The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Tonga:
Contents
- General reference
- Geography of Tonga
- Environment of Tonga
- Regions of Tonga
- Demography of Tonga
- Government and politics of Tonga
- Branches of the government of Tonga
- Foreign relations of Tonga
- Law and order in Tonga
- Military of Tonga
- Local government in Tonga
- History of Tonga
- Culture of Tonga
- Art in Tonga
- Sports in Tonga
- Economy and infrastructure of Tonga
- Education in Tonga
- Health in Tonga
- Infrastructure of Tonga
- See also
- References
- External links
Tonga is a sovereign island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. [1] Tonga comprises the Tonga Archipelago of 169 islands, 36 of them inhabited, stretching over a distance of about 800 kilometres (500 mi) in a north–south line. The islands lie south of Samoa and are about one-third of the way from New Zealand to Hawaii.
Tonga is the only surviving monarchy among the island nations of the Pacific Ocean, as well as being the only island nation never to have been formally colonized.
The islands are also known as the Friendly Islands because of the friendly reception accorded to Captain Cook on his first visit in 1773. He happened to arrive at the time of the ʻinasi festival, the yearly donation of the first fruits to the Tu'i Tonga, the islands' paramount chief, and was invited to the festivities. According to the writer William Mariner, in reality the chiefs had wanted to kill Cook during the gathering, but had been unable to agree on a plan. [2]
