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'alofa
geographic coordinates:
21 08 S, 175 12 W
time difference:
UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Independence:
4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
National holiday:
Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Constitution:
4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)
head of government:
Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 11 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16 May 2006)
cabinet:
Cabinet consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by the monarch for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly, including 2 each from the nobles' and peoples' representatives serving three-year terms
note:
there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the cabinet, and 2 governors
elections:
the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, 9 for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and 9 elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms)
elections:
last held on 23-24 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
election results:
Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - independents 54%, THRDM 28%, PDP 14%; seats - THRDM 4, independents 3, PDP 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (Chief Justice and high court justices from overseas chosen and approved by Privy Council)
Political parties and leaders:
Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Uliti UATA]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tesina FUKO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE]
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Viliami MALOLO
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
Flag description:
red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
