Employment in Tonga
Tonga: Employment was 32.95 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Employment in Tonga, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
Tonga recorded 32.95 for employment in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in Tonga peaked at 37.31 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 32.95, in 2025.
That places Tonga 187th out of 188 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Employment in Tonga, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 33.19 | — |
| 1992 | 33.95 | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 34.73 | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 35.34 | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 35.23 | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 35.05 | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 35.06 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 35.27 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 35.46 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 35.61 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 35.65 | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 35.66 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 35.56 | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 36.1 | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 36.63 | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 37.17 | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 37.2 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 37.29 | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 37.31 | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 37.31 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 37.23 | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 37.08 | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 36.83 | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 36.5 | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 36.2 | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 35.89 | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 35.65 | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 35.55 | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 35.38 | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 34.6 | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 34.51 | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 34.04 | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 33.51 | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 33.12 | -1.2% |
| 2025 | 32.95 | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 34.81 | 33.19 | 35.46 | 9 |
| 2000s | 36.42 | 35.56 | 37.31 | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.36 | 35.38 | 37.31 | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.79 | 32.95 | 34.6 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
- 184 Samoa 54.89 compare
- 185 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 44.02 compare
- 186 United States Virgin Islands 33.84 compare
- 188 Sao Tome and Principe 31.87 compare
More work & labour data for Tonga
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0285 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0138 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.0722 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.78 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 41.65 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 98.27 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 58.13 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 59.74 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 117.87 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in Tonga?
- Employment in Tonga was 32.95 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest employment recorded in Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 37.31 in 2009.
- What is the lowest employment recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.95 in 2025.
- How does Tonga rank for employment?
- Tonga ranks 187th out of 188 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Tonga data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Employment (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The employed comprise all persons of working age who, during a specified brief period, were in one of the following categories: a) paid employment (whether at work or with a job but not at work); or b) self-employment (whether at work or with an enterprise but not at work). Data disaggregated by economic activity are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) available for that year. Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISIC. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.