At stake in this election:

• 9 seats in the Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Baron VAEA
• Assembly: Tonga has a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea) with 30 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The King is a hereditary monarch.
• In the Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea), 14 members are ex officio to serve 3-year terms, 9 members are elected by indirect vote to serve 3-year terms and 9 members are elected by popular vote to serve 3-year terms.***

*** In the Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea), 9 members are elected by popular vote, 14 cabinet ministers sit ex officio, and 9 members are nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles; members serve 3-year terms.

Main candidates in the electoral race:

• Independent: Samuela 'Akilisi POHIVA / District of Tongatapu
  • Seats won in this election: 1
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Independent: Feleti V. SEVEL / District of Tongatapu
  • Seats won in this election: 1
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Independent: 'Esau NAMOA / District of Tongatapu
  • Seats won in this election: 1
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Independent: James W. K. HARRIS / District of Vava'u
  • Seats won in this election: 1
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Independent: Samiu VAIPULU / District of Vava'u
  • Seats won in this election: 1
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Independent: Pita VI / District of Ha'apai
  • Seats won in this election: 1
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Independent: 'Uliti UATA / District of Ha'apai
  • Seats won in this election: 1
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Independent: Sunia FILI / District of 'Eua
  • Seats won in this election: 1
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Independent: 'Aisea TA'OFI / District of Niua
  • Seats won in this election: 1
  • Seats won in last election: N/A

Last Parliamentary election:

• Parliamentary elections were last held on January 24-25, 1996.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 97,398 (1999)
• Registered Voters: 54,912 (1999)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 47,832 (1999)

·         Is Tonga a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Tonga ratified CEDAW: No

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: 

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 0 (following the 1999 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 100 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Tonga a signatory to CRPD: Yes (15 November 2007)

·         Has Tonga ratified CRPD: No

·         Population with a disability: 16,231 (est.)