🇹🇴Tonga

Tonga is a Polynesian kingdom in the South Pacific, the last remaining monarchy among the Pacific island nations. Spread across more than 170 islands, it is sometimes called the Friendly Islands, a name given by Captain Cook. Proud of never having been formally colonised, Tonga maintains a strong sense of tradition, faith and royal heritage.

The kingdom comprises over 170 islands grouped into clusters, of which several dozen are inhabited. Some are low coral islands and others are volcanic and mountainous, set in a region of intense seismic and volcanic activity. The capital, Nukualofa, lies on the main island of Tongatapu. The climate is tropical and warm.

Tongan society places great value on respect, family, the church and the monarchy. Traditional crafts such as tapa cloth and woven mats remain important in ceremony and gift-giving, and rugby is a national passion. Sunday is widely observed as a day of rest and worship.

Settled by Polynesians around three thousand years ago, Tonga became a powerful maritime empire in the medieval Pacific. It united under a single monarchy in the 19th century and, although it accepted British protection for a time, it was never fully colonised, regaining full sovereignty in 1970.