Tonga - Military

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Tonga is located Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. The climate is tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December). The terrain is most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base.

Military branches

This entry lists the service branches subordinate to defense ministries or the equivalent (typically ground, naval, air, and marine forces).
Military branches - Tonga Defense Services (TDS) : Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2008)

Military service age and obligation

This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of service obligation.
Military service age and obligation : 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service

This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and assumes that every individual is fit to serve.
Manpower available for military service - males age 16-49 : 32,053
Manpower available for military service - females age 16-49 : 30,981 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and who are not otherwise disqualified for health reasons; accounts for the health situation in the country and provides a more realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve.
Manpower fit for military service - males age 16-49 : 25,520
Manpower fit for military service - females age 16-49 : 26,893 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

This entry gives the number of males and females entering the military manpower pool (i.e., reaching age 16) in any given year and is a measure of the availability of military-age young adults.
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually - male : 1,464
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually - female : 1,412 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

This entry gives spending on defense programs for the most recent year available as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP); the GDP is calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP).
Military expenditures : 0.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

More Information about the country