Mormons

Its 64,000 followers make up just over 60 percent of the kingdom's population.

RNZI reports Samoa, American Samoa, Niue and the Cook Islands are the other top five countries for membership of the Latter-day Saints Church.

A Colorado-based researcher Matt Martinich said the church traditionally keeps members on its records, even if individuals no longer associate themselves with the church.

Church history account traces the arrival of two young missionaries who made landfall 125 years ago, and landed at Tatakamotonga Village, the estates of high Chief Tuku’aho. 

On the very next day, August 15, 1891, the two young missionaries gained an audience with King George Tupou I, at these very Royal Palace grounds. They asked for permission to preach their Christian beliefs in the Kingdom. His Majesty consented granting them free reign to proselytize, “…and any of my subjects chooses to join your Christian church, it will be according to their free will,” the king said.