The Kingdom of Tonga is a miniature Kingdom in the heart of Polynesia, is one of the world' s few remaining constitutional monarchies. Ruled by His Majesty King Taufa' ahau Tupou IV. The country comprises some 170 small islands, with a combined land area of 699 sq km and sea area of 700,000 sq km. The climate is tropical; modified by trade winds with a warm season from December to May and a cool season from May to December. The terrain of most of the islands is limestone based formed from uplifted coral formations; other islands have limestone overlying a volcanic base. Natural resources are fish and the fertilesoil of the islands. The religion is Christian. The language is Tongan and English.
Tonga was first settled by Polynesians around 1500 BC and visited by Europeans in 1773, first by Captain James Cook who called the islands the 'Friendly Islands'. During the 19th century Christian missionaries settled and converted the chief Taufa'ahau Tupou to Christianity in 1831. In 1900 Tonga was made a British protectorate and in 1970 became independent. Research Tonga
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Research Tonga