Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia. 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 2021, according to Johnson's Tribune, Tonga has a population of 104,494, 70% of whom reside on the main island, Tongatapu. The country stretches approximately 800 km (500 mi) 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 to the east; and Kermadec to the southwest. Tonga is about 1,800 km (1,100 mi) from New Zealand's North Island. Tonga is a member of The Commonwealth.
Andrés Escobar Saldarriaga was a Colombian footballer who played as a defender. He played for Atlético Nacional, BSC Young Boys, and the Colombia national team. Nicknamed The Gentleman, he was known for his clean style of play and calmness on the pitch.
The Tonga national rugby league team represents Tonga in rugby league football. They are currently the second ranked team in the world. The team was formed to compete in the 1986 Pacific Cup, and have competed at six Rugby League World Cups, starting in 1995 and continuing consecutively until the most recent tournament. Their best result was at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, where they were semi-finalists.
Viliami Ofahengaue, widely known as Willie O, is a former rugby union player who earned 41 caps for the Australian Wallabies from 1990 to 1998, and played in the World Cups of 1991 and 1995 as well as the 1993 World Cup Sevens.
Rodger Siaosi Toutai Kefu is a Tongan professional rugby union coach and former player who has been coaching the Tonga national team since 2016.
The 2006 Nukuʻalofa riots, also known as the 2006 Tongan riots, started on 16 November, in the Tongan capital of Nukuʻalofa. The Legislative Assembly of Tonga was due to adjourn for the year and despite promises of action, had done little to advance democracy in the government. A mixed crowd of democracy advocates took to the streets in protest. The riots saw a number of cases of robbery, looting, vehicle theft, arson, and various property damage.
Samiuela ʻAkilisi Pōhiva was a Tongan pro-democracy activist and politician. Pohiva, the leader of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (DPFI), served as the Prime Minister of Tonga from 2014 to his death in 2019. He was only the fourth commoner to serve as Prime Minister, and the first commoner to be elected to that position by Parliament rather than appointed by the King.
‘Isileli Pulu is a Tongan politician and former Member of the Tongan Parliament. He is a member of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement and the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.
ʻUliti Uata is a Tongan politician. He is a member of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement and the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.
ʻEtuate Lavulavu is a Tongan politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga for Vavaʻu. He was stripped of his seat in 2016 after being convicted of bribery, precipitating the 2016 Vavaʻu 16 by-election. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University–Hawaii followed by a Master of Arts from Brigham Young University in Utah. He publicly claimed to have a PhD from the University of Edenvale, a US diploma mill, and began referring to himself as "Professor".
Siale ʻAtaongo Kaho, Lord Tuʻivakanō is a Tongan politician who served as the Prime Minister of Tonga from 2010 to 2014.
Viliami Veasiʻi Veikune, styled Lord Tuʻihaʻateiho is a Tongan noble, politician, and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. He is the 15th person to hold the Tuʻihaʻateiho title, and was appointed to it on 5 June 2004.
Tuimoala Lolohea is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a stand-off or fullback for the Huddersfield Giants in the Betfred Super League. He has played for both New Zealand and Tonga at international level.
Hans Arne Jensen is a Tongan competitive archer. Representing his nation Tonga at the 2015 World Championships and at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Jensen trained under the tutelage of his Danish father and head coach Hans Jensen.
Kilifi Uele is a Tongan footballer who plays as a midfielder for Veitongo and the Tonga national football team.
ʻAkosita Havili Lavulavu is a Tongan politician and former Cabinet Minister. In 2021 she was jailed for fraud.
On 9 April 2001, Tonga and Australia played an international soccer match at the International Sports Stadium in Coffs Harbour in the Australian state of New South Wales. The match was an Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) first round qualifying match for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Tonga, nominally the home team for this round robin qualifying match, were defeated 0–22 by Australia. This beat the previous international record of 20–0 from October 2000 when Kuwait defeated Bhutan on 12 February 2000 in qualification for the 2000 AFC Asian Cup. The margin of defeat also beat the previous record in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match, the 19–0 result between Iran and Guam in Tabriz in November 2000. The margin was surpassed two days later when Australia again prevailed, defeating a depleted American Samoa team with a 31–0 scoreline.
Sione Vuna Fa'otusia was a Tongan politician, Cabinet Minister, and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga who served as the deputy prime minister of Tonga from 2019 to 2020.
Ata Jesse "AJ" Inia is a Tongan footballer who currently plays for Navy of the Thai League 3.
Samoa 
American Samoa 
