Tonga Island

{{Short description|Island in New Zealand}} {{About|an island in New Zealand|the Polynesian country|Tonga}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}} {{Infobox islands | name = Tonga Island | native_name =  | sobriquet =  | etymology = | image_name = Tonga Island from water taxi.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Tonga Island from water taxi | image_alt = Tonga Island | map = New Zealand South Island#New Zealand | map_caption = | location = [[Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere]], [[New Zealand]] | coordinates = {{coord|40|53|25|S|173|04|02|E}} | archipelago = | waterbody = | total_islands = 1 | major_islands = | area_km2 = 0.15 | area_footnotes = | rank = | length_km = 0.5 | length_footnotes = | width_km = 0.5 | width_footnotes = | coastline_km =  | coastline_footnotes = | elevation_m = 83 | elevation_footnotes = | highest_mount =  | Country_heading = | country = [[New Zealand]] | country_admin_divisions_title = | country_admin_divisions = | country_admin_divisions_title_1 = | country_admin_divisions_1 = | country_admin_divisions_title_2 = | country_admin_divisions_2 = | country_capital = | country_largest_city = | country_largest_city_population = | country_leader_title = | country_leader_name = | demonym = | population = | population_as_of = | population_footnotes = | population_rank = | population_rank_max = | density_km2 = | density_rank = | density_footnotes = | ethnic_groups = | website = | additional_info = }} '''Tonga Island''' is a small (0.15 km<sup>2</sup>) island in [[Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere]], off the northern coast of the [[South Island]] of New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tonga Island, Tasman - NZ Topo Map|url=http://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz41339/Tonga-Island/Tasman|website=NZ Topo Map|publisher=[[Land Information New Zealand]]|accessdate=2015-12-22}}</ref> It lies within the [[Abel Tasman National Park]], about {{convert|1|km}} off Onetahuti Beach.<ref name=EB>{{cite encyclopedia |editor-first=Dale H. |editor-last=Hoiberg |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |title=Abel Tasman National Park |edition=15th |year=2010 |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. |volume=I: A-ak Bayes |location=Chicago, IL |isbn=978-1-59339-837-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newencyclopaedia2009ency/page/25 25] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/newencyclopaedia2009ency/page/25 }}</ref> The island has a flourishing [[Arctocephalus forsteri|fur seal]] colony,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/nelson-tasman/places/tonga-island-marine-reserve/|title=Tonga Island Marine Reserve|publisher=[[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation NZ]]|accessdate=2015-12-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author = Nelson Marlborough Conservancy | url = http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/about-doc/concessions-and-permits/conservation-revealed/abel-tasman-national-park-lowres.pdf | title = Abel Tasman National Park | publisher = New Zealand Department of Conservation | accessdate = 18 November 2013 | year = 2012 }}</ref> and is surrounded by the [[Tonga Island Marine Reserve]], which was inaugurated in 1993.

The island is accessible by [[water taxi]] or [[kayak]] and visible from the [[Abel Tasman Coast Track]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/conservation/marine-and-coastal/marine-protected-areas/tonga-island-marine-reserve-web.pdf|title=Tonga Island Marine Reserve|publisher=Department of Conservation NZ|accessdate=2015-12-22}}</ref>

The first peoples named the place after a small island in their east [[Polynesia]]n homeland.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Simpson |first=Philip |title=Down the Bay: a natural and cultural history of Abel Tasman National Park |publisher=Potton & Burton |year=2018 |isbn=9780947503932 |location=[[Nelson, New Zealand|Nelson]] |pages=18}}</ref>

==See also== {{Portal|Islands}} * [[List of islands of New Zealand]] * [[List of islands]] * [[Desert island]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}}

{{coord|40|53|S|173|04|E|region:NZ_type:isle_source:GNS-enwiki|display=title}} {{Abel Tasman National Park}} {{Tasman District}} {{Authority control}}

[[Category:Uninhabited islands of New Zealand]] [[Category:Abel Tasman National Park]] [[Category:Islands of the Tasman District]] [[Category:Islands of Tasman Bay]]