Filed under Oceania and more precisely Polynesia, Tonga is a sovereign state. The long form of the name is Kingdom of Tonga. The capital is Nuku'alofa.
Its territory runs to 747 km², which ranks it 195th of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Dominica and just ahead of Singapore. Put next to a country most people can picture, it is a little larger than Singapore.
Some 104,175 people call it home, placing it 199th of 250 by population — between the United States Virgin Islands above it and Jersey below. Among the 10 entries in Polynesia it ranks 3rd by area and 3rd by population.
Where Tonga is and what surrounds it
Plotted on a globe it falls at 20.0° south, 175.0° west, which puts it in the southern hemisphere, roughly 2,226 km from the equator, in what geographers would call tropical latitudes.
Follow that same latitude east or west and you reach Namibia, Mozambique and Madagascar — places that share its distance from the equator but little else.
It shares no land border with anyone. That puts it among the 85 entries of 250 here with no land neighbours, a group made up mostly of islands and island groups.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Population, density and language
Spread across 747 km², that works out at about 139 people per square kilometre, which makes it more crowded than the typical entry on this list. For comparison, the median entry on this list sits near 90 per square kilometre.
The demonym is Tongan, so residents are Tongans.
2 languages carry official status: English and Tongan. Tongan is listed for no other entry in this dataset, which makes it effectively unique to Tonga. English, the first listed, is shared with 90 other entries worldwide.
Inside Oceania it places 13th of 27 by population, and it accounts for 15% of everyone living in Polynesia.
Currency and codes
It uses the Tongan paʻanga (T$, TOP). It is issued for Tonga alone.
The top-level domain is .to. To phone it from abroad you dial +676. In ISO terms it is to in two letters and TON in three.
If a quiz asks for the capital of Tonga, the answer is Nuku'alofa.
Tonga is one of the 193 UN member states in this dataset. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.
Fun facts about Tonga
- Within Polynesia it is the 3rd largest of 10.
- In land area it is a little larger than Singapore.
- People from Tonga are known as Tongans.
- English is official here and in 90 other entries worldwide.
- Its full official name is Kingdom of Tonga.
- The Tongan paʻanga is used here and nowhere else on this list.
- It has no land border with any other country — one of 85 such entries in this dataset.
Tonga — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Tonga?
- The capital of Tonga is Nuku'alofa.
- What is the population of Tonga?
- Tonga has a population of about 104,175, which makes it the 199th most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. The United States Virgin Islands sits just above it and Jersey just below.
- Does Tonga border any other country?
- No. Tonga has no land border with any other country, so every route in or out is by sea or air. 85 of the 250 entries on this site are in the same position.
- Where is Tonga located?
- Tonga is in Polynesia, part of Oceania. Its reference coordinates are 20.0° south and 175.0° west, roughly 2,226 km from the equator in tropical latitudes.
- Is Tonga a country?
- Yes. Tonga is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.
- What language is spoken in Tonga?
- Tonga lists 2 official languages: English and Tongan. Tongan does not appear as an official language anywhere else in this dataset.
- How big is Tonga?
- Tonga covers 747 km², ranking 195th of 250 by land area. That makes it a little larger than Singapore.
- What currency does Tonga use?
- Tonga uses the Tongan paʻanga, written T$ (currency code TOP). No other entry in this dataset uses it.
