Tonga
Oceania Β· Capital: Nuku'alofa
How it is run: Tonga is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Tonga is home to 103,742 people in Polynesia, where people speak English, Tongan.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
103,742 people
That is about 13 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
747 kmΒ²
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
ποΈ How crowded
About 139 people per square kilometre β busy towns with countryside in between.
π Size in its region
13th most people in Oceania
11th largest by land in Oceania.
π£οΈ Official languages
English, Tongan
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Tongan paΚ»anga (T$)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
73.1 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$6,547
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
π’ Living in cities
21.2% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
34.9% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+676
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.to
π§ People here are called
Tongan
π·οΈ Name at home
Tonga
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Tonga has no land borders at all. It is surrounded by water, so boats and planes are the way in and out.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Tonga
French
Tonga
Arabic
ΨͺΩΩΨΊΨ§
Chinese
ζ±€ε
Japanese
γγ³γ¬
Russian
Π’ΠΎΠ½Π³Π°
Portuguese
Tonga
German
Tonga
Put it in perspective π
- Australia β the most populated country in Oceania β has about 266.2Γ as many people as Tonga.
- All of Tonga would fit inside one large national park in many other countries.
- If everyone in Tonga lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 52 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Tonga is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
π·οΈ Official name
Kingdom of Tonga
ποΈ Capital
Nuku'alofa
π Region
Oceania Β· Polynesia
π€ Country code
TO
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Tonga π
π§ Where on the map
20.0Β° S, 175.0Β° W
π Half of the world
Southern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-12 β when it is noon in London it is about 00:00 in Nuku'alofa.
- Tonga lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Tonga shares its part of the world with American Samoa. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Tonga is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- πΉπ΄ is the flag of Tonga. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is TO.
- The capital of Tonga is Nuku'alofa β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Tonga has 2 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Tonga can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Tonga spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Tonga?
Nuku'alofa
Which money do people spend in Tonga?
Tongan paΚ»anga (T$)
How many countries share a land border with Tonga?
None β no land neighbours at all.
Roughly how many people live in Tonga?
103,742 people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.