Tonga: Flag and Facts
Tonga's flag has a red field, and its top left corner holds a white box carrying a red cross.
- Official name
- Kingdom of Tonga
- Capital
- Nuku'alofa
- Region
- Polynesia
- Population
- 104,519 (2025)
- Languages
- English, Tongan
- Currency
- Tongan paʻanga
- Area
- 747 km² (288 sq mi)
- People
- Tongan
- Calling code
- +676
- Highest point
- Kao Volcano on Kao Island 1,046 m
- Independence
- 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate status)
- National symbols
- red cross on white field
- Borders
- No land borders
About Tonga
People first reached Tonga around 1000 B.C. By A.D. 950 power sat with the Tu'i Tonga, the Tongan king, and by 1200 his reach stretched across Polynesia and into Melanesia and Micronesia. Civil wars and a loss to Samoa weakened the empire in the 1300s. Dutch sailors came in the 1600s, and British visitors in the 1770s called the group the Friendly Islands.
A chief from Ha'apai brought the islands together and took the crown in 1845 as King George Tupou I. Tonga is the only Polynesian monarchy that still exists. It became a British protectorate in 1900 and left that status on 4 June 1970. Most islands are flat limestone made from uplifted coral, and about 104,519 people live on 747 square kilometers of land.
Did you know?
- Kao Volcano on Kao Island is the highest point at 1,046 meters.
- Tonga adopted a modern constitution back in 1875.
- The currency is the pa'anga, written as T$.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about Tonga
What is the capital of Tonga?
Nuku'alofa is the capital, with about 23,000 people.
What does the cross on Tonga's flag mean?
The cross stands for Christianity. Red is for Christ's blood and white for purity.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.