Elvis Costello

The islands Tonga are a State of Polynésie, in the Pacific Ocean, to approximately 650 km in the east of the islands Fiji, comprising more than 170 island S and small islands, divided into three principal Archipel S.

Centered on 20° of Southern latitude and 179° of Western longitude, formerly called islands of the Friends , they form today an independent kingdom within the the Commonwealth. The climate is subtropical, hot and wet there; precipitations can reach the 2 000 mm per year. The Tonga islands have a surface of 748 km ² and the capital is Nuku' alofa ( the fatherland of the love in Tonguien ) on the island of Tongatapu.

History

See also: History of Tonga

The human ones colonized the Tonga islands towards, during the great expansion where the people of the Southeast Asia emigrated through the Pacific Ocean in the east and through the Indian Ocean until Madagascar and the Eastern Africa in the West.

These Polynésie NS brought with them Chien S, Porc S, Poulet S, Poterie, Agriculture (particularly culture of roots) and, obviously, of the Bateau X. They were spread quickly in the whole of the Tonga islands. According to a popular belief, the kingdom of Tonga would be, among the islands of the Polynésie, the first group occupied by the man at the prehistoric era. In modern times, but before the arrival of the Westerners, the islands had population densities from 60 to 75 people per square kilometer.

Centuries before the Westerners arrive, Tongiens created the great monumental masonries, most notable being the Ha' amonga (or Trilithon ) and the langi (tombs in terrace). The ha' amonga 5 measurement; meters in height and is built of three limestone stones weighing each one more 40 tons. The langi are pyramids low very punts with two or three levels and which mark the tombs of the former kings.

A royalty was established in Tongatapu at the beginning of the 10th century and the current dynasty still refers to the Empire You' I Tonga. At the 13th century, the royal capacity is even wide until Hawaii.

At the 18th century, Tonga had unified the tribal chiefs and had forged a maritime empire which included the conquered areas of the Fiji. At that time, the empire of Tonga had a population of approximately of 40 000 people.

In 1616, some of the islands of the archipelago of Tonga, whose islands Niue, were seen by the Dutch navigators William Schouten and the Mayor. The January 21st 1643, Abel Tasman discovered Tongatapu and visited part of the islands.

Between 1773 and 1777, James Cook contacted the islanders of Tongatapu. He baptized the archipelago “ islands of Amis ” because of warm welcome that it had received there (in spite of the massacre of several of its men).

In 1845, the islands were plain in a kingdom. It became a Constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate the May 18th 1900. The archipelago acquired its independence in 1970 and became also a member of the the Commonwealth.

The Tonga islands remain the only monarchy of the Pacific, since the Samoa became a republic with the death of their king in 2007. The king Taufa' ahau Tupou IV, deceased the 10 September 2006 with Auckland, could reassemble its family tree on four generations of monarchs. The prince Tupouto' has succeeded on September 11th, 2006 to him.

Policy

Subdivisions

Geography

Economy

Demography

Culture

Religions

70% of the population belong to the Church Méthodiste whose missionaries settled at the beginning of the XIXe century.

The Catholic S, with 16%, constitute the 2nd religious community.

Sport

Only one representing of Tonga is assembled on an Olympic podium. In 1996, Wolfgram Paea earns money in Boxe in the category of more 91 kg (superheavy weight) with the Olympic Games of summer of Atlanta.

The Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee , created in 1963, is recognized by the International Olympic committee since 1984.

The Tonga islands have a solid national team of Rugby league and provided good number of large player to the Australien championship of Rugby league (NRL) Rugby. Tonga Rugby.

They gave some large players to the teams of Australia (Toutai Kefu, Viliami Ofahengaue), of New Zealand (Jonah Lomu, Isitolo Maka).

Just like New Zealand, Tonga one a Haka

The Tonga islands gain world Hitball 2006 (new sport of the years 2000) thanks to their hitballor Jahiri Tumassa at the time of the gained finale 5-4 vis-a-vis the Greek Jimy Estanos in France. This victory thus makes it possible the country to organize the next world cup, which will proceed in July 2008

Codes

Tonga has as codes:

A3, according to the List of prefixes ICAO of registration of the aircraft,
NF, according to the List of the prefixes of codes ICAO of the airports,
TGA, according to the Code list country of the CIO,
TN, according to the Code list countries used by NATO, code alpha-2,
TO, according to the standard ISO 3166-1 (code list country), code alpha-2,
TO, according to the international Code list of the number plates,
YOUR, according to the standard ISO 3166-1, code alpha-3 (code list country),
YOUR, according to the Code list countries used by NATO, code alpha-3,

External bonds

Official site of the government of Tonga
New Information on Tonga
of Tonga
Gate Internet on Tonga
photo Gallery of Tonga

Beats-smg: Tuonga Simple: Tonga Zh-min-nan: Tonga

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