Big increase in Tonga's population
p. 28 · Read in the full issue
From a Nukualofa correspondent A preliminary report on Tonga’s census of last November (the first tor 10 years) shows Tonga’s population is 77,429—an increase of 20 591 since 1956. ’
By far the greatest increase has been on Tongatapu, whose population has jumped from 31,261 in 1956 to 47,920 now. The island supports well over half the kingdom s people.
Increases in the outer groups have been marginal Vavau’s populat'cn has men from 12,477 in 1956 to 13,533, and Haapai from 9,918 to 10,591 now.
Of the towns, Nukualofa has shown the biggest jump with a populaUon of 15,545 people, Neiafu, on Vavau, is second largest with 3,393, and Mua, on Tongatapu, third with 3,502.
Apart from Tongatapu’s big increase, an interesting statistic from the census is the very big proportion of children now in the under-10 age gr0up—27,955, or just under 30 per cent, of the overall population