resources greatly restrain economic development and confine
agriculture to the subsistence level. The people must rely on aid from
New Zealand to maintain public services, annual aid being
substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come
from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts.
Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $430,830
expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300
(1987 est.)
Industries: small-scale enterprises for copra production, wood work,
plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papaya, bananas;
pigs, poultry, goats
Exports:
total value: $98,000 (f.o.b., 1983)
commodities: stamps, copra, handicrafts
partners: NZ
Imports:
total value : $323,400 (c.i.f., 1983)
commodities: foodstuffs, building materials, fuel
partners: NZ
Debt - external: $0
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $3.7 million from NZ (FY95/96)
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.4247 (January
1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993),
1.8584 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Tokelau:Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system:
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
international: radiotelephone service to Western Samoa
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: each atoll has a radio broadcast station of NA type that
broadcasts shipping and weather reports
Radios: 1,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: NA
@Tokelau:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine: none
Airports: none; lagoon landings by amphibious aircraft from Western
Samoa
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
TONGA
@Tonga:Geography
Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about
two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 175 00 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km
water: 30 sq km
Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 419 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone : 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to
May), cool season (May to December)
Terrain: most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral
formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m
Natural resources: fish, fertile soil
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 43%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 11%
other : 16% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic
activity on Fonuafo'ou
Environment - current issues: deforestation results as more and more
land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to
coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell
collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)
@Tonga:People
Population: 107,335 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years : NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 0.81% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 26.95 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 6.14 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
total population: NA male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: 39.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.3 years
male : 67.29 years
female: 71.7 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.7 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun : Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan
Ethnic groups: Polynesian, Europeans about 300
Religions: Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000
adherents)
Languages: Tongan, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write a simple message in
Tongan or English
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female : 100% (1976 est.)
@Tonga:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga
former: Friendly Islands
Data code: TN
Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy
National capital: Nuku'alofa
Administrative divisions: three island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu,
Vava'u
Independence: 4 June 1970 (emancipation from UK protectorate)
National holiday: Emancipation 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)
head of government: Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991)
and Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991)
cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the king
note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the king and the
Cabinet
elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister
and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the king
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 24-25 January 1996 (next to be held NA January
1999)
election results : percent of vote - NA; seats - 7 proreform, 2
traditionalist
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the king;
Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme
Court sits as the Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: Tonga People's Party, Viliami FUKOFUKA
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Tonga does not have an embassy in
the US; Ambassador Sione KITE, resides in London
consulate(s) general : San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga
Flag description: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in
the upper hoist-side corner
Economy
Economy - overview: The economy's base is agriculture, which
contributes 36% to GDP. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans
are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of
total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food,
mainly from New Zealand. The industrial sector accounts for only 13%
of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard currency earnings, but
the country also remains dependent on sizable external aid and
remittances to offset its trade deficit. The economy continued to grow
in 1993-95 largely because of a rise in squash exports, increased aid
flows, and several large construction projects, but contracted in
1995-96. The government is now turning its attention to further
development of the private sector and the reduction of the budget
deficit. Current proposals include selling Tongan citizenship and
passports to foreigners, leasing its seven equatorial satellite spots,
and setting up a joint venture gas production facility with South
Korea.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $228 million (FY95/96 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -1.9% (FY95/96 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,140 (FY95/96 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 36%
industry: 13%
services: 51% (1994)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.4% (1995)
Labor force:
total: 32,013 (1990 est.)
by occupation : agriculture 70% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $44 million
expenditures : $86 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)
Industries: tourism, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 7,000 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 30 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans,
cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper
Exports:
total value : $15.25 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: squash, vanilla, fish, root crops, coconut oil
partners: Japan 59%, US 14%, Australia 6%, NZ 6% (FY93/94)
Imports:
total value: $80.3 million (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities : food products, live animals, machinery and transport
equipment, manufactures, fuels, chemicals
partners: NZ 38%, Australia 28%, US 10%, Fiji 7.5% (1995)
Debt - external: $48.4 million (FY93/94)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $7.8 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $3.9
million from NZ (FY95/96)
Currency: 1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti
Exchange rates: pa'anga (T$) per US$1 - 1.2127 (December 1996), 1.2323
(1996), 1.2709 (1995), 1.3202 (1994), 1.3841 (1993), 1.3471 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Tonga:Communications
Telephones: 3,500 (1986 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international : satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 66,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1995)
Televisions: 1,000 (1992 est.)
@Tonga:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 674 km
paved : 182 km
unpaved: 492 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai
Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,990 GRT/14,884 DWT
ships by type : cargo 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 6 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total : 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Tonga Defense Services (includes, Royal Tongan
Marines, Tongan Royal Guards, Maritime Force, Police); note - a new
Air Wing which will be subordinate to the Defense Ministry is being
developed
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: NA
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
@Trinidad and Tobago:Geography
Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 61 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 5,130 sq km
land: 5,130 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 362 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental
margin
exclusive economic zone : 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
Land use:
arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland : 46%
other: 28% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 220 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical
storms
Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural
chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of
beaches; deforestation; soil erosion
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified : none of the selected agreements
@Trinidad and Tobago:People
Population: 1,130,337 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29% (male 167,857; female 161,196)
15-64 years: 64% (male 373,434; female 347,489)
65 years and over: 7% (male 36,300; female 44,061) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -1.18% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 15.37 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.87 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -19.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over : 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 19.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population : 70.36 years
male: 67.92 years
female: 72.88 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.13 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian
Ethnic groups: black 43%, East Indian (a local term - primarily
immigrants from northern India) 40%, mixed 14%, white 1%, Chinese 1%,
other 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 32.2%, Hindu 24.3%, Anglican 14.4%, other
Protestant 14%, Muslim 6%, none or unknown 9.1%
Languages: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 98.8%
female : 97% (1995 est.)
@Trinidad and Tobago:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago
Data code: TD
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Port-of-Spain
Administrative divisions: 8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**;
Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint
David, Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria
Independence: 31 August 1962 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962)
Constitution: 1 August 1976
Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Arthur Napoleon Raymond ROBINSON (since 19
March 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Basdeo PANDAY (since 9 November
1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
elections : president elected by an electoral college that consists of
the members of the Senate and House of Representatives for a five-year
term; election last held NA February 1997 (next to be held NA 2002);
prime minister appointed from among the members of Parliament;
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in
the House of Representatives is usually appointed prime minister
election results: Arthur Napoleon Raymond ROBINSON elected president;
percent of electoral college vote - 69%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate (31
seats; members appointed by the president for a maximum term of five
years) and a House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 6 November 1995 (next
to be held by December 2000)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM
52%, UNC 42.2%, NAR 5.2%; seats by party - PNM 17, UNC 17, NAR 2; the
UNC formed a coalition with the NAR
note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 15 members
serving four-year terms
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the
president on the advice of the prime minister; Supreme Court, judges
are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Political parties and leaders: People's National Movement (PNM),
Patrick MANNING; United National Congress (UNC), Basdeo PANDAY;
National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), A. N. R. ROBINSON;
Movement for Social Transformation (MOTION), David ABDULLAH; National
Joint Action Committee (NJAC), Makandal DAAGA; National Development
Party (NDP), Carson CHARLES; Movement for Unity and Progress (MUP),
Hulsie BHAGGAN
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES,
NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UNU, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission : Ambassador Corinne Averille McKNIGHT
chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490
FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Brian J. DONNELLY
embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain
mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain
telephone: [1] (809) 622-6372 through 6376, 6176
FAX : [1] (809) 628-5462
Flag description: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the
upper hoist side
Economy
Economy - overview: Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an
excellent investment site for international businesses. Successful
economic reforms implemented in 1995 are expected to bring an average
growth rate of 2% over the next three years, and foreign investment
and trade are flourishing. Unemployment - a main cause of the
country's socio-economic problems - is high, but has decreased to its
lowest point in five years. The country enjoys a healthy trade surplus
of $500 million, yet its heavy dependence on oil and petrochemical
prices makes its trade balance vulnerable to sudden shifts.
Furthermore, Caricom, Trinidad and Tobago's main market, is saturated,
provoking some countries to establish non-tariff trade barriers.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $17.1 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.1% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $13,500 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 45%
services: 53% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 5.3% (1995)
Labor force:
total: 404,500
by occupation: construction and utilities 13%, manufacturing, mining,
and quarrying 14%, agriculture 11%, services 62% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate: 16.1% (December 1996)
Budget:
revenues: $1.65 billion
expenditures: $1.61 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996 est.)
Industries: petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement,
beverage, cotton textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1994 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 1.253 million kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 4.229 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 2,885 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee,
vegetables; poultry
Exports:
total value : $2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel
products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers
partners: US 48%, Caricom countries 15%, Latin America 9%, EU 5%
(1994)
Imports:
total value: $1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods,
food, live animals
partners: US 47.7%, Venezuela 10%, UK 8.3%, other EU 8% (1994)
Debt - external: $1.67 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $10 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TT$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TT$) per US$1 - 6.1791
(January 1997), 6.0051 (1996), 5.9478 (1995), 5.9249 (1994), 5.3511
(1993), 4.2500 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Trinidad and Tobago:Communications
Telephones: 170,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: excellent international service; good local service
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0
note: there were a total of 10 radio stations in 1995
Radios: 700,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1995 est.)
Televisions: 400,000 (1992 est.)
@Trinidad and Tobago:Transportation
Railways:
note: minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando; railway
service was discontinued in 1968
Highways:
total: 8,160 km
paved: 4,162 km
unpaved: 3,998 km (1995 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,032 km; petroleum products 19 km; natural gas
904 km
Ports and harbors: Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas,
Port-of-Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora
Merchant marine:
total : 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,928 GRT/5,571 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, oil tanker 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 6 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total : 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m : 2 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (includes Ground
Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Trinidad and Tobago Police Service
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 312,628 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 223,418 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $83 million (1994)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined
for the US and Europe and producer of cannabis
______________________________________________________________________
TROMELIN ISLAND
(possession of France)
@Tromelin Island:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 15 52 S, 54 25 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 1 sq km
land: 1 sq km
water : 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 3.7 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: sandy
Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other : 100% (scattered bushes)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: climatologically important location for forecasting
cyclones; wildlife sanctuary
@Tromelin Island:People
Population: uninhabited
@Tromelin Island:Government