What is the main island of Tonga?
Tongatapu
The largest island, Tongatapu, on which the capital city of Nukuʻalofa is located, covers 257 square kilometres (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.
What are the 3 land types in the Pacific islands?
The many islands can be divided into three main groups based on physical geography, local inhabitants, and location: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Indigenous cultural heritage remains strong in the South Pacific, but Western culture has made deep inroads into people’s lives.
Where is the island nation of Tonga?
Tonga is a Polynesian country of more than 170 South Pacific islands and home to about 100,000 people. It’s a remote archipelago that lies about 800 kilometers (497 miles) east of Fiji and 2,380 kilometers (1,480 miles) from New Zealand.
Who is the current king of Tonga?
Tupou VISince 2012
Tonga/Monarch
ʻAhoʻeitu Tupou VI (Tongan: ‘Aho’eitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho; born 12 July 1959) is the King of Tonga.
What does love mean in Tongan?
‘Ofa’ means love. To say ‘I love you’ in Tongan is ‘Ofa atu’ or you can say ‘Ofa lahi atu’ which means ‘I love you so much’
How many islands are there in Tonga?
The archipelago of Tonga, affectionately called the “Friendly Islands,” consists of 171 islands, with only 45 inhabited.
Is Tonga a tropical island?
The Tonga Islands (Pule’anga Tonga) are a group of tropical islands located in the southern Pacific Ocean (Polynesia) between Fiji, Samoa and the Cook Islands. These islands are a constitutional monarchy associated with the British Commonwealth. The islands – inhabited by a Polynesian population – were discovered by the Europeans in 1616.
How did the islands of Tonga form?
They were created from the subduction of the western-moving Pacific plate under the Australia-India plate at the Tonga Trench. The Tongan Islands sit on the Australia-India plate just west of the Tonga Trench. These volcanoes are formed when materials in the descending Pacific plate heat and rise to the surface.
What Island do Tongans come from?
Tongans are descended from Malaysians who settled on the main island group of Tongatapu about 3,000 years ago. Beginning in the 10th century, they were ruled by a line of sacred kings and queens called the Tu’i Tonga.