Kingdom of Tonga (1900–70)

Kingdom of Tonga
Protected State of the United Kingdom
1900–1970
Flag Coat of arms
Location of the Kingdom of Tonga with present day borders shown.
Capital		Nuku'alofa
Languages		English Tongan
Religion		Free Wesleyan Church
Government		Monarchy under British Protection.
Monarch
•	1900-1918	George Tupou II (first)
•	1965-1970	Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV (last)
Prime Minister
•	1900-1905	Siosateki Veikune (first)
•	1965-1970	Fatafehi Tu'ipelehake (last)
Legislature		Legislative Assembly
History
•	Treaty of Friendship	18 May 1900
•	End of protection status	4 June 1970
Currency		Tongan pound (1921-1967) Tongan paʻanga (1967-1970)
Preceded by Succeeded by Tonga Tonga

From 1900 to 1970, the Kingdom of Tonga was a Protected State of the United Kingdom.

History

On 18 May 1900, to discourage German advances, ^[1] the Kingdom of Tonga became a protected state with the United Kingdom under a Treaty of Friendship signed by George Tupou II after European settlers and rival Tongan chiefs attempted to overthrow him.^[2][3] Foreign affairs of the Kingdom of Tonga were conducted though the British Consul. The United Kingdom had veto power over foreign polices and finances of the Kingdom of Tonga.^[4] Tonga was affected by the 1918 flu pandemic, with 1,800 Tongans killed,around eight per cent of the residents.^[5] On 4 June 1970, protected state status of the Kingdom of Tonga ended. The end of the Kingdom of Tonga protected state status was arraigned by Salote Tupou III prior to her death in 1965.

References

1. http://www.britannica.com/place/Tonga/History
2. http://famousdaily.com/history/tonga-protectorate-uk.html
3. http://www.infoplease.com/country/tonga.html
4. http://www.britannica.com/place/Tonga/History
5. Kohn, George C. (2008). Encyclopedia of plague and pestilence: from ancient times to the present. Infobase Publishing. p. 363. ISBN 0-8160-6935-2.