Tonga, officially 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 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.
Tupou VI is the King of Tonga. He is the younger brother and successor of the late King George Tupou V. He was officially confirmed by his brother on 27 September 2006 as the heir presumptive to the Throne of Tonga, as his brother had no legitimate children. He served as Prime Minister of Tonga from 2000 to 2006 and as Tonga's High Commissioner to Australia, and resided in Canberra from 2008, until the death of King George Tupou V on 18 March 2012, when he became King of Tonga, with the regnal name Tupou VI.
The Republic of Minerva was a micronation consisting of the Minerva Reefs. It was one of the few modern attempts at creating a sovereign micronation on the reclaimed land of an artificial island in 1972. The architect was Las Vegas real estate millionaire and political activist Michael Oliver, who went on to other similar attempts in the following decade. Lithuanian-born Oliver formed a syndicate, the Ocean Life Research Foundation, which had considerable finances for the project and had offices in New York and London. They anticipated a libertarian society with "no taxation, welfare, subsidies, or any form of economic interventionism." In addition to tourism and fishing, the economy of the new nation would include light industry and other commerce.
Feleti Vakaʻuta Sevele, Lord Sevele of Vailahi is a Tongan politician who served as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga from 30 March 2006 to 22 December 2010.
Siaosi ʻAlipate Halakilangi Tau’alupeoko Vaea Tupou, more commonly known as Baron Vaea, was a Tongan politician who served as Prime Minister of Tonga. Vaea was a nephew of Queen Sālote, who ruled Tonga from 1918 until 1965, and a member of the Tongan nobility. His career in the Tongan government spanned 54 years.
Fiji–Tonga relations are foreign relations between Fiji and Tonga. These neighbouring countries in the South Pacific have a history of bilateral relations going back several centuries.
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.
Lisiate ʻAloveita ʻAkolo is a Tongan politician, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga and former Minister of Finance in the Tongan Cabinet.
Siale ʻAtaongo Kaho, Lord Tuʻivakanō is a Tongan politician who served as the Prime Minister of Tonga from 2010 to 2014.
ʻOtenifi Afuʻalo Matoto, styled Lord Matoto of Tuʻanekivale, is a Tongan civil servant, politician and former Cabinet Minister. He was Minister of Finance in the government of Feleti Sevele from 2008 to 2011.
India–Tonga relations are the international relations that exist between India and Tonga. The High Commission of India in Suva, Fiji is concurrently accredited to Tonga.
Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa was a Tongan accountant and politician who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Tonga from 2019 to 2021. Tu'i'onetoa succeeded Semisi Sika, who had served as acting prime minister, since the death of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva.
ʻAlipate Tupouniua was a Tongan politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly during the 1950s.
Penisimani 'Epenisa Fifita is a Tongan politician and former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. He is a member of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.
Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni, styled Hon. Hu'akavameiliku, is a Tongan politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Tonga since 2021. He has previously served as a Cabinet Minister, and from 2014 to 2017, he was Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga. He is the current estate holder of the village of Ha'asini.
Tevita Lavemaau is a Tongan politician and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga.
Tatafu Toma Moeaki is a Tongan politician, former Cabinet Minister, and civil servant.
Sione Tapa was a Tongan politician, physician, and philanthropist. He was the first Tongan to graduate with a medical degree. He served as Tonga's Health Minister from 1970 to 1996.
Siosiua Tuitalukua Tupou ʻUtoikamanu is a Tongan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He was Tonga's Minister of Finance from 2001 to 2008.
Senipisi Langi Kavaliku, styled Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, was a Tongan scholar and politician. He served as a Cabinet Minister for 35 years, and was Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga in the 1990s. He was the first Tongan to obtain a master's degree and a PhD.
