Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
20 00 S, 175 00 W
Oceania
total: 747 sq km
land: 717 sq km
water: 30 sq km
four times the size of Washington, DC
total: 0 km
419 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock
highest point: Kao Volcano on Kao Island 1,046 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
arable land, fish
agricultural land: 43.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 22.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 15.3% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 5.6% (2018 est.)
forest: 12.5% (2018 est.)
other: 44.4% (2018 est.)
0 sq km (2012)
0 cubic meters (2017 est.)
over two-thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied
cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
volcanism: moderate volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has shown frequent activity in recent years, while Niuafo'ou (260 m), which last erupted in 1985, has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
the western islands (making up the Tongan Volcanic Arch) are all of volcanic origin; the eastern islands are nonvolcanic and are composed of coral limestone and sand
NOTE: The information regarding Tonga on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Tonga 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Tonga 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.
This page was last modified 16 Dec 23, Copyright © 2023 ITA all rights reserved.