Location:
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 175 00 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 747 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 717 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 30 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 190

Area - comparative:
four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
419 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)

Terrain:
mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock

Elevation:
mean elevation: NA
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Kao Volcano on Kao Island 1,046 m

Natural resources:
fish, arable land

Land use:
agricultural land: 43.1% arable land 22.2%; permanent crops 15.3%; permanent pasture 5.6%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 12.5%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 44.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
over two-thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied

Natural hazards:
cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
volcanism: moderate volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has shown frequent activity in recent years, while Niuafo'ou (260 m), which last erupted in 1985, has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua

Environment - current issues:
deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
archipelago of 171 islands (45 inhabited)