Tonga

Tonga

Tonga / is an archipelago of 176 islands scattered over an area of ​​700,000 km2 in the South Pacific, of which only 52 are inhabited. The kingdom extends about 800 km from north to south and is located about a third of the distance between New Zealand and Hawaii. As for the origin of the name, it belongs to the Polynesian languages, where the word "Tonga" means the south

Tonga is also known as the friendly islands because of the warm hospitality that Captain James Cook received on his first visit there in 1773. Coincidentally, he landed on that land in conjunction with the Inassi Festival and represents the annual donation of the first fruits of Toi Tonga, a great island leader, where Cook received an invitation to attend the celebration. . According to author William Mariner, island leaders wanted to kill Cook during the harvest but they had not agreed on a plan

Humans have lived in Tonga for nearly 3,000 years since settling in the late Lapita era. The culture of its inhabitants changed greatly during this long period of time. Before the arrival of European explorers in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, the people of Tonga had frequent contact with their closest neighbors in Fiji and Niue. In the nineteenth century, with the arrival of Western missionaries and merchants, the culture of Tonga changed dramatically. People ignored some old beliefs and customs and adopted others. Some of the compromises made in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are now facing competition due to change in Western civilization

The rural population of Zinga depends on their farms and subsistence farming. The main cash crops are coconut, vanilla, banana, coffee and root crops like potatoes, taro and cassava. In the past, the coconut drying industry to the dried coconut pulp and the dried coconut (Cobra) was one of the major industries, but the deterioration of its prices in the global market has brought this vital industry to a dead end just as is the case throughout the island states of the South Pacific

In addition, the feudal system of land ownership does not motivate farmers to invest in growing long-term tree crops on land they do not own. Pigs and poultry are the main types of livestock. Horses are kept for practical purposes and primarily by farmers in their work on Abi Ota (bushland)

 Livestock breeding and beef imports are declining. Exporting squash to Japan has brought relief to the faltering economy, but recently, local farmers are increasingly worried about this market due to price fluctuations, not to mention the enormous financial risks involved

The manufacturing sector consists of handicrafts and a few other very small industries, all of which contribute only to about 3% of GDP. Business activities are also unclear and largely dominated by the major trading companies that dominate across the South Pacific. In September 1974, the country's first commercial trading bank, Bank of Tonga, was opened. There are no patent laws in Tonga

Avi Tonga's development plans emphasize the growing private sector, raising agricultural productivity, revitalizing squash and vanilla industries, developing tourism and improving communications on the island and transportation systems. The country has made great progress, but much work remains to be done. The construction sector is small but growing due to the influx of aid funds and remittances from expatriates

In recognition of these major contributions, the current Tongan government has created a new department within the Prime Minister's Office, whose sole purpose is to meet the needs of Tongans living abroad. Moreover, in 2007 the Tongan Parliament amended nationality laws to allow Tongans to hold dual citizenship

Efforts are being made to discover ways to diversify the economy. One of the hopes lies in fisheries as tests have shown that sufficient numbers of jumping tuna pass through the Tongan waters to support the fishing industry. Another potential activity is the exploitation of forests that cover 35% of the land area in the Kingdom but are decreasing due to deforestation. Coconut trees that have exceeded their peak production can also provide a potential source of wood

The tourism industry is relatively undeveloped, yet the government recognizes that tourism can play a major role in economic development and makes efforts to increase the source of income. Many cruise ships often rest in Vava'u

Fawao has been known for its whaling, hunting and surfing and its beaches and is increasingly becoming a major player in the South Pacific tourism market

Tongan postage stamps feature unusual color designs (including heart and banana stamps) and are popular with stamp buffs all over the world

In 2005 the country became eligible for WTO membership. However, on July 25, 2006 it was announced that Tonga had postponed its membership in the World Trade Organization until July of the following year, according to Tonga Prime Minister Dr. Feliti Seville. He said that the delay does not mean that Tonga withdrew its application for membership in the World Trade Organization but to give more time to Tonga to improve its tariff system

The Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which was established in 1996, seeks to represent the interests of its members and private sector companies and to promote economic growth in the Kingdom

Tonga's economy is characterized by a large non-monetary sector and high dependence on remittances from half of the country's expatriate population (especially in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States). The royal family and the nobility dominate to a large extent the monetary sector of the economy, especially telecommunications and satellite services. Tonga was ranked the sixth most corrupt country in the world by Forbes magazine in 2008

 Many small businesses and enterprises, particularly in retail trade, dominate in Tongatapu, who recently arrived in China with a passport purchase program that ended in 1998

Contemporary Tongans have strong ties with overseas territories. There are many expats who immigrated to Australia, New Zealand and the United States to find work and improve their standard of living. Among the American cities with large numbers of Tunisians are Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, and others

Large Tongan communities also live in Tutuila, in American Samoa, and in Auckland (New Zealand), Melbourne and Sydney (Australia). The Tunisian diaspora maintains close relationships with relatives in the country and a large portion of the Tunisian income derives from remittances from family members (often elderly) who prefer to stay in Tonga