Geography of Tonga

Geography of Tonga
ContinentPacific Ocean
RegionOceania
Coordinates20°S 175°W / 20°S 175°W / -20; -175
AreaRanked 174th
 • Total747 km2 (288 sq mi)
 • Land95.98%
 • Water4.02%
Coastline419 km (260 mi)
BordersNone
Highest pointon Kao
1,033 metres (3,389 ft)
Lowest pointPacific Ocean
0 metres (0 ft)
Exclusive economic zone659,558 km2 (254,657 sq mi)
Tonga's position in the South Pacific

Located in Oceania, Tonga is a small archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, directly south of Samoa and about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. It has 169 islands, 36 of them inhabited, which are in three main groups – Vavaʻu, Haʻapai, and Tongatapu – and cover an 800-kilometre (500-mile)-long north–south line. The total size is just 747 km2 (288 sq mi). Due to the spread out islands it has the 40th largest Exclusive Economic Zone of 659,558 km2 (254,657 sq mi).

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.