Tonga — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Tonga, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Tonga was 49.81% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 59.92% in 1994. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.32% per year.
Tonga ranks 160 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 86%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 64.35%, so Tonga sits below it. It peaked in 1994 and has fallen 17% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 10%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 28 of 29 economies; Samoa (42.53%) is just below it. That is 5% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 137th of 187 in 1990 → 120th of 187 in 2000 → 130th of 187 in 2010 → 144th of 187 in 2020 → 158th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 49.81% | -0.4 pp |
| 2024 | 50.2% | -0.4 pp |
| 2023 | 50.6% | -0.8 pp |
| 2022 | 51.38% | -0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 51.94% | -0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 52.39% | -1.1 pp |
| 2019 | 53.47% | -0.5 pp |
| 2018 | 54% | -0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 54.35% | -0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 54.69% | -0.4 pp |
| 2015 | 55.04% | -0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 55.36% | -0.3 pp |
| 2013 | 55.64% | -0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 55.89% | -0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 56.17% | -0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 56.5% | -0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 56.78% | -0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 56.97% | -0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 57.14% | -0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 57.37% | -0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 57.62% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 57.85% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 58.03% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 58.19% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 58.37% | -0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 58.55% | -0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 58.75% | -0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 58.94% | -0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 59.12% | -0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 59.38% | -0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 59.69% | -0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 59.92% | +1.0 pp |
| 1993 | 58.88% | +1.1 pp |
| 1992 | 57.79% | +1.1 pp |
| 1991 | 56.71% | +1.0 pp |
| 1990 | 55.68% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Tonga’s Labor participation in 1991?
56.71% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Tonga’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -10.5% in total — about 0.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 49.81%; 2024: 50.2%; 2023: 50.6%; 2022: 51.38%; 2021: 51.94%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.