Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/237.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 6.9 KB | 296 lines

@node Geography (Tonga)
@section Geography (Tonga)

@display

Location:
  Oceania, 2,250 km north-northwest of New Zealand, about two-thirds of the
  way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Map references:
  Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  748 km2
 land area:
  718 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
  0 km
Coastline:
  419 km
Maritime claims:
 continental shelf:
  not specified
 exclusive economic zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  none
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
Natural resources:
  fish, fertile soil
Land use:
 arable land:
  25%
 permanent crops:
  55%
 meadows and pastures:
  6%
 forest and woodland:
  12%
 other:
  2%
Irrigated land:
  NA km2
Environment:
  archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited); subject to cyclones (October to
  April); deforestation



@end display

@node People (Tonga)
@section People (Tonga)

@display

Population:
  103,949 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  0.8% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:   25.16 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  6.75 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  -10.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  21.38 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  67.79 years
 male:
  65.5 years
 female:
  70.24 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  3.68 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Tongan(s)
 adjective:
  Tongan
Ethnic divisions:
  Polynesian, Europeans about 300
Religions:
  Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
Languages:
  Tongan, English
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1976)
 total population:
  57%
 male:
  60%
 female:
  60%
Labor force:
  NA
 by occupation:
  agriculture 70%, mining (600 engaged in mining)



@end display

@node Government (Tonga)
@section Government (Tonga)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Kingdom of Tonga
 conventional short form:
  Tonga
 former:
  Friendly Islands
Digraph:
  TN
Type:
  hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital:   Nuku alofa
Administrative divisions:
  three island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Independence:
  4 June 1970 (from UK)
Constitution:
  4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967
Legal system:
  based on English law
National holiday:
  Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Reform Movement, 'Akilisi POHIVA; Christian Democratic Party,
  leader NA
Suffrage:
  all literate, tax-paying males and all literate females over 21
Elections:
 Legislative Assembly:
  last held 14-15 February 1990 (next to be held 3-4 February 1993); results -
  percent of vote NA; seats - (29 total, 9 elected) 6 proreform, 3
  traditionalist
Executive branch:
  monarch, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers
  (cabinet), Privy Council
Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea)
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)
 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991); Deputy Prime Minister S.
  Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991)
Member of:
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF,
  INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WHO
Diplomatic representation in US:
  Ambassador Sione KITE, resides in London
US diplomatic representation:
  the US has no offices in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to
  Tonga and makes periodic visits
Flag:
  red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side
  corner



@end display

@node Economy (Tonga)
@section Economy (Tonga)

@display

Overview:
  The economy's base is agriculture, which employs about 70% of the labor
  force and contributes 40% to GDP. Coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are
  the main crops and make up two-thirds of exports. The country must import a
  high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The manufacturing
  sector accounts for only 11% of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard
  currency earnings, but the island remains dependent on sizable external aid
  and remittances to offset its trade deficit.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $92 million (FY90)
National product real growth rate:
  0.4% (FY92 est.)
National product per capita:
  $900 (FY90)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (FY92 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  NA%
Budget:
  revenues $36.4 million; expenditures $68.1 million, including capital
  expenditures of $33.2 million (FY91 est.)
Exports:
  $18.8 million (f.o.b., FY92 est.)
 commodities:
  coconut oil, desiccated coconut, copra, bananas, taro, vanilla beans,
  fruits, vegetables, fish
 partners:
  Japan 34%, US 17%, Australia 13%, NZ 13% (FY91)
Imports:
  $68.3 million (c.i.f., FY92 est.)
 commodities:
  food products, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, fuels,
  chemicals
 partners:
  NZ 33%, Australia 22%, US 8%, Japan 8% (FY91)
External debt:
  $47.5 million (FY91)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 1.7% (FY90); accounts for 11% of GDP
Electricity:
  6,000 kW capacity; 8 million kWh produced, 80 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries:
  tourism, fishing
Agriculture:
  accounts for 40% of GDP; dominated by coconut, copra, and banana production;
  vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $16 million; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $258 million
Currency:
  1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti
Exchange rates:
  pa'anga (T$) per US$1 - 1.3996 (January 1993), 1.3471 (1992), 1.2961 (1991),
  1.2809 (1990), 1.2637 (1989), 1.2799 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  1 July-30 June



@end display

@node Communications (Tonga)
@section Communications (Tonga)

@display

Highways:
  198 km sealed road (Tongatapu); 74 km (Vava'u); 94 km unsealed roads usable
  only in dry weather
Ports:
  Nukualofa, Neiafu, Pangai
Merchant marine:
  3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,765 GRT/10,597 DWT; includes 1 cargo,
  1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 liquefied gas
Airports:
 total:
  6
 usable:
  6
 with permanent-surface runways:
  1
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659:
  1
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  1
Telecommunications:
  3,529 telephones; 66,000 radios; no TV sets; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no
  FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Tonga)
@section Defense Forces (Tonga)

@display

Branches:
  Tonga Defense Force, Tonga Maritime Division, Royal Tongan Marines, Royal
  Tongan Guard, Police
Manpower availability:
  NA
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP



@end display