Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga
former: Friendly Islands
Government type:
hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Nuku'alofa
Administrative divisions:
3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Independence:
4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 June (1970)
Constitution:
4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967
Legal system:
based on English law
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)
note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch,
the Cabinet, and two governors
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch
cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members
head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA
(since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU
(since NA January 2001)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12
reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles
selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular
vote; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 70%; seats -
pro-democratic 7, traditionalist 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of
Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief
justice of the Supreme Court)
Political parties and leaders:
there are no political parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Akilisi POHIVA,
president]
International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU
chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022
telephone: [1] (917) 369-1136
consulate(s) general: San Francisco
FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is
accredited to Tonga
Flag description:
red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner