Tonga

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Factos sobre Tonga

Tonga é um estado da Polinésia que ocupa as ilhas do mesmo nome, também conhecidas como Ilhas dos Amigos. Confina a norte com o território francês de Wallis e Futuna e com Samoa, a nordeste com a Samoa Americana, a leste com os territórios neo-zelandeses de Niue e das Ilhas Cook e a oeste com Fiji. Para sul, as ilhas mais próximas são as Kermadec, pertencentes à Nova Zelândia. Capital: Nuku'alofa.

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Area
total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km
water: 30 sq km

Coastline:
419 km

Population:
114,689 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.3% (male 20,679/female 19,843)
15-64 years: 60.5% (male 34,399/female 34,964)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,059/female 2,745) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.7 years
male: 20.1 years
female: 21.3 years (2006 est.)

Economy - overview:
Tonga, a small, open, South Pacific island economy, has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government.