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 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 70%; seats -
pro-democratic 7, traditionalist 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of
Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief
justice of the Supreme Court)
Political parties and leaders:
there are no political parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Akilisi POHIVA,
president]
International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1136 consulate(s) general: San Francisco FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024
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 Tonga
Economy - overview:
Tonga has a small, open economy with 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. Tourism is the second-largest source of
hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains
dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities
overseas to offset its trade deficit. 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.