 Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form:Tonga local long form:Pule'anga Tonga local short form:Tonga former:Friendly Islands
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name:Nuku'alofageographic coordinates:21 08 S, 175 12 W time difference:UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
5 island divisions; 'Eua, Ha'apai, Ongo Niua, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Independence:
4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
National holiday:
National Day, 4 November (1875)
Constitution:
adopted 4 November 1875; amended many times, last in 2013 (2013)
Legal system:
English common law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:King TUPOU VI (since 18 March 2012); note - King George TUPOU V died on 18 March 2012 in Hong Kong; he was succeeded by his brother Crown Prince TUPOUTO'A Lavaka, who took the throne name TUPOU VIhead of government:Prime Minister Lord Siale'ataonga TU'IVAKANO (since 22 December 2010) cabinet:Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch note:a Privy Councilt advises the monarch elections:the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from members of parliament and appointed by the monarch; election last held on 21 December 2010 (next to be held in NA 2014) election results:Lord Siale'ataonga TU'IVAKANO elected prime minister by parliament; vpte - 14 of 26 votes
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (26 seats - 9 for nobles elected from among the country's 29 nobles, 17 members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections:last held on 25 November 2010 (next to be held in 2014) election results:Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - independents 67.3%, Democratic Party 28.5%, other 4.2%; seats - Democratic Party 12, independents 5
| | Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and a number of judges determined by the monarch); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are brought before the King in Privy Council, the monarch's advisory organ that has both judicial and legislative powersjudge selection and term of office:judge appointments and tenures made by the King in Privy Council, judge appointments subject to consent of the Legislative Assembly subordinate courts:Supreme Court; Magistrate's Courts; Land Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands [Samuela 'Akilisi POHIVA]People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tesina FUKO] Sustainable Nation-Building Party [Sione FONUA] Tonga Democratic Labor Party [NA] Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Mahe'uli'uli Sandhurst TUPOUNIUA (since 10 September 2013)chancery:800 Second Avenue, Suite 400B, New York, NY 10017 telephone:[1] (800) 345-6541 consulate(s) general:San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
name:'Ko e fasi `o e tu'i `o e `Otu Tonga' (Song of the King of the Tonga Islands)lyrics/music:Uelingatoni Ngu TUPOUMALOHI/Karl Gustavus SCHMITT note:in use since 1875; the anthem is more commonly known as 'Fasi Fakafonua' (National Song) |