Tonga

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The archipelago of quot;The Friendly Islandsquot; was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific. LOCATION: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand CLIMATE: Tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) BORDERS: None More... Tonga is a country made up of about 150 islands in the South Pacific Ocean. The British explorer Captain James Cook, who first visited the islands in 1773, called them the Friendly Islands. In 1789, Captain William Bligh and 18 crewmen of the British ship Bounty floated through the islands after being cast adrift in a small boat by mutineers. Tonga is the only remaining kingdom of Polynesia, one of the three main groups of the Pacific Islands. It became independent in 1970 after being a protectorate of the United Kingdom since 1900. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Most of Tonga's people grow crops. Over half the people live on Tongatapu, the largest island. Nukualofa, Tonga's capital, chief port, and commercial centre, lies on Tongatapu.