Tonga

Tonga has a small, open, South Pacific island economy. It has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, vanilla beans, and yams are the main crops. Agricultural exports, including fish, make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. Tonga had 39,000 visitors in 2006. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government.

$767 million (2010 est.)

$770.9 million (2009 est.)

$774.7 million (2008 est.)

$301 million (2010 est.)

-0.5% (2010 est.)

-0.5% (2009 est.)

1.2% (2008 est.)

$6,300 (2010 est.)

$6,400 (2009 est.)

$6,500 (2008 est.)

39,960 (2007)

13% (FY03/04 est.)

24% (FY03/04)

5.9% (2007 est.)

12.47% (31 December 2009 est.)

12.46% (31 December 2008 est.)

$44.64 million (31 December 2009)

$36.16 million (31 December 2008)

$153.8 million (31 December 2009)

$136.9 million (31 December 2008)

$149.2 million (31 December 2008 est.)

$163.1 million (31 December 2007 est.)

$NA

squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

tourism, construction, fishing

1% (2003 est.)

43 million kWh (2007 est.)

39.99 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

1,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

1,173 bbl/day (2007 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

-$23 million (2007 est.)

$22 million (2006)

squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Hong Kong 25.42%, US 22.65%, Japan 12.21%, NZ 7.31%, Fiji 7.2%, Samoa 6.06%, South Korea 4.48% (2009)

$139 million (2006)

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Fiji 34.37%, NZ 25.03%, US 9.43%, Australia 7.53%, China 5.64% (2009)

$40.83 million (FY04/05)

$80.7 million (2004)

pa’anga (TOP) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.0277 (2006), 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003)