Government
Name of country:
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form:
Tonga
former:
Friendly Islands
Data code:
TN
Type of government:
hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Nuku'alofa
Administrative divisions:
three island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Independence:
4 June 1970 (emancipation from UK protectorate)
National holiday:
Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Constitution:
4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967
Legal system:
based on English law
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) is a constitutional monarch
head of government:
Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991) and Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991) were appointed for life by the king
cabinet:
Cabinet was appointed by the king
Privy Council:
consists of the king and the Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea):
elections last held 3-4 February 1993 (next to be held NA February 1996); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (30 total, 12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine for elected people's representatives) 6 proreform, 3 traditionalist
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the king
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, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in US:
Tonga does not have an embassy in the US; Ambassador Sione KITE, resides in London
consulate(s) general:
San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga
Flag:
red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
