Simple directory > Regional > Tonga

Country : Tonga Official name: Kingdom of Tonga Head of State: King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV (since 1965) Head of government: Acting Prime Minister Fred Sevele (HRDM) (appointed Apr 2005) Ruling party: The pro-democracy Human Rights and Democracy Movement (HRDM) won seven of the nine seats allocated to 'commoners' in the Mar 2002 elections. Area: 748 square km (170 islands) Population: 99,600 (2004) Capital: Nuku'alofa (on Tongatapu) Official language: Tongan Currency: Tongan dollar or Pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti Exchange rate: T$1.97 per US$ (Nov 2004) GDP per capita: US$2,200 (2003) GDP real growth: 1.90% (2003) Labour force: 33,908 (2003) Unemployment: 13.30% (2003) Inflation: 10.00% (2003) Balance of trade: -US$61.10 million (2003) Foreign debt: US$57.50 million (2003) Visitor numbers: 40,110 (2003)

Historical profile

Tonga's dynasty goes back to the tenth century.

1965 King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV was crowned.

1992 A Pro-Democracy Movement (PDM) emerged.

1994 The PDM formed the first political party, the People's Party (PP).

1996 In the general election, the PP won a majority of those seats open to popular vote.

1999 The Human Rights and Democracy Movement (HRDM) (formerly the People's Party) won five of the popularly elected nine seats in the Legislative Assembly (HRDM had previously held seven seats).

2000 Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata was appointed prime minister by the King.

2001 After legislative amendments made by Tonga, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) removed Tonga from its blacklist of countries acting as unfair tax havens or associated with money laundering.

2002 In the parliamentary elections, the HRDM won seven of the nine seats allocated to 'commoners'.

2003 In October, changes to the constitution were made, giving greater powers to the King and increasing state control of the media.

2004 The Royal Tongan Airline (RTAs) international service collapsed in April after Royal Brunei Airlines repossessed the RTA's sole international passenger jet. In May, a lack of funds forced RTA to halt its inter-island services and liquidators were called in.

2005 In the 16 March parliamentary elections, the HRDM won seven of the nine popularly elected seats but with the difference that for the first time ever, two of the people's representatives will be selected to become cabinet ministers. Fred Sevele (HRDM) was appointed acting prime minister in April.

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