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Asia and Oceania

Tonga

 Flag of Tonga

Last reviewed: 19 March 2012

Country information

Area: 748 sq km (464 sq mi)
Population:  104,000 (2010 est.)
Capital city: Nuku'alofa
People: Polynesian, Europeans
Languages: Tongan, English
Religions:  Christian
Currency: Pa'anga
Major political parties:  There are no major political parties in Tonga.  Of the nine seats for People's Representative in parliament, the Human Rights and Democratic Movement have 4, Independents 3 and the People's Democratic Party 2.
Government: Unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats -  14 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.)
Head of State: Heir to the throne, Crown Prince Tupouto’a Lavaka (since March 2012)
Prime Minister: Siale ‘Ataongo Kaho (better known as Lord Tu’ivakano) (since 2010)
Cabinet: Cabinet consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by the monarch for life, four appointed from among elected members of the Legislative Assembly, including two each from the nobles' and peoples' representatives serving three year terms.
Membership of international groups/ organisations: Commonwealth, Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Group of 77 at the United Nations (G77), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), ICRM, International Development Association(IDA), International Fund for Agricultural Development(IFAD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Interpol, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), ITU, ITUC, OPCW, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIF), South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Co-operation Agreement (SPARTECA), Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), United Nations (UN), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), WCO, World Health Organisation (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Trade Organisation (WTO)

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