Tonga's Foreign Reserves rose by $19.8 million to a record high of $159.2 million in August, the equivalent of 6.2 months of imports of goods for Tonga.

A Press Release from the National Reserve Bank of Tonga this week stated that the significant increase in the Foreign Reserves was due to a substantial allocation of Special Drawing Rights by the International Monetary Fund, to its member countries to address the fallout in global financial crisis and to accelerate economic recovery.

Tonga's Foreign Reserve for July 2009 was $139.4 million, and for August 2008 was $91.3 million.