Tonga was originally ruled by three lines of kings dated back to 950 AD. The coat of arms was designed when Tonga was brought together after many years of civil war by King George Taufa'ahau Tupou I. 

Three swords :

Represents the three lines of kingship that ruled different parts of Tonga. 

The dove :

Represents  peace. 

Three stars :

Represents the three main islands of Tonga (Tongatapu, Vava'u and Ha'apai). 

The crown :

Represents the king or queen.
 

Ko e Sila 'o Tonga

Na'e pule'i 'a Tonga 'e he Ha'a Tu'i 'e tolu talu mei he ta'u 950 TS.  Na'e kamata 'e he Ha'a Tu'i Tonga;  hoko ai e Ha'a Tu'i Ha'atakalaua;  pea fakamuimui e Ha'a Tu'i Kanokupolu.

Na'e fokotu'u e ngaahi faka'ilonga 'i he sila hili hono fakatahataha'i 'a Tonga 'e He'ene 'Afio ko Siaosi Taufa'ahau Tupou 1 hili e ngaahi ta'u lahi 'o e tau fakalelemoa.

Ko e heleta 'e tolu:  'Oku nau fakafofonga e ha'a tu'i 'e tolu kuo nau pule'i 'a Tonga talu mei he ta'u 950 TS.

Ko e Lupe:  Ko e faka'ilonga 'o e Melino.

Ko e fo'i fetu'u 'e tolu:  'Oku nau fakafofonga e 'otu motu lalahi 'o Tonga (Tongatapu, Vava'u mo Ha'apai).

Ko e Kalauni:  Ko e faka'ilonga 'o e pule'anga pule'i faka-tu'i.

The King (or Queen) of Tonga is the most important person. They are the head of 
the government and own all the agricultural lands. The King is also the head of the Tongan Privy Council.

His Majesty, King Tupou IV was the first Tongan king to get a B.A and L.L.B degree from the University of Sydney. Before Taufaahau Tupou IV became king, he was chosen by Queen Salote as the Minister of Education in 1943, and he became Minister of Health in 1944, then became a Premier in 1949 and became king in 1965.

KO E FALE 'O E TU'I

Ko e Tu'i (Hau) 'o Tonga 'oku ma'olunga taha 'i he Pule'anga.  Ko e taki ia 'o e pule'anga pea 'oku 'a'ana e fonua kotoa.  Ko e taki foki ia 'o e Fakataha Tokoni.

Na'e 'alo'i 'a 'Ene 'Afio, ko Taufa'ahau Tupou 1V 'i Palasi 'i hono 'Aho 4 'o Siulai, 1918.  Ko e 'alo lahitaha ia 'o e La'a kuo unga fonua, Kuini
Salote Tupou 111.

Ko 'Ene 'Afio, Kingi Tupou 1V 'a e fuofua Hau 'o Tonga ke ma'u mata'itohi BA mo e LLB mei he 'Univesiti 'o Sene.  Ki mu'a pea ne hoko ki he taloni, na'e fakanofo ia ki he tu'unga Minisita 'o e Ako 'i he ta'u 1943 'e he Kuini Salote Tupou 111.  Na'a ne to e hoko foki ki he tu'unga Minisita 'o e Potungaue Mo'ui 'i he ta'u 1944;  pea ne hoko ko e 'Eiki Palemia 'i he ta'u 1949.  Na'e hilifaki kalauni ia ko e Tu'i 'o e 'Otu Tonga 'i he hala 'Ene fehuhu 'i he ta'u 1965.

The Kingdom of Tonga is called ‘The Friendly Islands‘. 

Tonga was ruled by many kings or warriors but in the 1800's it was united under one king after many years of civil war.

The first constitution was established by King George Tupou I in 1862 at the end of the civil war period. 

On May 18th, 1900, Tonga was declared a protectorate of England.

The 4th of June each year is celebrated as Tongan National Day. This was the day King Tupou I set his people free from harsh rule of the kings and chiefs.

Tonga is a hereditary constitutional monarchy. The king is King Taufa‘ahau Tupou IV. It is the only Polynesian country still being ruled by a king.  From 1918 to 1965 it was ruled by Queen Salote Tupoa III, she was known as the Queen of Tonga.(mother of the present king)

Tonga also has a Legislative Assembly, 9 members are elected by the people and 9 members are elected by just 33 nobles. The speaker is appointed by the king. People over the age of 21 can vote. Elections were held in February 1999.

The legal system is based on the English system with a Land Court, a Magistrate‘s Court and a Supreme Court.

According to the constitution all males (over 16 yrs old) are entitled to own land but there is a shortage of land, so many do not have any.

Ko e Pule'anga 'o Tonga

'Oku 'iloa 'a e 'Otu Tonga ko e 'Otumotu Anga'ofa.

Na'e pule'i 'a Tonga 'e he Ha'a Tu'i tokolahi ka 'i he ngaahi ta'u 1800, na'e fakatahataha'i kotoa 'o pule'i pe 'e he Tu'i 'e taha hili e ngaahi ta'ulahi 'o e tau fakalelemoa. 

Na'e fuofua faka'ata ke ngaue'aki 'a e lao konisitutone 'e He'ene 'Afio ko Siaosi Tupou 1 'i he ta'u 1962 hili 'a e taimi tau fakalelemoa.

Na'e hoko 'a Tonga ko e Pule'anga malu'i mei 'Ingilani 'i he 'Aho 18 'o Me, 1900.

'Oku katoanga'i e 'Aho 4 'o Sune e ta'u kotoa pe ko e 'Aho Fakafonua 'o Tonga Ko e 'Aho eni na'e fakatau'ataina ai 'e Tupou 1 hono kakai mei he pule fakae-haua 'a e Ha'a Tu'i mo e Hou'eiki.

Ko e Pule'anga pule'i fakatu'i mo akakonisitutone 'o tukufakaholo 'a Tonga.Ko 'Ene 'Afio ko Taufa'ahau Tupou 1V 'a e Tu'i 'o Tonga.

Ko Tonga pe taha 'a e Pule'anga pule'i fakatu'i 'i he 'Otu motu Polinisia.Na'e pule'i 'a Tonga He'ene 'Afio ko Kuini Salote Tupou 111 he vaha'a 'o e ta'u 1918 mo e 1965.  Na'e 'iloa ia ko e Kuini 'o Tonga;  ko e fehuhu ia 'a 
e Tama Tu'i.

'Oku 'i ai e Falealea 'o Tonga 'a ia 'oku kau ki ai e kau fakafofonga 'e toko 9 'oku fili 'e he kakai mo e toko 9 'oku fili mei he kau nopele 'e toko 33.  'Oku fili pe 'e he Tu'i 'a e Sea ki he Falealea.  'Oku 'ata ke kau he fili 'a e kakai kuo nau a'u ki he ta'u 21.  Na'e fai e fili faka-muimui 'i Fepueli, 1999.

Na'e fa'u e lao 'a Tonga 'o fakatatau ki he lao faka-Pilitania, 'o 'i ai e Fakamaau'anga ki he Kelekele, Fakamaau'anga Polisi, mo e Fakamaau'anga Lahi.

'Oku totonu ke ma'u 'api (kelekele) 'a e kakai tangata kotoa pe kuo ta'u 16 'o fakatatau ki he Konisitutone, ka 'oku fu'u si'isi'i 'aupito 'a e kelekele, pea 'oku toko lahi e fa'ahinga ia 'oku 'ikai ke 'i ai hanau kele-kele.

The Tongan Flag has a red background. In the top left hand corner is a white rectangle with a red cross. 
 

The red cross is a symbol of the Kingdom's  Christian faith. It was King Tupou I's idea after uniting the whole of Tonga under his rule and his conversion to Chritianity in the 1840's
 

KO E FUKA 'O TONGA

'Oku lanu kulokula 'a e fuka 'o Tonga.  'I he tuliki faka-to'ohema ki 'olunga, 'oku 'i ai e tapafa lanu hinehina pea tokoto ai e kolosi lanu kulokula.

'Oku fakahaa'i 'e he kolosi kulokula 'a e Pule'anga lotu faka-Kalisitiane. Ko e finangalo ia 'o 'Ene 'Afio ko Tupou 1 hili 'ene fakatahataha'i 'a e 'Otu Tonga pea ne hoko ko e Kalisitiane 'i he ngaahi ta'u 1840.

English: 

Oh Almighty God above
Thou art our Lord and sure defence
In our goodness we do trust Thee
And our Tonga Thou dost love
Hear our prayer, for though unseen
We know that Thou hast blessed our land
Grant our earnest supplication
and save Tupou our King.
 

Tongan: 

'E 'Otua Mafimafi
Ko homau 'Eiki koe
Ko Koe ko e falala'anga
Mo e 'ofa ki Tonga
'Afio hifo 'emau lotu
'A ia 'oku mau fai ni
'O ke tali 'emau lotu
'O malu'i 'a Tupou.