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Tongatapu Group
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Map of the southwestern Pacific Ocean highlighting the Tongatapu Group of islands within Tonga. The map shows surrounding countries and territories including Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, and various island groups such as the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, and American Samoa. The Tongatapu Group is labeled in orange near the center of the map. Royal Palace
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Island, New Caledonia.
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Map of the southwestern Pacific Ocean highlighting the Tongatapu Group of islands within Tonga. The map shows surrounding countries and territories including Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, and various island groups such as the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, and American Samoa. The Tongatapu Group is labeled in orange near the center of the map.
Map of the Tongatapu Group and surrounding Pacific region Map showing the Tongatapu Group of islands in Tonga relative to nearby Oceania territories, including Fiji, Samoa, Australia, and New Zealand.

Tongatapu Group

islands, Tonga
Also known as: Tongataboo Group
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History

Tongatapu Group, southernmost island cluster of Tonga, in the South Pacific Ocean, about 1,400 miles (2,300 km) north-northeast of Auckland, N.Z. Its administrative headquarters is at Nukuʿalofa, the national capital, on the northern coast of Tongatapu Island. Tongatapu Island, the largest island (100.6 square miles [260.5 square km]) of Tonga, dominates the group. Its name means “sacred south”: the word taboo is derived from the Tongan term tabu, meaning “sacred.” The coral island is level...

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