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Political parties and leaders: Tonga People's Party, Viliami FUKOFUKA

Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL,
IOC, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in US: Ambassador Sione KITE, resides in
London
consulate(s) general: San Francisco

US diplomatic representation: the US has no offices in Tonga; the
ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Flag: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner

@Tonga:Economy

Overview: The economy's base is agriculture, which employs about 70%
of the labor force and contributes 40% to GDP. Squash, coconuts,
bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural
exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a
high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The
manufacturing sector accounts for only 11% of GDP. Tourism is the
primary source of hard currency earnings, but the country also remains
dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to offset its trade
deficit. The economy continued to grow in 1993-94 largely because of a
rise in squash exports, increased aid flows, and several large
construction projects. The government is now turning its attention to
further development of the private sector and the reduction of the
budget deficit.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $214 million (1994
est.)

National product real growth rate: 5% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $2,050 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1993)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $36.4 million
expenditures: $68.1 million, including capital expenditures of $33.2
million (1991 est.)

Exports: $11.3 million (f.o.b., FY92/93)
commodities: squash, vanilla, fish, root crops, coconut oil
partners: Japan 34%, US 17%, Australia 13%, NZ 13% (FY90/91)

Imports: $56 million (c.i.f., FY92/93)
commodities: food products, machinery and transport equipment,
manufactures, fuels, chemicals
partners: NZ 33%, Australia 22%, US 8%, Japan 8% (FY90/91)

External debt: $47.5 million (FY90/91)

Industrial production: growth rate 1.5% (FY91/92); accounts for 11% of
GDP

Electricity:
capacity: 6,000 kW
production: 30 million kWh
consumption per capita: 231 kWh (1993)

Industries: tourism, fish