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Tonga
 
[Tongatabu flag c.1858-1862 (Tonga)]
c.1858 - 1862
[Tonga flag 1862-1866]
1862 - 1866
[Tonga]
Adopted 1866, Confirmed 4 Nov 1875
Map of Tonga Hear National Anthem
 "Ko e fasi 'o e tu'i 'o e
'Otu Tonga"
(Song of the King of the
 Tonga Islands)
 		Text of National Anthem
Adopted 1874 		Constitution
(4 Nov 1875)
Capital: Nuku'alofa
(Lifuka 1812-45, 1847-51;
Nuku'alofa 1799-1812, 1845-1847)
Currency: Pa'anga (TOP);
1921-1966 Tonga Pound (TOS); 1936-1966 Australian Pound (AUP); 1900-1936 British Pound (GBP)
National Holiday: 4 Jun (1862)
Emancipation Day
(Independence Day [1970])
Population: 104,889 (2024)
GDP: $700.4 million (2022)
Exports: $59.9 million (2022)
Imports: $332.7 million (2022)
Ethnic groups: Tongan 96.5%, others (European, Fijian, Samoan, Indian, Chinese, other Pacific Islander, other Asian, other) 3.5% (2021)
Total Police Force: 418 (2012)
Defense Cooperation Agreements with
Australia and New Zealand
Merchant marine: 29 ships (2023)
Religions: Protestant 63.9% (Free Wesleyan Church 34.2%, Free Church of Tonga 11.3%, Church of Tonga 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.5%, Assembly of God 2.5%, Tokaikolo/Maamafo'ou 1.5%, Constitutional Church of Tonga 1.2%, other Protestant 4%), Church of Jesus Christ 19.7%, Roman Catholic 13.7%, other 2.1%, none 0.6%, no answer 0.1% (2021)
International Organizations/Treaties: ACP, ADB, AIIB, AOSIS, APA, APM, BTWC, C, CWC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, IRENA, ISA, ITU, ITUC, NPT, NTBT, OPCW, PC, PIDF, PIF, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNFCC-KP, UNFCC-PA, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Tonga Index
Chronology

....                       Tonga settled.
c.950                      The first Tui'i Tonga takes office.
16th cent.                 Tui'i Tonga delegates political authority to a 
                             side branch of the royal family styled as
                             the Tu'i Ha'atakalaua.
c.1600                     Tu'i Ha'atakalaua further delegates political
                             authority to the new post of Tu'i Kanokupolu.
21-24 Apr 1616             Dutch Captains Willem Schouten and Jacob LeMaire
                             sight Niuatoputapu which they name Verraders
                             Eijlandt (Traitors Island) and Tafahi which is
                             named Cocos Eijlant (Coconut Island).
21 Jan 1643                Dutch Capt. Abel Tasman sights Tongatapu, which he
                             names 't Eijlandt Amsterdam (Amsterdam Island),
                             and 'Eua ('t Eijlandt Middelburgh) and on
                              24 Jan 1643, Nomuka ('t Eijlandt Rotterdam).
 2 Oct 1773                Visited and named Friendly Islands by British
                              Capt. James Cook (b. 1728 - d. 1799).
 4 Mar 1781                Vava'u is sighted by Spanish Capt. Francisco
                             Antonio Mourelle de la Rúa (b. 1750 - d. 1820),
                             which he names Martín de Mayorga.
 10 May 1799                Office of Tu'i Ha'atakalaua expires.
 4 Jun 1862                Serfdom officially abolished by royal edict.
 9 Dec 1865                Last Supreme ruler (Tui'i Tonga) dies.
 4 Nov 1875                Kingdom of Tonga (Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga).
 6 Apr 1886 - 14 Nov 1899  Tonga or Friendly Islands declared a neutral region
                             in accordance with the Declaration of Berlin.
18 May 1900                Treaty of Friendship with the U.K. is signed,
                             placing Tonga under protectorate (sometimes
                             called the Friendly Islands).
18 May 1900 -  3 Jul 1952  Within the British Western Pacific Territories.
 3 Mar 1942 - 26 Aug 1945  U.S. forces garrison Tonga.
 4 Jun 1970                Ceases to be a British protected state.

Ha`apai-Vava`u
(1777-1833)
Minerva
(1972, 1982)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Note: From ancient times Tonga had a highly tabooed supreme ruler, the Tu'i Tonga. The tradition claims that in the 16th century the Tu'i Tonga delegated political authority to a side branch of the royal family, with the style Tu'i Ha'atakalaua, and that round 1600 the Tu'i Ha'atakalaua further delegated political authority to the Tu'i Kanokupolu. The office of Tu'i Ha'atakalaua expired 10 May 1799. The Tu'i Kanokupolu office continued, with some interruptions, and indeed the future King King Siaosi Taufa'ahau Tupou I was the last 
Tu'i Kanokupolu (although his successors as kings and queen regarded themselves as continuing holders of this office). The last Tu'i Tonga served until 9 Dec 1865, at which point Siaosi Taufa'ahau Tupou ruled alone as Tu'i Kanokupolu. On 4 Nov 1875 Tonga was established as a kingdom (Pule 'Anga Fakatui'i'o Tonga ["Kingdom of Tonga"]).

Supreme rulers (styled Tu`i Tonga)
.... - ....                Fatafehi Tu'i Pulotu 'i Langi
                             Tu'oteau (Tu'ipulatu I)
 .... - ....                Fatafehi Fakana'ana'a 
17.. - 1770                Fatafehi Tu'i Pulotu 'i Langi      (d. 1770)
                              Tu'oteau (Tu'ipulatu II)
 1770 - 1784                Fatafehi Paulaho                   (b. c.1749 - d. 1784)
1784 - 1793                Fatafehi Ma'ulupekotofa            (b. 17.. - d. 1806)
1793 - 1810                Fatafehi Fununuiava                (b. 1765 - d. 1810)
1810 - 1827                Vacant
 1827 -  9 Dec 1865         Fatafehi Laufilitonga              (b. 1797 - d. 1865)
                             (from 7 Nov 1851, Samuelio Fatafehi Laufilitonga)
Chiefs (styled Tu`i Ha`atakalaua)
.... - ....                Mapa
.... - ....                Fuatakifolaha
.... - 1777                Maealiuaki                         (d. af.1781)
1777 - 10 May 1799         Mulikiha'amea                      (d. 1799)
Chiefs (styled Tu`i Kanokupolu)
.... - 1736                Vuna Tu'i'oetau                    (d. af.1736)
1736 - 1765                Ma'afu'otu'itonga                  (d. af.1765)
1765 - 1771                Tupoulahi
1771 - 1777                Maealiuaki (1st time)              (s.a.)
1777                       Tupoulahisi'i
1777                       Mulikiha'amea (1st time)           (s.a.)
1771 - 1777                Maealiuaki (2nd time)              (s.a.)
1777 - 1782                Tu'i Halafatai                     (b. c.1747 - d. 1799)
                           - jointly with -
1777 - 1781                Tupoumahe'ofo (f) (1st time)       (b. 1745 - d. 1793)
1782 - 1789                Tupou Lahisi'                      (d. c.1789)
 1789 - 1793                Maealiuaki (3rd time)              (s.a.)
 1793                       Tupoumahe'ofo (f) (2nd time)       (s.a.)
 1793 - 29 Apr 1797         Tupou Mumui                        (b. 1733 - d. 1797)
29 Apr 1797 - 21 Apr 1799  Talai Tupou (Finau Tuku'aho)       (b. 1753 - d. 1799)
                             (regent 1793 - 29 Apr 1797)
21 Apr 1799 - 22 Apr 1799  Ma'afu'olimuloa                    (b. 17.. - d. 1800)
22 Apr 1799 - 1812         Tupou Malohi                       (b. c.1760 - d. 1812)
                             (in Fiji exile 1800-1805)
1812 - 1820                Tupouto'a                          (b. c.1777 - d. 1820)
1820 - 1826                Interregnum
 7 Dec 1826 - 14 Nov 1845  'Alea Motu'a Tupouifaletuipapai    (b. c.1782 - d. 1845)
                             (from 18 Jan 1830, Josiah Tupou)
18 Nov 1845 -  4 Nov 1875  Siaosi Taufa'ahau Maeakafa         (b. 1797 - d. 1893)
                             (from 4 Dec 1845, Siaosi Mae'akafa Ngininginiofolanga
                              Taufa'ahau Tupou)
Kings¹
 4 Nov 1875 - 18 Feb 1893  George Tupou I                     (s.a.)
                             (= Siaosi Tupou I)
18 Feb 1893 -  5 Apr 1918  George Tupou II                    (b. 1874 - d. 1918)
                             (= Siaosi Tupou II)
Queen¹
 5 Apr 1918 - 16 Dec 1965  Salote Tupou III                   (b. 1900 - d. 1965)
                             (= Salote Tupou III)
 Kings¹
16 Dec 1965 - 10 Sep 2006  Taufa'ahau Tupou IV                (b. 1918 - d. 2006)
11 Sep 2006 - 18 Mar 2012  George Tupou V                     (b. 1948 - d. 2012)
                              (= Siaosi Tupou V)
 18 Mar 2012 -              Tupou VI                           (b. 1959)         
 

Prime ministers (1876-1970, Premier)
 1 Jan 1876 - 18 Dec 1879  Crown Prince Tevita ' Unga         (b. c.1824 - d. 1879)Non-party
18 Dec 1879 - Apr 1881     Vacant
Apr 1881 - Jul 1890        Shirley Waldemar Baker             (b. 1836 - d. 1903)  Non-party
Jul 1890 - 1893            Siaosi (George) Tuku'aho           (b. 1854 - d. 1897)  Non-party
1893 - Jan 1905            Siosateki Tonga                    (b. 1853 - d. 1913)  Non-party
Jan 1905                   Siaosi Tu'i Pelehake               (b. 1842 - d. 1912)  Non-party
Jan 1905 - 30 Sep 1912     Sione Tupou Mateialona             (b. 1852 - d. 1925)  Non-party
30 Sep 1912 - 30 Jun 1923  Tevita Tu'ivakano                  (b. 1869 - d. 1923)  Non-party
30 Jun 1923 - 20 Jul 1941  Prince Viliami Tungī Mailefihi     (b. 1887 - d. 1941)  Non-party
20 Jul 1941 - 12 Dec 1949  Solomone Piutau Ulamoleka Ata      (b. 1883 - d. 1950)  Non-party
12 Dec 1949 - 16 Dec 1965  Crown Prince Taufa'ahau Tungi      (s.a.)               Non-party
                             (= Taufa'ahau Tupou IV)
16 Dec 1965 - 22 Aug 1991  Prince Fatafehi Tu'ipelehake       (b. 1922 - d. 1999)  Non-party
22 Aug 1991 -  3 Jan 2000  Siaosi Tu'ihala Alipate Tupou,     (b. 1921 - d. 2009)  Non-party
                             Baron Vaea of Houma 
 3 Jan 2000 - 11 Feb 2006  Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata       (s.a.)               Non-party
                             (= Tupou VI)
 11 Feb 2006 - 22 Dec 2010  Feleti "Fred" Vaka'uta Sevele      (b. 1944)            HRDM
                             (acting to 30 Mar 2006)
 22 Dec 2010 - 30 Dec 2014  Siale 'Ataongo Kaho, Lord          (b. 1952)            Non-party
                             Tu'ivakano
 30 Dec 2014 - 12 Sep 2019  Samiuela 'Akilisi Pohiva           (b. 1941 - d. 2019)  PATOA
12 Sep 2019 -  8 Oct 2019  Semisi Kioa Lafu Sika (acting)     (b. 1968)            PATOA
 8 Oct 2019 - 28 Dec 2021  Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa                 (b. 1961 - d. 2023)  PP
28 Dec 2021 -  9 Dec 2024  Siaosi 'Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni    (b. 1970)            Non-party
 9 Dec 2024 - 31 Jan 2025  Samiu Kuita Vaipulu (acting)       (b. 1952)            Non-party
31 Jan 2025 -              'Aisake Valu Eke                   (b. 1960)            Non-party


British Agents and Consuls
 12 Feb 1901 - 1909         Hamilton Hunter                    (b. 1846 - d. 1923)
 9 Sep 1909 - 1913         William Telfer Campbell            (b. 1863 - d. 1929)
 1 Jan 1913 - 1917         Henry Eugene Walter Grant          (b. 1855 - d. 1934)
25 Aug 1917 - 1926         Islay McOwan                       (b. 1871 - d. 1948)
 9 Jul 1926 - 1937         James Scott Neill                  (b. 1889 - d. 1958)
17 Dec 1937 - 1943         Arthur Leopold Armstrong           (b. 1888 - d. 1973)
30 Jun 1943 - 1949         Charles Walter Trevor Johnson      (b. 1893 - d. ....)
24 Mar 1949 - 1954         James Edward Windrum               (b. 1895 - d. 1992)
10 Aug 1954 - 1957         Charles Robert Harley Nott         (b. 1904 - d. 1997)
25 Mar 1957 - 1959         Archibald Cameron Reid (1st time)  (b. 1915 - d. 1994)
British Commissioners and Consuls
 9 Nov 1959 - 1965         Edward James Coode                 (b. 1918 - d. 1979)
24 Jun 1965 - 1970         Archibald Cameron Reid (2nd time)  (s.a.)

 ¹Style of the ruler from 4 Jun 1875: ʻi he Kelesi ʻa e ʻOtua ko e Tuʻi ʻo e Puleʻanga ʻo Tonga ("By the Grace of God, King of the Kingdom of Tonga").

International Disputes: Fiji does not recognize Tonga's 1972 claim to the Minerva Reefs and their surrounding waters; the Minerva Reefs' 200-mile exclusive economic zone includes valuable fishing grounds.

Party abbreviations: HRDM = Human Rights and Democracy Movement (democratic, social justice, anti-corruption, 1992-1998 named Pro-Democracy Movement, est.Oct 1998); PATOA = Paati Temokalati 'a e 'Otu Motu 'Anga'ofa (Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands, economic reformist, split from HRDM, est.Sep 2010); TPPI = Paati 'a e Kakai 'o Tonga (Tonga People's Party Inc., pro-China, est.20 Sep 2019)


Ha'apai-Vava'u

Late 18th cent.            Ha'apai-Vava'u archipelago develops a high degree of autonomy,
                             but subject to the Tu'i Tonga, and notionally Tu'i Kanokupolu,
                             although the chiefs were often the most powerful persons in 
                             all of Tonga.
21 Jan 1643                Ha'apai visited by Dutch Capt. Abel Tasman.
27 Jun 1774                Ha'apai visited by British Capt. James Cook.
 5 Mar 1781                Vava'u visited by Spanish Capt. Francisco Mourelle de la Rúa.
20 May 1793                Vava'u claimed for Spain by Alessandro Malaspina (no effect).
Mar 1833                   Incorporated into Tonga.

Chiefs (styled Tu'i Vav'au; nominally governors)
c.1777 - 12 Jun 1797       Finau 'Ulukalala I 'i Ma'ufanga    (b. 1748 - d. 1799)
1797 - May 1799            Takitakimalohi                     (d. af.1809)
 May 1799 - 1809            Finau 'Ulukalala II 'i Feletoa     (b. c.1750 - d. 1809)
1809 - 1811                Finau 'Ulukalala III Moengangongo  (b. c.1786 - d. 1811)
1811 - Mar 1833            Finau 'Ulukalala IV Tuabayi        (d. 1833)


Minerva
["Republic of Minerva" flag 1972 (Tonga)]
19 Jan 1972 - 21 Jun 1972
Map of Minerva
Currency: Minerva Dollar
(issued 1973)
Population: 5 (1972)

1807                       Crew of the brig Rosalia, commanded by Lieutenant John Garland,
                              shipwrecked on the Minerva Reefs.
 1816                       The Oriental Navigator for 1816 recorded Garland's discovery
                              under the name Rosaretta Shoal.
 Dec 1818                   Reefs charted by Capt. John Nicholson of LMS Haweis, and
                              named the Nicholson's Reefs.
  9 Sep 1829                Australian whaling ship Minerva wrecks on South Minerva Reef, 
                             which was known as Nicholson's Reef or Nicholson's Shoal.
 1854                       British Capt. Henry Mangles Denham (b. 1800 - d. 1887) of H.M.S.
                             Herald charted the two reefs, naming them the Minerva Reefs.
 24 Aug 1887                King of Tonga officially delineates Tonga's borders by Royal
                              Proclamation, the Minerva Reefs remain outside its claim.
 1942 - 1945                U.S. military installations on the south reef.
  7 Jul 1962 - 18 Oct 1962  Tongan vessel, Tuaikaepau, hit the South Minerva Reef and are
                              rescued 102 days after the shipwreck.
 24 Nov 1966                Annexed to Tonga by Capt. Tevita Fifita.
 Aug 1971                   Colonized by the U.S. based libertarians from the Ocean Life
                              Research Foundation (OLRF), construction on north reef commenced. 
19 Jan 1972                "Republic of Minerva" proclaimed (not recognized).
15 Jun 1972                Tonga asserted its claim on Minerva Reefs (as Ongo Teleki)
                              (by Tongan Government Gazette Extra-ordinary No. 7.) The reefs
                              are named Teleki Tokelau and Teleki Tonga.
 21 Jun 1972                King Tupou IV of Tonga sailed to the Minerva Reefs on his royal
                              yacht Olovaha to declare the proclamation of 15 Jun.
 1982 (3 weeks)             Group led again by Morris C. "Bud" Davis tries to re-occupy the
                             reefs, but are forced off by Tongan troops.
 Nov 2005                   Fiji lodges a complaint with International Seabed Authority
                              concerning territorial claim over Minerva and statement not
                              recognizing maritime water claims by Tonga.
May 2011                   Fiji naval ships destroy the Tongan lighthouse on the north reef.

President of the Provisional Government (remained in Orange, California)
19 Jan 1972 - 21 Jun 1972  Maurice (Morris) "Bud" C. Davis     (b. 1926)
                              (1st time)   
1971 – 1972                Thurlow "Tad" Weed                  (b. 1933 – d. 2006)
                              (leader of the colonization team)
 1982 (3 weeks)             Maurice (Morris) "Bud" C. Davis     (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)





© Ben Cahoon