Tonga, officially known as the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country located in Polynesia within the Oceania region of the southern Pacific Ocean. The nation consists of 171 islands, 45 of which are inhabited, and covers a total surface area of approximately 750 km2 (290 sq mi). It stretches about 800 km from north to south across an expansive maritime area.
The country is surrounded by several neighboring territories, including Fiji and Wallis and Futuna to the northwest, Samoa to the northeast, New Caledonia and Vanuatu to the west, Niue to the east, and Kermadec to the southwest. As of 2021, Tonga had a population of 104,494 people, with approximately 70% of the residents living on the main island of Tongatapu. The country is situated roughly 1,800 km from New Zealand's North Island.