What is the capital of Tonga?

The capital of Tonga is Nuku'alofa. The city stands on the north coast of Tongatapu, Tonga’s main and most populous island, and is the centre of the country’s government, monarchy, commerce, and public life.

Nuku'alofa developed from a village and fortified settlement into Tonga’s political centre during the nineteenth century, especially as Christianity and new forms of administration spread through the kingdom. The Royal Palace, government offices, and Parliament are located in or near the city, making it the country’s unmistakable national capital.

Tonga’s 1875 constitution formally established Nuku'alofa as the capital. King George Tupou I issued that constitution in the city on 4 November 1875. The constitutional arrangement also specified that Parliament would meet there except during wartime.

The name is sometimes written Nukuʻalofa, using the ʻokina-like mark represented by the curly apostrophe. That spelling difference does not change the answer. Ohonua, Pangai, and Neiafu are other Tongan settlements, but they are not the national capital.