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 Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991)
and Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch and
the Cabinet
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 24-25 January 1996 (next to be held NA March
1999)
election results: percent of vote—NA; seats—7 proreform, 2
traditionalist
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the
monarch; Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the
Supreme Court sits as the Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: Tonga People's Party [Viliami
FUKOFUKA]
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC,
SPF, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Tonga does not have an
embassy in the US; Ambassador Akosita FINEANGANOFO, resides in
London; address: Embassy of the Kingdom of Tonga, c/o Tonga High
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
Economy