Tonga Geography, Climate, Areas, Cities

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Tonga Geography


The information below contains geography information for Tonga, including climate, weather, cities, and area information. You can also check out the Tonga Country Page for additional resources.

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    Geography
    Area: 747 sq. km. (288 sq. mi.).
    Cities: Capital--Nuku'alofa (pop. 34,000).
    Terrain: 169 islands, mainly raised coral but some volcanic.
    Climate: Tropical, modified by trade winds. Warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December).

    Geography of Tonga
    Tonga is an archipelago directly south of Western Samoa. Its 169 islands, 96 of them inhabited, are divided into three main groups--Vava'u, Ha'apai, and Tongatapu--and cover an 800-kilometer (500 mi.)-long north-south line. The largest island, Tongatapu, on which the capital city of Nuku'alofa is located, covers 257 square kilometers (99 sq. mi.). Geologically the Tongan islands are of two types: most have a limestone base formed from uplifted coral formations; others consist of limestone overlaying a volcanic base.

    The climate is basically subtropical with a distinct warm period (December-April), during which the temperatures rise above 32oC (90oF), and a cooler period (May-November), with temperatures rarely rising above 27oC (80oF). The temperature increases from 23oC to 27oC (74oF to 80oF), and the annual rainfall is from 170 to 297 centimeters (67-117 in.) as one moves from Tongatapu in the south to the more northerly islands closer to the Equator. The mean daily humidity is 80%.
    source: http://www.state.gov