POLITICIANS from Tonga

Top 9

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Tongan Politicians of all time. This list of famous Tongan Politicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. George Tupou V (1948 - 2012)

With an HPI of 67.04, George Tupou V is the most famous Tongan Politician.  His biography has been translated into 51 different languages on wikipedia.

George Tupou V (Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Manumataongo Tukuʻaho Tupou; 4 May 1948 – 18 March 2012) was King of Tonga from 2006 to his death in 2012. He was the eldest son of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV. After ascending the throne, George Tupou announced that he would relinquish most of the monarch's powers and be guided by the Prime Minister on most matters. A snap election in 2010 was the first to be called under the new system. He died following a period of hospitalisation in Hong Kong, and was succeeded by his younger brother, Tupou VI. Having reigned for 5 years and 189 days, he was the shortest-reigning Tongan monarch since the declaration of the constitutional monarchy in 1875.

2. Sālote Tupou III (1900 - 1965)

With an HPI of 56.66, Sālote Tupou III is the 2nd most famous Tongan Politician.  Her biography has been translated into 30 different languages.

Sālote Tupou III (born Sālote Mafile‘o Pilolevu; 13 March 1900 – 16 December 1965) was Queen of Tonga from 1918 to her death in 1965. She reigned for nearly 48 years, the longest of any Tongan monarch. She was well known for her height, standing 6 ft 3 in (1.91 metres) tall in her prime.

3. George Tupou I (1797 - 1893)

With an HPI of 56.14, George Tupou I is the 3rd most famous Tongan Politician.  His biography has been translated into 26 different languages.

George Tupou I (4 December 1797 – 18 February 1893), originally known as Tāufaʻāhau I, was the first king of modern Tonga. He adopted the name Siaosi (originally Jiaoji), the Tongan equivalent of George, after King George III of the United Kingdom, when he was baptized in 1831. His nickname was Lopa-ukamea (or Lopa-ʻaione), meaning iron cable.

4. Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV (1918 - 2006)

With an HPI of 55.14, Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV is the 4th most famous Tongan Politician.  His biography has been translated into 37 different languages.

Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV (Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Tupoulahi; 4 July 1918 – 10 September 2006) was King of Tonga from 1965 until his death in 2006. He was the tallest and heaviest Tongan monarch, weighing 209.5 kg (462 lb) and measuring 196 cm (6 ft 5 in).

5. George Tupou II (1874 - 1918)

With an HPI of 54.10, George Tupou II is the 5th most famous Tongan Politician.  His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

George Tupou II (Tongan: Siaosi Tupou II; 18 June 1874 – 5 April 1918) was the King of Tonga from 18 February 1893 until his death. He was officially crowned at Nukuʻalofa, on 17 March 1893. He was also the 20th Tuʻi Kanokupolu.

6. Feleti Sevele (b. 1944)

With an HPI of 46.85, Feleti Sevele is the 6th most famous Tongan Politician.  His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Feleti Vakaʻuta Sevele, Lord Sevele of Vailahi (born 7 July 1944) is a Tongan politician who served as the prime minister of Tonga from 30 March 2006 to 22 December 2010.

7. ʻAkilisi Pōhiva (1941 - 2019)

With an HPI of 46.56, ʻAkilisi Pōhiva is the 7th most famous Tongan Politician.  His biography has been translated into 26 different languages.

Samiuela ʻAkilisi Pōhiva (7 April 1941 – 12 September 2019) was a Tongan pro-democracy activist and politician. A key leader of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (DPFI), he served as the Prime Minister of Tonga from 2014 to his death in 2019. He was only the fourth commoner to serve as Prime Minister (after Shirley Baker in the 1880s, Siosateki Tonga in the 1890s and Feleti Sevele in the 2000s), and the first commoner to be elected to that position by Parliament rather than appointed by the King.

8. Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa (1951 - 2023)

With an HPI of 46.48, Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa is the 8th most famous Tongan Politician.  His biography has been translated into 22 different languages.

Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa (30 June 1951 – 18 March 2023) was a Tongan accountant and politician who served as the 17th prime minister of Tonga from 2019 to 2021. Tu'i'onetoa succeeded Semisi Sika, who had served as acting prime minister, since the death of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva.

9. Siaosi Sovaleni (b. 1970)

With an HPI of 40.10, Siaosi Sovaleni is the 9th most famous Tongan Politician.  His biography has been translated into 26 different languages.

Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni (born 28 February 1970), styled Hon. Hu‘akavameiliku, is a Tongan politician who served as the Prime Minister of Tonga from 2021 up until his resignation in December 2024. He had previously served as a Cabinet Minister, and from 2014 to 2017, he was Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga. He is the current estate holder of the village of Ha'asini.