Tonga Pacific Island Guide: Difference between revisions

Tonga Pacific Island Guide (view source)

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 === General Information  ===
-Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
+Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific. [[Image:Tonga.png|thumb|right|300px]]
 There are 170 islands in ''Tonga,'' of which 56 are inhabited. They are of coral or volcanic formation. The total land area is less than 300 square miles. About half of the land is cultivated, and the soil is very fertile. ''Tonga'' is divided into three island groups: ''Tongatapu group ''in the south, ''Ha`apai'' in the middle, and''Vava`u ''in the ''no''rth. ''Nukualofa'' is the capital, where the average temperature is 76 degrees and the humidity is 76 percent. Cyclones are possible from October to April, and the dry season is from June to November.&nbsp;