Employment rate in Tonga
Tonga: Employment rate was 48.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment rate in Tonga, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment rate in Tonga is 48.8%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Tonga peaked at 58.9% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 48.8%, in 2025.
Tonga ranks 148th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 57.5% | 55.9% | 58.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 56.0% | 55.0% | 56.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.1% | 52.3% | 55.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.0% | 48.8% | 51.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
More work & labour data for Tonga
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 52.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 71.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 42.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 19.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 25.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 31.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 49.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate in Tonga?
- Employment rate in Tonga was 48.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 58.9% in 1994.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.8% in 2025.
- How does Tonga rank for employment rate?
- Tonga ranks 148th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tonga data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.