Tonga Geography - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

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: 747 sq km

land: 717 sq km

water: 30 sq km

Area - comparative

four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

419 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate

tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)

Terrain

mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock

Elevation

highest point: Kao Volcano on Kao Island 1,046 m

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural resources

arable land, fish

Land use

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.)

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Population distribution

over two-thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied

Natural hazards

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

Geography - note

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 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Tonga 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Tonga 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.