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Introduction
| T O
N G A |
| Welcome to the tiny island kingdom of
Tonga. Bow in obeisance to the ruling monarch, King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV and join in a
local feast of more than thirty dishes! Swim, snorkel, scuba dive or sunbathe – the
choice is yours. But remember not to loose your shirt. In Tonga, it is illegal not to wear
a shirt, so all you topless ones, cover up or else face the wrath of the king’s
officers. Tonga is a pleasure chest waiting to share its natural beauty with visitors. |
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| It is an archipelago made
up of more than 172 islands dotting the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. Primarily
volcanic in origin, Tonga rises from the sea ringed by low coral reefs, making it ideal
for snorkelling and scuba diving. |
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It is relatively cooler than most
tropical islands and so has the perfect weather for a vacation - not too hot, not too
cold. A chain of 83 islands about 800 km. west of Fiji reminded Capt Cook of the dark,
forbidding, wind buffeted islands off the Scottish coast and he named them New Hebrides.
The islands range from towering volcanoes to those covered in dense rainforests to those
with wide beaches with deep natural harbours. |
You can't get more variety than that!
Believe it or not, this unheard of island has become an attractive and competitive
financial centre after the introduction in 1993, of the International Companies Act. It is
a tax haven - there's no income tax! And with small communities of French, British,
Australian, New Zealand and Chinese living here, it has to be one of the most culturally
diverse countries in the world.
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F A C
T B O X |
| Full country Name |
Kingdom of Tonga |
| Area |
718 sq km |
| Population |
108,140 |
| Capital City |
Nuku'alofa |
| People |
Polynesian, Europeans |
| Religion |
Protestant, Catholic, Mormons |
| Government |
Hereditary Constitutional Monarchy |
| Head of State |
King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV |
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