Tonga (2002) | Barbados (2001) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u | 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of Bridgetown may be given parish status |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 39.5% (male 21,374; female 20,555)
15-64 years: 56.4% (male 29,519; female 30,322) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,945; female 2,422) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
21.68% (male 30,122; female 29,572) 15-64 years: 69.44% (male 93,283; female 97,915) 65 years and over: 8.88% (male 9,432; female 15,006) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish | sugarcane, vegetables, cotton |
Airports | 6 (2001) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km |
total:
430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | four times the size of Washington, DC | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific. | The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Its economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. |
Birth rate | 24.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 13.47 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $39.9 million
expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.) |
revenues:
$725.5 million expenditures: $750.6 million, including capital expenditures of $126.3 million (FY97/98 est.) |
Capital | Nuku'alofa | Bridgetown |
Climate | tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) | tropical; rainy season (June to October) |
Coastline | 419 km | 97 km |
Constitution | 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967 | 30 November 1966 |
Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Barbados |
Currency | pa'anga (TOP) | Barbadian dollar (BBD) |
Death rate | 5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 8.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $57.5 million (June 2001) | $425 million (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga | chief of mission:
Ambassador James A. DALEY embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055 telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950 FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246 |
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 FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 consulate(s) general: San Francisco |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Michael KING chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200 FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York consulate(s): Los Angeles |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02) | $9.1 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export base in agricultural goods. 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. Tourism is the second largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonable basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. | Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. The start of the Port Charles Marina project in Speightstown helped the tourism industry continue to expand in 1996-2000. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners, and there is also a light manufacturing sector. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. Growth should remain steady in 2001, with new tourist facilities a plus factor. |
Electricity - consumption | 27.9 million kWh (2000) | 667.7 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 30 million kWh (2000) | 718 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m |
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 | pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to:
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian, Europeans about 300 | black 80%, white 4%, other 16% |
Exchange rates | pa'anga per US dollar - 2.1920 (January 2002), 2.1236 (2001), 1.7585 (2000), 1.5991 (1999), 1.4920 (1998), 1.2635 (1997) | Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) |
Executive branch | chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)
head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU (since NA January 2001) cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members 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 |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor general |
Exports | $9.3 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) | $260 million (2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops | sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing |
Exports - partners | Japan 50.4%, US 31.6%, NZ 4.1%, Australia 2.1%, Fiji 1.7% (2000 est.) | UK 14.8%, US 11.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.6%, Venezuela 6.1%, Jamaica 5.8% (1998) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner | three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $225 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 30%
industry: 10% services: 60% (2001 est.) |
agriculture:
4% industry: 16% services: 80% (1998) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.3% (2000 est.) | 2.8% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 20 00 S, 175 00 W | 13 10 N, 59 32 W |
Geography - note | archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited) | easternmost Caribbean island |
Highways | total: 680 km
paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1996) |
total:
1,600 km paved: 1,578 km unpaved: 22 km (1998) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US |
Imports | $70 million c.i.f. (2000 est.) | $800.3 million (2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals | consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components |
Imports - partners | New Zealand 29.8%, Japan 18.6%, Australia 12.7%, US 12.7%, Fiji 12.2% (2000 est.) | US 30.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 10.2%, Japan 8.3%, UK 7.7%, Canada 2.2% (1998) |
Independence | 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate) | 30 November 1966 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8.6% (FY98/99) | 0.8% (1996) |
Industries | tourism, fishing | tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export |
Infant mortality rate | 13.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 12.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 9.4% (2001 est.) | 2% (2000 est.) |
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) | ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 19 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
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) | Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services) |
Labor force | 33,908 (1996) | 136,000 (1998 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 65% (1997 est.) | services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 23.61%
permanent crops: 43.06% other: 33.33% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
37% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 12% other: 46% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Tongan, English | English |
Legal system | based on English law | English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts |
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 |
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 20 January 1999 (next to be held by January 2004) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BLP 26, DLP 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 68.56 years
male: 66.13 years female: 71.11 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
73.25 years male: 70.66 years female: 75.86 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.5% male: 98.4% female: 98.7% (1996 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97.4% male: 98% female: 96.8% (1995 est.) |
Location | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela |
Map references | Oceania | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 80 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 292,139 GRT/421,221 DWT
ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 54, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 1, Australia 4, Austria 1, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 1, Djibouti 1, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Lebanon 2, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2, Morocco 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 1, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 3, Syria 5, Ukraine 1, United Arab Emirates 16, United States 4 (2002 est.) |
total:
47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 671,545 GRT/1,125,635 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 28, combination bulk 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Canada 2, Hong Kong 1 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Tonga Defense Services (made up of three operational command components and two support elements, including the Royal Marines, Royal Guards, Maritime Force, a support/logistics group, and a training group), Police; note - a new air wing that will be subordinate to the Ministry of Defense is being developed | Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | NA% |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
78,069 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
53,576 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 4 June (1970) | Independence Day, 30 November (1966) |
Nationality | noun: Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan |
noun:
Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial) adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial) |
Natural hazards | cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou | infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides |
Natural resources | fish, fertile soil | petroleum, fish, natural gas |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | there are no political parties | Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Akilisi POHIVA, president] | Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE] |
Population | 106,137 (July 2002 est.) | 275,330 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.85% (2002 est.) | 0.46% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai | Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001) | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 61,000 (1997) | 237,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents) | Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996) |
general assessment:
NA domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia |
Telephones - main lines in use | 8,000 (1996) | 108,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 302 (1996) | 8,013 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (2001) | 1 (plus two cable channels) (1997) |
Terrain | most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base | relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region |
Total fertility rate | 3 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.64 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 13.3% (1996 est.) | 11% (1999 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |