The Kingdom of Tonga is a miniature Kingdom in the heart of Polynesia (South Pacific Ocean), 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 in three groups, which are divided from each other by two narrow channels, with a combined land area of 699 sq km and sea area of 700,000 sq km. The largest island is Tongatabu, in the southern group, with an area of 128 square miles, 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. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent; during one of which, in Octocber 1885, a new island two miles in circumference suddenly appeared. 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 were discovered for Europe in 1643 by Tasman, but were first visited by Europeans in 1773 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
