Tonga’s 176 islands range from steep, active volcanoes to low coral forms, most of which are uninhabited.

Sightseeing highlights include the Royal Palace on the waterfront in Nuku’alofa, the Mala’ekula (Royal Tombs) and the Anahulu Cave, an underground cavern of stalactites and stalagmites. The islanders enjoy a laidback pace of life which visitors find easy to adopt, whether relaxing on one of the magnificent white sand beaches, diving among the stunning coral reefs or watching the migratory whales return to their breeding grounds from June to November.

The islands were first visited by the Dutch in the early 17th century, and later by the British seafarer Captain Cook, who dubbed the archipelago the ‘friendly islands’ in 1773. The adoption of Christianity by the ruling family - which followed the arrival of Methodist missionaries in the 1820s - and an overall policy of accommodation with the British - then the principal imperial power in the area - meant that the islands were not formally colonised. The ruling family of Tonga, the last remaining Polynesian Kingdom, can be traced back more than 1,000 years.

748 sq km (289 sq miles).

106,000 (UN estimate 2005).

141.7 per sq km.

Nuku’alofa. Population: 35,000 (UN estimate 2003).

Constitutional monarchy. Gained full independence within the Commonwealth in 1970.

Tongan and English.

Wesleyan Church, Roman Catholic and Anglican. Small denominations of Muslim, Baha’i and Mormon faiths.

GMT + 13.

Shaking hands is a suitable form of greeting. Although by Western standards Tongan people are by no means rich, meals served to visitors will usually be memorable. A token of appreciation, while not expected, is always welcome, especially gifts from the visitor’s homeland. Casual wear is acceptable, but beachwear should be confined to the beach. It is illegal for both men and women to go shirtless in public. Sunday is regarded as a sacred day, an aspect of Tongan life thrown into sharp relief by the controversy surrounding the so-called ’Tongan loop’. The International Date Line forms a loop around the islands, thereby making them a day ahead of Samoa, even though Samoa is almost due north of Tonga. Members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church therefore maintain that a Tongan Sunday is really a Saturday, and are unwilling to attend church on a day which is only a Sunday because of an apparently arbitrary manifestation of international law. This complex and almost insoluble problem may cause visitors a certain amount of confusion, but travellers to Tonga are advised to respect the religious beliefs of the islanders.

240 volts AC, 50Hz.

Prime Minister Feleti (Fred) Sevele since 2006.

King George Tupou V since 2006.