<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Tonga<nl>Economy</hdr><body>
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<item><hi format=bold>Overview:</hi> The economy's base is agriculture, which employs about 70% of the labor force and contributes 40% to GDP. Coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops and make up two-thirds of exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The manufacturing sector accounts for only 11% of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard currency earnings, but the island remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to offset its trade deficit. The economy continued to grow in 1993 largely because of a rise in squash exports, increased aid flows, and several large construction projects. The government is now turning its attention to further development of the private sector and the reduction of the budget deficit.
<item><hi format=bold>National product:</hi> GDP—purchasing power equivalent—$200 million (1993 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>National product real growth rate:</hi> 4% (1993 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>National product per capita:</hi> $2,000 (1993 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>Agriculture:</hi> accounts for 40% of GDP; dominated by coconut, copra, and banana production; vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper
<item><hi format=bold>Economic aid:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>recipient:</hi> US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $16 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $258 million