Map of Tonga
Tonga is a country in Oceania with its capital at Nukuʻalofa, home to about 103,742 people across 749 km². The interactive map below plots 2 cities and towns, 1 mountain summits and 3 ports recorded for Tonga in YearMaps.
- Population
- 103,742
- Area
- 749 km²
- Capital
- Nukuʻalofa
- Continent
- Oceania
Interactive Map of Tonga
Centred on Nukuʻalofa at 21.1385° S, 175.2206° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Tonga
Tonga, officially known as the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands, of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about 750 km2 (290 sq mi), scattered over 700,000 km2 (270,000 sq mi) in the southern Pacific Ocean. As of September 2026, Tonga has a population of 103,291, 70% of whom live on the main island, Tongatapu. The country stretches approximately 800 km (500 mi; 430 nmi) north-south. It is surrounded by Fiji and Wallis and Futuna (France) to the northwest, Samoa to the northeast, New Caledonia (France) and Vanuatu to the west, Niue (the nearest foreign territory) to the east and Kermadec (New Zealand) to the southwest. Tonga is about 1,800 km (1,100 mi; 970 nmi) from New Zealand's North Island.
Tonga was first inhabited roughly 2,500 years ago by people who were a part of the Lapita culture, Polynesian settlers who gradually evolved a distinct and strong ethnic identity, language, and culture as the Tongan people. They quickly established a powerful footing across the South Pacific, and this period of Tongan expansionism and colonization is known as the Tuʻi Tonga Empire. From the rule of the first Tongan king, ʻAhoʻeitu, Tonga grew into a regional power. It was a thalassocracy that conquered and controlled unprecedented swathes of the Pacific, from parts of the Solomon Islands and the whole of New Caledonia and Fiji in the west to Samoa and Niue and even as far as parts of modern-day French Polynesia in the east. Tuʻi Tonga became renowned for its economic, ethnic, and cultural influence over the Pacific, which remained strong even after the Samoan revolution of the thirteenth century and Europeans' discovery of the islands in 1616.
From 1900 to 1970, Tonga had British protected-state status. The United Kingdom looked after Tonga's foreign affairs under a Treaty of Friendship, but Tonga never relinquished its sovereignty to any foreign power. In 2010, Tonga took a decisive step away from its traditional absolute monarchy and became a semi-constitutional monarchy, after legislative reforms paved the way for its first partial representative elections.
Tonga is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the United Nations, the Pacific Islands Forum, and the Alliance of Small Island States.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Tonga (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Tonga
The first humans arrived in Tonga around 1000 B.C. The islands’ politics were highly centralized under the Tu’i Tonga, or Tongan king, by A.D. 950, and by 1200, the Tu’i Tonga had expanded his influence throughout Polynesia and into Melanesia and Micronesia. The Tongan Empire began to decline in the 1300s, with civil wars, a military defeat to Samoa, and internal political strife. By the mid-1500s, some Tu’i Tongans were ethnic Samoan, and day-to-day administration of Tonga was transferred to a new position occupied by ethnic Tongans. Dutch navigators explored the islands in the 1600s, followed by the British in the 1770s, who named them the Friendly Islands. Between 1799 and 1852 Tonga went through a period of war and disorder. In the 1830s, a low-ranking chief from Ha’apai began to consolidate control over the islands and was crowned King George TUPOU I in 1845, establishing the only still-extant Polynesian monarchy. During TUPOU's reign (1845–93), Tonga became a unified and independent country with a modern constitution (1875), legal code, and administrative structure. In separate treaties, Germany (1876), Great Britain (1879), and the US (1888) recognized Tonga’s independence. His son and successor, King George TUPOU II, agreed to enter a protectorate agreement with the UK in 1900 after rival Tongan chiefs tried to overthrow him. As a protectorate, Tonga never completely lost its indigenous governance, but it did become more isolated and the social hierarchy became more stratified between a group of nobles and a large class of commoners. Today, about one third of parliamentary seats are reserved for nobles. Tonga regained full control of domestic and foreign affairs and became a fully independent nation within the Commonwealth in 1970. A pro-democracy movement gained steam in the early 2000s, led by ‘Akilisi POHIVA, and in 2006, riots broke out in Nuku’alofa to protest the lack of progress on reform. To appease the activists, in 2008, King George TUPOU V announced he was relinquishing most of his powers leading up to parliamentary elections in 2010 and henceforth most of the monarch’s governmental decisions, except those relating to the judiciary, were to be made in consultation with the prime minister. The 2010 Legislative Assembly was called Tonga’s first democratically elected Parliament. King George TUPOU V died in 2012 and was succeeded by his brother Crown Prince Tupouto‘a Lavaka who ruled as George TUPOU VI. In 2015, ‘Akalisi POHIVA became Tonga’s first non-noble prime minister.
- Location
- Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand.
- Climate
- Tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
- Terrain
- Mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock.
- Highest point
- Kao Volcano on Kao Island 1,046 m.
- Lowest point
- Pacific Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 419 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 0 km.
- Natural resources
- Arable land, fish.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 48.6% (2023 est.); arable land: 27.8% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 15.3% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.); forest: 12.1% (2023 est.); other: 39.3% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou volcanism: moderate volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has had frequent activity in recent years, and Niuafo'ou (260 m) has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua.
- Geographic note
- The western islands (making up the Tongan Volcanic Arch) are all of volcanic origin; the eastern islands are nonvolcanic and are composed of coral limestone and sand.
- Languages
- Tongan only 85%, Tongan and other language 13.9%, Tongan not used at home 1.1% (2021 est.)
- Religions
- Protestant 63.9% (Free Wesleyan Church 34.2%, Free Church of Tonga 11.3%, Church of Tonga 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.5%, Assembly of God 2.5%, Tokaikolo/Maamafo'ou 1.5%, Constitutional Church of Tonga 1.2%, other Protestant 4%), Church of Jesus Christ 19.7%, Roman Catholic 13.7%, other 2.1%, none 0.6%, no answer 0.1% (2021 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Tongan 96.5%, other (European, Fijian, Samoan, Indian, Chinese, other Pacific Islander, other Asian, other) 3.5% (2021 est.)
- Economy
- Upper middle-income Pacific island economy; enormous diaspora and remittance reliance; key tourism and agricultural sectors; major fish exporter; rapidly growing Chinese infrastructure investments; rising methamphetamine hub.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Tonga in Numbers
- Population
- 103,742
- GDP
- US$679.2 million
- GDP per person
- US$6,547
- Life expectancy
- 73.1 years
- Population growth
- -0.42% a year
- Population density
- 145 per km²
- Urban population
- 21.2%
- Surface area
- 749 km²
- Forest cover
- 12.1%
- Arable land
- 30.3%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 67.4%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Tonga in Depth
History
According to Tongan mythology, the demigod Maui drew up a group of islands from the ocean, first appearing Tongatapu, the Ha'apai Islands and Vava'u, integrating into what became modern-day Tonga.
An Austronesian-speaking group linked to what archaeologists call the Lapita culture covered from Island Melanesia to Samoa, and then on to inhabit Tonga sometime between 1500 and 1000 BC. Scholars still debate exactly when Tonga was first settled, but thorium dating confirms that settlers had arrived in the earliest known inhabited town, Nukuleka, by 888 BC, ± 8 years. Tonga's precontact history was shared via oral history, which was passed down from generation to generation.
Geography
Located in Oceania, Tonga is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, directly south of Samoa and about two-thirds of the way from Hawaiʻi to New Zealand. Its 171 islands, 45 of them inhabited, are divided into three main groups – Vava'u, Ha'apai, and Tongatapu – and cover an 800-kilometre (500-mile; 430-nautical-mile)-long north–south line.
The largest island, Tongatapu, on which the capital city of Nukuʻalofa is located, covers 257 square kilometres (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.
Economy
Tonga's economy is characterised by a large nonmonetary sector and a heavy dependence on remittances from the half of the country's population who live abroad (chiefly in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States). The royal family and the nobles dominate and largely own the monetary sector of the economy – particularly the telecommunications and satellite services. Tonga was named the sixth-most corrupt country in the world by Forbes magazine in 2008.
Tonga was ranked the 165th-safest investment destination in the world in the March 2011 Euromoney Country Risk rankings.
The manufacturing sector consists of handicrafts and a few other very small-scale industries, which contribute only about 5% of GDP.
Demographics
Over 70% of the 106,017 inhabitants live on its main island, Tongatapu. Although an increasing number of Tongans have moved into the only urban and commercial centre, Nukuʻalofa, where European and indigenous cultural and living patterns have blended, village life and kinship ties remain influential throughout the country. Despite emigration, Tonga grew in population from about 32,000 in the 1930s to more than 90,000 by 1976.
According to the government portal, Tongans, Polynesian by ethnicity with a mixture of Melanesian, represent more than 98% of the inhabitants. About 1.5% are mixed Tongans and the rest are European (the majority are British), mixed European, and other Pacific Islanders.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Tonga (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Tonga: Key Facts
| Currency | Tongan paʻanga |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Tongan, English |
| Head of state | Tupou VI of Tonga |
| Head of government | Fatafehi Fakafānua, 8th Lord Fakafānua |
| Calling code | +676 |
| Internet domain | .to |
| Highest point | Kao |
| Lowest point | Pacific Ocean |
| Established | 1970 |
Facts from Wikidata Q678 (CC0).
Visiting Tonga
Tonga (pronounced TO-ngah), the "Friendly Islands", is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, consisting of 169 islands, of which 36 are inhabited. The tourist industry is relatively undeveloped. Cruise ships often stop in Vavaʻu, which has a reputation for its whale watching, game fishing, surfing, and beaches.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Tonga (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Tonga
2 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nukualofa | 42,620 | — | National capital |
| 2 | Neiafu | 7,391 | — | Populated place |
Highest Mountains in Tonga
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kao | 1,109 m | 3,638 ft | Oceania |
Ports in Tonga
3 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pangai | 49.4 m | Very Small | Pacific Islands & Hawaii | medium vessels |
| 2 | Neiafu | 49.4 m | Very Small | Pacific Islands & Hawaii | medium vessels |
| 3 | Nuku Alofa | 34.7 m | Very Small | Pacific Islands & Hawaii | medium vessels |
Largest Islands of Tonga
3 islands recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonga Islands | 137,839 km² | Island group |
| 2 | Tongatapu | 258 km² | Island |
| 3 | Niue | 221 km² | Island |
Tongatapu
Island · 258 km²
Tongatapu is an island in Oceania (Polynesia), covering an estimated 258 km².
Tongatapu is the main island of Tonga and the site of its capital, Nukuʻalofa. Approximately 260 square kilometres (100 square miles) in size, it is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name and it is the country's most populous island, with 74,611 residents (2016) or roughly 70.5% of the total population.
Tongatapu has experienced more rapid economic development than the other islands of Tonga, and has become a business, trade and labor center of the country.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Tongatapu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 258 km²
- Size rank
- #363 of 445 islands
- Region
- Oceania
- Subregion
- Polynesia
- Coordinates
- -21.2146°, -175.1592°
- Summits:
- Tomanivi (1,323 m), Mauga Silisili (1,858 m), Lata Mountain (966 m)
- Ranges:
- Southern Alps (Oceania), Great Dividing Range (Oceania)
More about Tongatapu
Geography
The island is 257.03 square kilometres (99.24 square miles) (or 260.48 square kilometres (100.57 square miles) including neighbouring islands) and rather flat, as it is built of coral limestone. The island is covered with thick fertile soil consisting of volcanic ash from neighbouring volcanoes. At the steep coast of the south, heights reach an average of 35 metres (115 feet), and maximum 70 metres (230 feet), gradually decreasing towards the north.
North of the island are many small isolated islands and coral reefs which extend up to 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) from Tongatapu's shores. The almost completely closed Fanga'uta and Fangakakau Lagoons are important breeding grounds for birds and fish as they live within the mangroves growing around the lagoon's shores.
History
Tongatapu is known as having one of the highest concentration of archaeological remains in the Pacific. The earliest traces of Lapita pottery found in Tonga was from around 900–850 BC, 300 years after the first settlements in Tonga were established. Archaeologist David Burley discovered the pottery around the Fanga'uta Lagoon, 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) away from the Lapita pottery found at Santa Cruz in the Solomon Islands.
Tonga was always the seat of the Tuʻi Tonga Empire, but in an area of distances up to 1,000 kilometres (620 miles), it was often only a symbolic rule.
Climate
Tongatapu has a cooler climate than the rest of Tonga because it is the southernmost island group in the country. Consequently, fruit production is lower in Tongatapu than in the warmer northern islands.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Tongatapu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Tongatapu: Key Facts
| Area | 260 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 71,260 (2006) |
| Surrounded by | Pacific Ocean |
Facts from Wikidata Q620452 (CC0).
Visiting Tongatapu
Tongatapu is Tonga's largest island with over two-thirds of the country's population. There are some interesting places to visit and some nice beaches with good snorkelling and Tongatapu provides a good opportunity to view a unique culture.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Tongatapu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Niue
Island · 221 km²
Niue is an island in Oceania (Polynesia), covering an estimated 221 km².
Niue is a self-governing island country in the South Pacific Ocean, in Polynesia, part of Oceania. Like the neighboring Cook Islands, it is in free association with New Zealand. Its population is predominantly Polynesian. As one of the world's largest coral islands, Niue is nicknamed "The Rock", which comes from the traditional name "Rock of Polynesia".
Niue's position is inside a triangle drawn between Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands. It is 2,400 kilometres (1,500 mi) northeast of New Zealand, and 604 kilometres (375 mi) northeast of Tonga. Niue's land area is about 261.46 square kilometres (100.95 mi2) and its population was 1,689 at the Census in 2022.
The terrain of the island has two noticeable levels. The higher level is made up of a limestone cliff running along the coast, with a plateau in the centre of the island reaching approximately 60 metres (200 ft) above sea level. The lower level is a coastal terrace approximately 500 metres (1,600 ft) wide and about 25–27 metres (80–90 feet) high, which slopes down and meets the sea in small cliffs. A coral reef surrounds the island; the only major break in the reef is in the central western coast, close to the capital, Alofi.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Niue (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 221 km²
- Size rank
- #366 of 445 islands
- Region
- Oceania
- Subregion
- Polynesia
- Coordinates
- -19.0486°, -169.8625°
- Summits:
- Lata Mountain (966 m), Mauga Silisili (1,858 m), Tomanivi (1,323 m)
- Ranges:
- Southern Alps (Oceania), Great Dividing Range (Oceania)
More about Niue
Geography
Besides these, Albert Meyer Reef, 326 km (203 mi) southwest (20°53′S 172°19′W), almost 5 km (3.1 mi) long and wide, least depth 3 m (9.8 ft), is not officially claimed by Niue; further, the existence of Haymet Rocks (1,273 km (791 mi) east-southeast) is in doubt.
Niue is one of the world's largest coral islands. The terrain consists of steep limestone cliffs along the coast with a central plateau rising to about 60 metres (200 ft) above sea level. A coral reef surrounds the island, with the only major break in the reef being in the central western coast, close to the capital, Alofi. A number of limestone caves occur near the coast.
History
Archaeological evidence suggests that Polynesians from Samoa settled on Niue around 900 CE. Further settlers arrived from Tonga in the form of a war party in the 16th century, according to Niuean tradition.
Until the beginning of the 18th century, Niue appeared to have had no national government or single leader; chiefs and heads of families exercised authority over segments of the population. A succession of patu-iki (kings) ruled, beginning with Puni-mata. Tui-toga, who reigned from 1875 to 1887, was the first of the country's kings to adopt Christianity.
The first Europeans to sight Niue sailed under Captain James Cook in 1774. Cook made three attempts to land, but the inhabitants refused to grant permission to do so.
Demographics
The 2022 Niue Census of Population and Housing enumerated a population of 1,681, a decrease of around 2.2 per cent over the 2017 figure. Of this, 1,564 (93 per cent) considered Niue to be their place of usual residence, a decrease of 27 from 2017. Migration is a significant driver of population change, with 221 residents aged 5 and over not living in Niue five years prior to the census, suggesting substantial immigration. Niue has a population density of 6.0 inhabitants per square kilometre (16/sq mi). The majority of the population is located in the villages of Alofi South (25.2 per cent), Alofi North (11.1 per cent), Hakupu, and Tamakautoga (both 10.7 per cent).
According to the 2022 census, 1,153 (73.7 per cent) of residents identified of Niuean ethnicity.
Economy
Niue's gross domestic product (GDP) was NZ$17 million in 2003, or US$10 million at purchasing power parity. Its GDP had increased to US$24.9 million by 2016. Niue uses the New Zealand dollar.
The Niue Integrated Strategic Plan (NISP) is the national development plan, setting national priorities for development. Cyclone Heta set the island back about two years from its planned timeline to implement the NISP, since national efforts concentrated on recovery efforts. In 2008, Niue had yet to fully recover. After Heta, the government made a major commitment to rehabilitate and develop the private sector.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Niue (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Niue: Key Facts
| Area | 260 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,821 (2025) |
| Highest point | Niue Highest Point |
Facts from Wikidata Q34020 (CC0).
Visiting Niue
Niue (Niuean: Niuē, NYOO-ay) is an island in Oceania approximately halfway between Tonga and the Cook Islands. With a population of only 1,600, it is one of the world's least populous countries. Located 2,300 km northeast of New Zealand, Niue makes as a perfect spot to explore 64 km of palm-fringed beaches, and is known as the Rock of Polynesia.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Niue (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Countries Bordering Tonga
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Oceania
Tonga: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Tonga?
- The capital of Tonga is Nukuʻalofa.
- What is the population of Tonga?
- Tonga has a population of about 103,742, the #198 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Tonga?
- Tonga covers 749 km², ranking #192 by area, with about 139 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Tonga in?
- Tonga is in Oceania.
- Which countries border Tonga?
- Tonga shares a land or maritime border with United States.
- What is the largest city in Tonga?
- Nukualofa is the largest city in Tonga, with a metropolitan population of about 42,620.
- What is the highest mountain in Tonga?
- The highest summit recorded for Tonga in YearMaps is Kao at 1,109 m (3,638 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.