Countries

Tonga

Map

Tonga
This map is an approximation of actual country borders.

Tonga’s estimated population for 2010 was 103 365, giving a population density of 159 persons per square kilometre. The population, about 23.4% of whom live in urban settings, is young, with 38% in the 0-14 year-old age group. The fertility rate remains high, although it has been falling slowly, decreasing from 4.1 in 1986 to 3.7 in 2010. The population growth rate is around 0.3%, a low figure taking into consideration a crude birth rate of about 25.4 per 1000 population and the fact that child mortality rates are the lowest in the Pacific. The explanation is found in the high net emigration rate, which averaged 19.8% between 1986 and 1996. It is estimated that as many as 100 000 Tongans live overseas, most of them in Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America. The Tongan community in New Zealand alone accounts for some 50 000 people.

In May 1953, Tonga was assigned to the Western Pacific Region at the Sixth World Health Assembly ''without prejudice to any questions regarding sovereignty'' as an area. Tonga was under the British protectorate from 1900 to 4 June 1970, the same date its independence was restored. It joined WHO on 15 August 1975 as a Member State.

It was covered by the WHO Representative Office in the South Pacific since its establishment, and the WHO Country Liaison Officer was designated in March 1981.

The WHO Country Liaison Officer in Tonga : Li, Dr Dan

WHO Country Office

Office address:

Ministry of Health Nuku'alofa Tonga

Postal address:

World Health Organization P.O. Box 70 Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Telephone number:

(676) 23-217
(676) 23-200 Ext. 18

Fax number:

(676) 23-938

Office hours:

08.30 - 16.30 (Monday to Friday)

Email:

who.ton@wpro.who.int

Website:

http://www.wpro.who.int/southpacific

Ministry of Health

Address:

Ministry of Health, Vaiola hospital P.O. Box 59, Nuku?alofa, Kingdom of Tonga

Telephone number:
(676) 23 200

Fax number:

(676) 24 291

Email:

mohtonga@kalianet.to

Sources

Additional information

 

Statistics

Estimated Population ('000s) ( 2010 ) 103.37
Percentage of Population 5-14 years old ( 2010 ) 24.96
Life expectancy at birth (years) ( 2003 ) 70
Under-five mortality rate (per 1000 livebirths) ( 2010 ) 19.7
Total health expenditure as % of GDP ( 2009 ) 5.3
General gov't expenditure on health as % of total general gov't expenditure ( 2009 ) 14.5
Human development index ( 2010 ) 0.68
Per capita GDP (US$) at current market prices ( 2009 ) 2988
Population below national poverty line not available
Adult literacy rate (%) ( 2006 ) 99
Maternal mortality ratio (per 100 000 livebirths) ( 2010 ) 36.4
Proportion of population with sustainable access to improved water source ( 2008 ) 99.8
Proportion of population with access to improved sanitation ( 2008 ) 96