Tonga

I received this postcard sent written and stamped from Tonga a long time ago, I totally forgot to post it earlier. The Kingdom of Tonga is a sovereign state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over 700,000 square kilometres. 52 islands are inhabited. Tonga became known as the Friendly Islands because of the friendly reception accorded to Captain James Cook on his first visit there in 1773. He happened to arrive at the time of the 'inasi festical, the yearly donation of the firstfruits to the Tu'i Tonga, the islands' paramount chief, and received an invitation to the festivities. Tonga is also the only island nation in the region to have avoided formal colonisation.
Many thanks to Farfum & kids for sending me this lovely postcard and great stamp!