| Country Name Info : |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga
former: Friendly Islands |
| Government Type : |
hereditary constitutional monarchy |
| Capital : |
Nuku'alofa |
| Administrative Divisions : |
3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u |
| Independence : |
4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate) |
| National Holiday : |
Independence 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 Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister James C. COCKER (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 |
| 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 - HRDMT 70%; seats - HRDMT 7, traditionalist 2 |
| 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) |
| Political Parties and Leaders : |
there are no political parties |
| Political Pressure Groups and Leaders : |
Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chair] |
| International Organization Participation : |
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
| 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) 369-1025
FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024
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 |
