The coral reef of Tonga The Tongan Islands

The coral reef of Tonga

The Tongan Islands The kingdom of Tonga is made up of 176 islands, 52 of them are inhabited. Tonga is located in the South Pacific Ocean, among the many other islands scattered to the east of Australia. Tonga is a tropical country, and hes beautiful plant life on land in the sea.

Fun facts about tonga • • So far, i have gotten a different answer for how many islands of tonga are inhabited from each website i have looked at. The national sport of tonga is rugby Tonga only has two seasons, summer and winter In Tonga, shaking hands is the most appropriate form of greeting.

Tonga Main Islands There are three main island groups in Tonga; Tongatapu, Vava'u, Ha'apai.

Tongatapu is the main island of Tonga and the location of its capital, Nuku'alofa. 70. 5 % of the country's population resides here. The island is quite flat, as it is made of coral limestone, it is covered with thick fertile soil. To the north are small islands and coral reefs that extend up to 7 meters from Tongatapu's shore. Tongatapu has a cooler climate, so fruit production is less common than in the

Fishing and Tourism The major industries of Tonga are fishing and tourism, their major trading partners are Australia, Japan, and Most of the fish in Tonga come from the coral reefs around it, and most tourists come to see the coral reef. If the coral reef was lost, tonga would suffer greatly and depend even more on the countries they

The Coral Reef Coral reefs protect Often called "rainforests island shores from of the sea" the coral waves, They provide reefs are colorful and medicine and food, beautiful. They take up and they attract less than 0. 1% of the tourists. seas surface, yet they are home to 25% of all underwater species, including Crustaceans, Echinoderms, Fish, Mollusks, Sponges,

Reef Fish The coral reef is home to some of the most colorful and interesting Fish. Unlike open water fish, reef fish weren't designed for speed. Reef fish live in a more confined space of the complex reef, so manoeuvrability is more important than Many reef fish are also shaped so they can squeeze into small crevices in the reef where predators can't get to them.

Vava'u and Ha'apai • • • is made up of one large island, and 40 smaller ones. is a prime fishing area, with one of the best harbors in the world. also has a much warmer climate than the rest of Tonga. Ha'apai is in the central part of the Tongan kingdom.

It's in Danger The coral reef is in danger of dying out completely. Already a large part of it has died because of bleaching, destructive fishing mechanisms, and If the coral reef dies, many coastal development. species of fish will too. It will also impact many different places, like Tonga.

How to help • • Conserve water; the less water you use, the less wastewater will pollute the oceans. Dispose of trash properly; Any kind of litter that pollutes the waters can harm the reef and its fish. Plant a tree; Trees reduce runoff into the oceans. Spread the word; the more people that know, the more that will help. The coral reef needs all the help it can get.

websites used http: //www. globalissues. org/article/173/c oral-reefs http: //www. nature. org/ourinitiatives/urge ntissues/coralreefs/ways-to-help-coralreefs/index. htm

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