Tonga has a small, open island economy and is the last constitutional monarchy among the Pacific Island countries. It has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, vanilla beans, and yams are the main crops. Agricultural exports, including fish, make up two-thirds of total exports. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. Tonga had 53,800 visitors in 2015. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand.
The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from overseas Tongans to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, encouraging investment, and is committing increased funds for health care and education. Tonga's English-speaking and educated workforce offers a viable labor market, and the tropical climate provides fertile soil. Renewable energy and deep-sea mining also offer opportunities for investment.
Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well developed social services. But the government faces high unemployment among the young, moderate inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures.
2.5% (2017 est.)
4.2% (2016 est.)
3.5% (2015 est.)
7.4% (2017 est.)
2.6% (2016 est.)
$667 million (2019 est.)
$662 million (2018 est.)
$660 million (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
$455 million (2017 est.)
$6,383 (2019 est.)
$6,416 (2018 est.)
$6,472 (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
agriculture: 19.9% (2017 est.)
industry: 20.3% (2017 est.)
services: 59.8% (2017 est.)
household consumption: 99.4% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 21.9% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 24.1% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 22.8% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -68.5% (2017 est.)
Overall score: 61.4 (2020)
Starting a Business score: 90.9 (2020)
Trading score: 72.6 (2020)
Enforcement score: 57.3 (2020)
coconuts, gourds, cassava, sweet potatoes, vegetables, yams, taro, roots/tubers nes, plantains, lemons/limes
tourism, construction, fishing
5% (2017 est.)
33,800 (2011 est.)
agriculture: 2,006% (2006 est.)
industry: 27.5% (2006 est.)
services: 2,006% (2006 est.)
1.1% (2011 est.)
1.1% (2006)
22.5% (2010 est.)
37.6 (2015 est.)
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
revenues: 181.2 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: 181.2 million (2017 est.)
39.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
0% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
48% of GDP (FY2017 est.)
51.8% of GDP (FY2016 est.)
1 July - 30 June
-$53 million (2017 est.)
-$30 million (2016 est.)
$18.4 million (2017 est.)
$19.4 million (2016 est.)
United States 38%, South Korea 18%, Australia 14%, New Zealand 14%, Japan 6%, (2019)
squash, fish, various fruits and nuts, antiques, coral and shells (2019)
$250.2 million (2017 est.)
$269.8 million (2016 est.)
Fiji 29%, New Zealand 23%, China 14%, United States 8%, Australia 6%, Japan 6% (2019)
refined petroleum, poultry meats, audio equipment, mutton, goat meat, broadcasting equipment (2019)
$198.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$176.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$189.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$198.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar -
2.27015 (2020 est.)
2.29095 (2019 est.)
2.22717 (2018 est.)
2.106 (2014 est.)
1.847 (2013 est.)
NOTE: The information regarding Tonga on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Tonga 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Tonga 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.
This page was last modified 16 Dec 23, Copyright © 2023 ITA all rights reserved.