World Factbook
Tonga
Pule'anga Fakatu'i 'o Tonga
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Area
land
717 sq km
water
30 sq km
total
747 sq km
Climate
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Terrain
mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock
Land use
other
39.3% (2023 est.)
forest
12.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
48.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 27.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 15.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.)
Location
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Coastline
419 km
Elevation
lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point
Kao Volcano on Kao Island 1,046 m
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Map references
Oceania
Land boundaries
total
0 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
continental shelf
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou volcanism: moderate volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has had frequent activity in recent years, and Niuafo'ou (260 m) has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua
Geography - note
the western islands (making up the Tongan Volcanic Arch) are all of volcanic origin; the eastern islands are nonvolcanic and are composed of coral limestone and sand
Natural resources
arable land, fish
Area - comparative
four times the size of Washington, D.C.
Geographic coordinates
20 00 S, 175 00 W
Population distribution
over two thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied