Country explorer: Tonga

Tonga's economy has shown resilience and gradual growth, with significant improvements in GDP per capita, a generally low and stable unemployment rate, and managed inflation rates, reflecting a balance between economic development and maintaining the cost of living, similar to its Pacific Island peers.

Tonga has experienced slight demographic shifts characterized by stable but slowly declining fertility rates, a consistent population increase despite negative net migration, and steadily improving life expectancy, trends mirroring those of several Pacific Island nations and contrasting with more dramatic demographic changes in upper-middle-income countries globally.

Tonga has made significant strides in improving access to clean cooking fuels, electricity, and safely managed water, marking a rising standard of living that aligns it more closely with upper-middle-income countries, while challenges remain in extending similar progress to safely managed sanitation facilities.

Tonga has demonstrated continuous progress in human development as evidenced by improvements in the Human Development Index, a reduction in child mortality rates, nearly universal literacy, and advancements in average learning-adjusted years of schooling, positioning itself similarly to Pacific island nations but with distinct strides in education and health outcomes.

Tonga has experienced notable shifts in environmental and energy metrics, mirroring global trends towards increased per capita CO₂ emissions and a steady commitment to forest area conservation, alongside a significant pivot towards renewable energy sources, particularly solar, aligning with global efforts for a sustainable transition.

Tonga has experienced notable growth in digital participation, highlighted by a significant increase in internet usage and mobile phone subscriptions, aligning with trends observed in upper-middle-income countries and regional peers, although lacking data on research and development spending and scientific publications.

Tonga has witnessed a steady increase in the percentage of its population born abroad, a gradual decline in gender inequality reflecting moderate progress in women's empowerment and economic status, and a slight fluctuation in its age dependency ratio, epitomizing the societal and demographic shifts within the Polynesian kingdom, similar to trends in other Pacific Island nations.

Tonga has seen fluctuating progress in press freedom, reflective of broader governance challenges yet maintains a distinctive resilience compared to its Pacific peers.