TONGA ~The Royal Palace ~

...Great first written and stamped postcard from Tonga... I'm really thankfull to David who sent me this fabulous postcard from his travels to all these exotic and "Hard-to-Get places!!!
see Postcard a world travelogue


 With special lovely shaped fruit stamps and clear postmark:
2012 Olympics Tonga
2001  selfadhesive Pineapple and  Watermelon stamp

Tonga, an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean south of Samoa, also known as the Friendly Islands, it comprises 176 islands, fifty-two of these islands are inhabited.  Tonga is the only monarchy in the Pacific since Taufa'ahau (King George) in 1875 declared Tonga a constitutional monarchy, he also gave Tonga its first constitution.Tonga is also the only island nation in the region to have avoided formal colonisation.

 In 1970 the former British protectorate acquired its independence. Almost two-thirds of Tonga's population live on the main island Tongatapu, on which the capital city Nuku'alofa is located.

This Victorian white wooden Royal Palace was completely built in 1867, remains unchanged till they added a veranda in 1882 and  is the official residence of the King of Tong