a possible passage through the South Pacific
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...
and Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
providing a faster route to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. The expedition set sail from Batavia on 14 August 1642. Tasman named the island "t’ Eijlandt Amsterdam" (Amsterdam Island), because of its abundance of supplies. This name is no longer used except by historians.
Note on spelling
The earliest mention of Tongataboo was recorded by Captain CookJames 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...
in 1777 as he wrote his memoirs for the Three Voyages Around the World, Volume 1.
Local Travel Agents & Tourist Information
friendlyislander.com - Friends Tourist centerthekingdomoftonga.com - Tonga Visitor Bureau
Sites on Tongatapu
- NukualofaNukuʻalofaNukualofa is the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the southern most island group of Tonga.-Mythological origins:...
- Capital of Tonga - MuaMu'a (Tongatapu)Mua is a small city in the Hahake district on the island of Tongatapu, and it was for centuries the ancient capital of Tonga. It is divided in the villages Lapaha and Tatakamotonga, is close to Talasiu and famous for the ancient langi .-Geography:Mua is situated along the eastern side of the...
- Second largest town in Tongatapu - Langi - Tombs of Tongan kings
- Mapu a VaeaMapu a VaeaThe Mapu a Vaea or "Whistle of the Noble" are natural blowholes on the island of Tongatapu in the village of Houma in the Kingdom of Tonga. When waves crash into the reef, natural channels in the volcanic rock allow water to forcefully blow through and create a plume-like effect. It is one of the...
- Blowholes in the coral reef on the south-western side - HūfangalupeHufangalupeHufangalupe is a natural land bridge on Tonga’s main island of Tongatapu.It was formed by the collapse of the roof a sea cave, one of many situated along the southeastern coast of the island. The waves often break dramatically near the entrance. The name Hufangalupe translates as “Pigeon’s gate”....
- Natural landbridge on the south eastern side of Tongatapu - Pangaimotu - Small resort island close to Nukualofa
- Landing site of Captain Cook
- Flying Fox Preserve - Located in KolovaiKolovaiKolovai is a village on the Tongan island of Tongatapu. Its 2006 population was 4,098.The village is notable for its lakalaka, the national dance of Tonga. A national monument has been proposed to preserve the site of the koka tree where members of the Tu'i Kanokupolu dynasty received investiture....
in the western district - Haamonga a MauiHa'amonga 'a MauiHaamonga a Maui - is a stone trilithon located in Tonga, in the north of the island of Tongatapu, near the village of Niutōua, in Heketā....
- Trilithon - NukulekaNukulekaNukuleka is a small fishing village on the north-east coast of the island of Tongatapu, Kingdom of Tonga. In January 2008, Canadian archaeologist Professor David V. Burley claimed that it was the "cradle of Polynesia"....
- possibly the site of first human settlement in Tonga - Tupou CollegeTupou CollegeTupou 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...
- first educational establishment in the kingdom located in the eastern district of Tongatapu near Malapo
External links
- The European discovery of the Tonga Islands by Brian Hooker