Population by labor force status in Tonga
Tonga: Population by labor force status was 36,227 people in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
36,227 people
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
183rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
40,837 people
in 2007
All-time low
36,227 people
in 2025
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Population by labor force status in Tonga, 1991–2025
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2025, population by labor force status in Tonga stood at 36,227 people. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by labor force status in Tonga peaked at 40,837 people in 2007 and was at its lowest, 36,227 people, in 2025.
Tonga ranks 183rd 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.
Population by labor force status in Tonga, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 40,563 people | — |
| 1992 | 40,475 people | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 40,345 people | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 40,182 people | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 40,005 people | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 39,801 people | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 39,613 people | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 39,477 people | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 39,378 people | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 39,350 people | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 39,415 people | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 39,574 people | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 39,829 people | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 40,139 people | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 40,446 people | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 40,735 people | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 40,837 people | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 40,717 people | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 40,546 people | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 40,367 people | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 40,213 people | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 40,019 people | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 39,713 people | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 39,389 people | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 38,971 people | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 38,528 people | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 38,328 people | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 38,225 people | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 38,034 people | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 37,815 people | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 37,609 people | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 37,440 people | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 37,260 people | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 36,882 people | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 36,227 people | -1.8% |
Tonga compared with similar countries
- Tonga's 36,227 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.99 million people, 2% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Tonga's 36,227 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.11 million people, 3% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 39,982 people | 39,378 people | 40,563 people | 9 |
| 2000s | 40,159 people | 39,350 people | 40,837 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 39,179 people | 38,034 people | 40,367 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 37,206 people | 36,227 people | 37,815 people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
- 180 French Polynesia 52,123 people compare
- 181 Barbados 48,227 people compare
- 182 Guam 43,718 people compare
- 184 Saint Lucia 31,066 people compare
- 185 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 20,856 people compare
- 186 United States Virgin Islands 13,851 people 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 population by labor force status in Tonga?
- Population by labor force status in Tonga was 36,227 people in 2025, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by labor force status recorded in Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 40,837 people in 2007.
- What is the lowest population by labor force status recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was 36,227 people in 2025.
- How does Tonga rank for population by labor force status?
- Tonga ranks 183rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by labor force status rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tonga data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by labor force status. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Population below working age (under 15 years old).