Tonga

Tonga is an island nation in the South Pacific between Fiji and Tahiti, north of New Zealand. [Page 1294]The only island nation in the Pacific still maintaining a continuous indigenous monarchy, Tonga is a predominantly Christian nation with Methodism as its state religion. The inhabitants of the archipelago reported as more than 90% Christian, with 37% belonging to the Free Wesleyan Church, a Methodist organization. The denomination has fallen in popularity in recent years and endured a schism that created the Free Church of Tonga, garnering 11% of the population, and the Church of Tonga (technically an offshoot of the Free Church of Tonga), which claims 8% of the population. Other faiths include Roman Catholic (16%), Church of the Latter-Day Saints (17%), Seventh-Day Adventist (2%), ...