History of Tonga in Timeline

Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is a Polynesian island country in Oceania comprising 171 islands, with 45 inhabited. Its total surface area is about 750 km2, scattered over 700,000 km2 in the southern Pacific Ocean. As of 2021, the population is approximately 104,494, with 70% residing on Tongatapu, the main island. The country stretches 800 km north-south and is surrounded by Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, Samoa, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and Niue. Tonga is located approximately 1,800 km from New Zealand's North Island.

May 1900: Treaty of Friendship with Britain

In May 1900, Tonga became a protected state under a Treaty of Friendship with Britain, prompted by European settlers and rival Tongan chiefs' attempts to oust the king.

1900: British protected-state status

In 1900, Tonga became a British protected state, with the United Kingdom managing Tonga's foreign affairs while Tonga retained its sovereignty.

1901: British consul

From 1901 to 1970, Britain posted a British consul on Tonga as its highest permanent representative.

1918: Flu pandemic

In 1918, a flu pandemic brought to Tonga by a ship from New Zealand killed 1,800 Tongans, representing about 8% of the population.

1928: Establishment of the Free Wesleyan Church as the state religion

In 1928, Queen Salote Tupou III established the Free Wesleyan Church as the state religion of Tonga. In the same year, the Church of Tonga separated from the Free Wesleyan Church in opposition to this establishment.

1965: Queen Salote Tupou III death

Arrangements to end the Treaty of Friendship were established by Tonga's Queen Salote Tupou III before her death in 1965.

1965: King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV reign

From 1965 to 2006, under King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV, Tonga monetized its economy, internationalized medical and education systems, and increased access to wealth, education, and overseas travel for commoners.

1970: End of British protected-state status

In 1970, Tonga's British protected-state status ended, marking a transition in its international relations.

1970: End of protection status

In 1970, the Treaty of Friendship ended Tonga's protection status, and Tonga joined the Commonwealth.

1970: Tonga maintained its sovereignty

Under British protection, Tonga maintained its sovereignty until 1970 and remained the only Pacific nation with a monarchical government.

September 1974: Opening of the Bank of Tonga

In September 1974, the country's first commercial trading bank, the Bank of Tonga, opened.

1976: Population Growth

Despite emigration, Tonga grew in population from about 32,000 in the 1930s to more than 90,000 by 1976.

February 1979: Highest temperature recorded in Vava'u

On February 11, 1979, the highest temperature recorded in Tonga was 35 °C (95 °F) in Vava'u.

1987: Tonga competes in Rugby World Cup

In 1987, Tonga competed in the Rugby World Cup for the first time.

1987: Squash export to Japan begins

In 1987, the export of squash to Japan began, offering temporary relief to Tonga's struggling economy. However, local farmers grew wary of the Japanese market due to price fluctuations and significant financial risks.

September 1994: Coldest temperature recorded in Fua'amotu

On September 8, 1994, the coldest temperature recorded in Tonga was 8.7 °C (47.7 °F) in Fua'amotu.

1995: Rugby World Cup victory against Côte d'Ivoire

In 1995, Tonga beat Côte d'Ivoire 29–11 in the Rugby World Cup.

1995: First appearance at a Rugby League World Cup

In the 1995 edition Tonga made their first appearance at a Rugby League World Cup.

1996: Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry incorporated

In 1996, the Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry was incorporated to represent private sector businesses and promote economic growth in the Kingdom.

1996: Olympic silver medal in boxing

Tonga's only Olympic medal came from the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, where Paea Wolfgramm won silver in super heavyweight boxing.

1998: Freedom of Religion

In 1998, the Constitution of Tonga (Revised 1998) provides for freedom of religion.

September 1999: Member of the United Nations

In September 1999, Tonga became a member of the United Nations.

1999: Rugby World Cup victory against Italy

In 1999, Tonga beat Italy 28–25 in the Rugby World Cup.

2000: Tongan population in the US

As of 2000, 36,840 Tongans were living in the US.

2001: Agricultural land usage in Tonga

As of 2001, two-thirds of agricultural land in Tonga was used for root crops.

2001: Chinese population in Tonga

In 2001, about 3,000 to 4,000 Chinese lived in Tonga, comprising 3 to 4% of the total Tongan population.

2003: Constitutional amendment to "Tonganize" the press

In mid-2003, the government passed a constitutional amendment to "Tonganize" the press by licensing and limiting press freedom to protect the monarchy's image, with criteria including 80% Tongan ownership.

February 2004: Press licenses denied

As of February 2004, the Taimi ʻo Tonga (Tongan Times), the Keleʻa, and the Matangi Tonga were denied licenses under the new act.

December 2004: Tongan troops return from Iraq

In December 2004, Tongan troops returned home from Iraq after being deployed as part of the American "coalition of the willing" action.

2005: Eligible to become a member of the World Trade Organization

In 2005, Tonga became eligible to become a member of the World Trade Organization.

2005: Civil service strike and unrest

In 2005, the Tongan government negotiated with striking civil-service workers, leading to civil unrest that extended to protests outside the King's New Zealand residence.

February 2006: Prime Minister's resignation

In February 2006, Prime Minister Prince ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho (Lavaka Ata ʻUlukālala) resigned, and Feleti Sevele replaced him in the interim.

July 2006: Death of Prince Tuʻipelehake ʻUluvalu

On July 5, 2006, Prince Tuʻipelehake ʻUluvalu, co-chairman of the constitutional reform commission, his wife, and their driver died in a car accident in Menlo Park, California.

September 2006: George Tupou V succeeds his father

In September 2006, George Tupou V succeeded his father as King, leading to public expectations of changes.

November 2006: Rioting in Nukuʻalofa

On November 16, 2006, rioting broke out in Nukuʻalofa due to perceived lack of progress in increasing democracy, resulting in destruction and deaths, ended by Tongan Security Forces and troops from a New Zealand-led Joint Task Force.

2006: King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV reign

2006: United Kingdom closed its High Commission in Tonga

In 2006, the United Kingdom closed its High Commission in Tonga.

2006: Nukuʻalofa riots

The 2006 Nukuʻalofa riots mainly targeted Chinese-owned businesses, leading to the emigration of several hundred Chinese so that only about 300 remain.

July 2007: Full member of the WTO

On July 27, 2007, Tonga became a full member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

2007: Second contingent sent to Iraq

In 2007, a second contingent of Tongan troops was sent to Iraq as part of continued support for the coalition.

2007: Citizenship laws amended

In 2007, the Tongan Parliament amended citizenship laws to allow Tongans to hold dual citizenship.

2007: Rugby World Cup

Rugby World Cup.

2007: Tonga's successful Rugby World Cup performance

The 2007 Rugby World Cup was one of Tonga's most successful to date, with the team winning two out of four matches. Tonga won its first two matches, against the USA 25–15, and Samoa 19–15. They came very close to upsetting the eventual winners of the 2007 tournament, the South African Springboks, losing 30–25.

July 2008: King George Tupou V relinquishes power

On July 29, 2008, the Palace announced King George Tupou V would relinquish much of his power and surrender governmental affairs to the Prime Minister.

2008: Corruption ranking

In 2008, Tonga was named the sixth-most corrupt country in the world by Forbes magazine.

2008: Tongan involvement in Iraq concluded

In 2008, Tongan involvement in Iraq concluded with no reported loss of life.

2008: Rugby League World Cup wins against Ireland and Scotland

In the 2008 Rugby League World Cup Tonga recorded wins against Ireland and Scotland.

2008: Remittances decline

Since the onset of the 2008 global economic crisis, remittances from Tongans living overseas have been declining.

January 2009: "Look East" foreign policy

As of January 2009, Tonga's foreign policy was described as "Look East", establishing closer diplomatic and economic relations with Asia.

2009: Disbandment of the Pacific Islanders rugby union team

The Pacific Islanders rugby union team, to which the Tonga Rugby Football Union was a member, was disbanded in 2009.

2010: Commitment to Afghanistan mission

In 2010, Tonga committed a minimum of 200 troops to co-operate with Britain's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

2010: Shift to semi-constitutional monarchy

In 2010, Tonga transitioned to a semi-constitutional monarchy after legislative reforms led to its first partial representative elections.

2010: First parliament elected

In 2010, most of Tonga's first parliament was elected, marking a step towards democracy.

2010: Development of the Tonga Energy Road Map

In 2010, with the assistance of IRENA, Tonga developed the 2010–2020 Tonga Energy Road Map, which aims for a 50% reduction of diesel importation.

March 2011: Investment destination ranking

In March 2011, Tonga was ranked the 165th-safest investment destination in the world by Euromoney Country Risk rankings.

2011: High obesity rates in Tonga

In 2011, 90% of the adult population were considered overweight using NIH interpretation of body mass index (BMI) data, with more than 60% of those obese.

2011: Government census of religious affiliation

Official figures from the latest government census as of 2011 show that 90% of the population are affiliated with a Christian church or sect, with the four major church affiliations in the kingdom.

2011: Tonga's successful Rugby World Cup performance

The 2011 Rugby World Cup was one of Tonga's most successful to date, with the team winning two out of four matches. In Pool A of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Tonga beat both Japan 31–18 and 5th ranked eventual finalist France 19–14 in the latter pool stages.

March 2012: King George Tupou V hospitalized and death

In March 2012, King George Tupou V was hospitalized with pneumonia in Hong Kong, later diagnosed with leukaemia, and died on March 18, 2012.

2013: Christianity professed by almost all residents

As of 2013, almost 98% of residents profess Christianity.

April 2014: Completion of Afghanistan task

In April 2014, the Tongan task in Afghanistan was completed, and the UK presented Operational Service Medals to the soldiers involved.

2014: Tonga's obesity rate ranked fourth globally

World Health Organization data published in 2014 indicate that Tonga stands fourth overall in terms of countries listed by mean body mass index data.

July 2015: Tupou VI crowned

On July 4, 2015, Tupou VI was crowned King, succeeding his brother George Tupou V.

2016: Establishment of the Pacific Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

In 2016, the Pacific Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency was established in Tonga. It advises the private sector, provides capacity development, and promotes business investment to encourage the adoption of renewable energy.

2017: Defeat of New Zealand in the Rugby League World Cup

Just before the 2017 World Cup, various high-profile players defected from their tier one nations to represent Tonga, leading to them defeating New Zealand in Hamilton at Waikato Stadium on 11 November at that tournament.

2018: Renewable energy generation reaches 10%

As of 2018, Tonga was generating 10% of its electricity from renewable sources.

2018: Tongan population in New Zealand

In 2018, 82,389 Tongans lived in New Zealand.

2018: Pita Taufatofua at the Winter Olympics

In 2018, Pita Taufatofua attended the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

2019: Construction of a 6-megawatt solar farm announced

In 2019, Tonga announced the construction of a 6-megawatt solar farm on Tongatapu. The plant is set to be the second-largest solar plant in the Pacific upon completion.

January 2020: United Kingdom re-established its High Commission in Tonga

In January 2020, the United Kingdom re-established its High Commission in Tonga after a 14-year absence.

2020: Projected energy consumption in Tonga

Energy consumption in Tonga is projected to reach around 66 gigawatt hours by 2020. The country aimed to reach 50% of renewable energy by 2020.

2020: Aim for 50% reduction of diesel importation

In 2020, Tonga aimed for a 50% reduction of diesel importation through a range of appropriate renewable technologies, including wind and solar, as well as innovative efficiencies. This goal was outlined in the 2010-2020 Tonga Energy Road Map.

October 2021: First COVID-19 case reported

In late October 2021, Tonga reported its first case of COVID-19 based on a New Zealand air passenger's positive test.

2021: Tonga ranks third among countries with highest disaster risk

According to the WorldRiskReport 2021, Tonga ranks third among the countries with the highest disaster risk worldwide due to exposure to multiple natural hazards.

2021: Chinese influence

As of 2021, China has attained great influence in Tonga, financing infrastructure projects, including a new royal palace, and holding two thirds of the country's foreign debt.

2021: Tonga Population

In 2021, Tonga had a population of 104,494, with 70% residing on the main island, Tongatapu, according to Johnson's Tribune.

January 2022: Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcano eruption

In January 2022, the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcano erupted, causing a tsunami that heavily impacted Tonga, cutting off communications, killing four people, and causing two drownings in Peru due to abnormal waves. Repairing the Tonga Cable System's submarine fiber optic cable took about five weeks to restore internet and telephone connectivity.

2023: Bergman Gallery hosts Tukufakaholo, Tongan Contemporary in Auckland, New Zealand

In 2023, Bergman Gallery hosted Tukufakaholo, Tongan Contemporary in Auckland, New Zealand, featuring eight Tongan artists.

2023: Port Vila Call for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific

In 2023, Tonga, along with Fiji, Niue, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, launched the "Port Vila Call for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific", advocating for phasing out fossil fuels, transitioning to renewable energy, and strengthening environmental law.