| Economy - overview: Tonga has a small, open economy with a
narrow export base in agricultural goods, which contributes 30% to GDP.
Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and
agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must
import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The
industrial sector accounts for only 10% of GDP. Tourism is the primary
source of hard currency earnings. The country remains dependent on sizable
external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset
its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the
private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is
committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a
reasonable basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. GDP: purchasing power parity -
$225 million (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -0.3% (1998 est.), 5% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 30%
industry: 10%
services: 60% (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.2% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 36,665 (1994)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 11.8% (FY93/94)
Budget:
revenues: $49 million
expenditures: $120 million, including capital expenditures of $75 million (FY96/97
est.)
Industries: tourism, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (FY95/96)
Electricity - production: 35 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 33 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa,
coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish
Exports: $8 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports - commodities: squash, fish, vanilla beans
Exports - partners: Japan 53%, US 18%, NZ 6%, Australia 6% (1997 est.)
Imports: $69 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,
chemicals
Imports - partners: NZ 30%, Australia 19%, US 11%, UK 11%, Japan 3% (1997 est.)
Debt - external: $62 million (1998)
Economic aid - recipient: $38.8 million (1995)
Currency: 1 pa'anga (TOP) = 100 seniti
SOURCE: The World Factbook |