Located in Oceania, Tonga is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, directly south of Western Samoa and about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. Its 176 islands, 36 of them inhabited, are divided into three main groups--Vava'u, Ha'apai, and Tongatapu--and cover an 800-kilometer (500 mi.)-long north-south line. The largest island, Tongatapu, on which the capital city of Nuku'alofa is located, covers 257 square kilometers (99 sq. mi.). Geologically the Tongan islands are of two types: most have a limestone base formed from uplifted coral formations; others consist of limestone overlaying a volcanic base.
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Location:
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Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
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Geographic coordinates:
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20 00 S, 175 00 W |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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four times the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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419 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
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Climate:
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tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) |
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Terrain:
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m |
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Natural resources:
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fish, fertile soil |
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Land use:
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arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 14.67% other: 65.33% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA |
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Natural hazards:
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cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note:
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archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited) |
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