Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Tonga
Tonga: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 2.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Tonga, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Tonga is 2.0%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.2% on the previous year and down 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Tonga peaked at 5.2% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 2006.
That places Tonga 170th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Tonga, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.3% | — |
| 1992 | 1.3% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 1.3% | -3.6% |
| 1994 | 1.7% | +29.8% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | +17.7% |
| 1996 | 2.4% | +21.0% |
| 1997 | 2.9% | +19.7% |
| 1998 | 3.3% | +16.4% |
| 1999 | 3.7% | +10.2% |
| 2000 | 4.0% | +7.5% |
| 2001 | 4.4% | +10.1% |
| 2002 | 4.7% | +7.2% |
| 2003 | 5.2% | +10.6% |
| 2004 | 3.9% | -25.1% |
| 2005 | 2.5% | -34.5% |
| 2006 | 1.1% | -57.1% |
| 2007 | 1.2% | +11.0% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 1.4% | +10.9% |
| 2010 | 1.5% | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 1.6% | +6.2% |
| 2012 | 1.6% | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 1.8% | +6.8% |
| 2014 | 1.9% | +9.4% |
| 2015 | 2.0% | +5.6% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 2.1% | +4.3% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | +5.2% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 2.7% | +25.3% |
| 2021 | 2.1% | -22.2% |
| 2022 | 2.0% | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 1.7% | -17.5% |
| 2024 | 2.0% | +18.9% |
| 2025 | 2.0% | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.2% | 1.3% | 3.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 1.1% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.9% | 1.5% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.1% | 1.7% | 2.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
More education data for Tonga
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 7,462 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate -3.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0716 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 8,182 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -2.76 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0785 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 16,132 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.9449 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 818 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.2451 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Tonga?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Tonga was 2.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 5.2% in 2003.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 2006.
- How does Tonga rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Tonga ranks 170th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tonga data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.