Tonga — Country Profile
Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Tonga: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna Power score (--/100, ranked #-- of 195).
Last updated: October 2026
Tonga is in Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. It covers 747 sq km. Terrain: mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock. Climate: tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December).
| Capital | Nuku'alofa |
|---|---|
| Population | 104,519 (2025 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $740.082 million (2023 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $7,100 (2023 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 2.1% (2023 est.) |
| Inflation | 3.2% (2024 est.) |
| Unemployment | 2.2% (2024 est.) |
| Public debt | 43.9% of GDP (2020 est.) |
| Exports | $119.511 million (2024 est.) |
| Imports | $392.888 million (2024 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 78 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 26.4 years (2025 est.) |
| Urbanization | 23.2% of total population (2023) |
| Government | constitutional monarchy |
| Independence | 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate status) |
| Languages | Tongan only 85%, Tongan and other language 13.9%, Tongan not used at home 1.1% (2021 est.) |
Tonga’s GDP is $740.082 million (2023 est.) in purchasing-power-parity terms. At official exchange rates it stands at $508.735 million (2023 est.). Real GDP grew 2.1% (2023 est.). See where Tonga ranks among all 195 countries by GDP.
POWER --/100 — The Magna Power score is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — nine components, 135 indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
No single event defined Jul–Sep 2026. The country's position is the product of long-cycle forces — geography, trade, neighbours — all of which held steady.
Momentum at zero is not stagnation; it is the accurate record of a quarter without a catalyst.
- What our model rewards: inflation tamed at 3.2%; unemployment near 2.2% — work for whoever wants it
- What drags it down: few natural resources to fall back on; only 14% of electricity from low-carbon sources
Energy is the physical base of economic power — what a country can generate, move and burn decides what it can build, sell and defend.
| Electricity access | 100% (2022 est.) |
|---|---|
| Installed capacity mix (CIA) | fossil fuels: 89% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 9.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) |
| Energy consumption per capita (CIA) | 23.272 million Btu/person (2023 est.) |
| Primary energy consumption (OWID) | 0.7 TWh (2023) |
| Electricity generation (OWID) | 0.1 TWh (2023) |
| Energy per capita (OWID) | 6,822 kWh per person (2023) |
| Electricity generation mix (OWID) | Oil 85.7%, Solar 14.3% (2023) |
| Low-carbon share of electricity (OWID) | 14.3% (2023) |
| Carbon intensity of electricity (OWID) | 571.4 gCO2/kWh (2023) |
Sources: CIA World Factbook, Energy section; Our World in Data (IEA/Ember), 2023.
Trade shows what the world buys from a country and what the country must buy from the world — the balance between the two is a direct measure of economic leverage.
| Exports | $119.511 million (2024 est.) |
|---|---|
| Imports | $392.888 million (2024 est.) |
| Trade balance (calculated) | Deficit of $273.4 million (2024), calculated from the CIA export and import figures above. |
| Key industries | tourism, construction, fishing |
Source: CIA World Factbook, Economy section.
Fatafehi Fakafānua — Prime Minister. King TUPOU VI (since 18 March 2012)
Tonga maintains 4 embassies and 1 consulates abroad, hosts 6 foreign diplomatic missions, holds permanent missions to UN New York. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 4 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 1 |
| Foreign missions hosted | 6 |
| Multilateral missions | UN New York |
Source: Wikipedia 'List of diplomatic missions of Tonga' / '... in Tonga'
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Coastal — 419 km of coastline. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 6 (registration prefix A3) |
| Major seaports | Neiafu, Nuku Alofa, Pangai |
Major airports
Fua'amotu International Airport (TBU) — Nuku'alofa; Vava'u International Airport (VAV) — Vava'u Island; Lifuka Island Airport (HPA) — Lifuka.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | constitutional monarchy |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
POWER --/100 Ranked #-- of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Tonga.
This profile covers the population, economy, natural resources, leaders, and history of Tonga — with the Bureau’s live national-power score of --/100, ranking #-- of 195 countries.
What is Tonga's power score?
Tonga has a Magna Power score of --/100. The score measures structural power — the proven capacity to shape events — across nine components.