Rural population, annual growth rate in Tonga
Tonga: Rural population, annual growth rate was -0.4224 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-0.4224 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 3.7%
World rank
134th
of 208 countries
All-time high
2.58 % change on previous year
in 1966
All-time low
-0.425 % change on previous year
in 2023
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Rural population, annual growth rate in Tonga, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Tonga recorded -0.4224 % change on previous year for rural population, annual growth rate in 2025.
The figure is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 19.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, annual growth rate in Tonga peaked at 2.58 % change on previous year in 1966 and was at its lowest, -0.425 % change on previous year, in 2023.
That places Tonga 134th out of 208 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population, annual growth rate in Tonga, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.26 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 2.3 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 2.35 % change on previous year | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 2.42 % change on previous year | +3.2% |
| 1965 | 2.5 % change on previous year | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 2.58 % change on previous year | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 2.25 % change on previous year | -12.8% |
| 1968 | 1.88 % change on previous year | -16.3% |
| 1969 | 1.85 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 1970 | 1.8 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 1.75 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
| 1972 | 1.68 % change on previous year | -4.0% |
| 1973 | 1.64 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 1974 | 2.09 % change on previous year | +27.6% |
| 1975 | 2.54 % change on previous year | +21.7% |
| 1976 | 2.44 % change on previous year | -4.0% |
| 1977 | 1.41 % change on previous year | -42.1% |
| 1978 | 0.4115 % change on previous year | -70.9% |
| 1979 | 0.2379 % change on previous year | -42.2% |
| 1980 | 0.0954 % change on previous year | -59.9% |
| 1981 | -0.0155 % change on previous year | -116.2% |
| 1982 | -0.1031 % change on previous year | +566.8% |
| 1983 | -0.1741 % change on previous year | +68.9% |
| 1984 | -0.2119 % change on previous year | +21.7% |
| 1985 | -0.2176 % change on previous year | +2.7% |
| 1986 | -0.1921 % change on previous year | -11.7% |
| 1987 | 0.1534 % change on previous year | -179.9% |
| 1988 | 0.3817 % change on previous year | +148.8% |
| 1989 | 0.2238 % change on previous year | -41.4% |
| 1990 | 0.0916 % change on previous year | -59.1% |
| 1991 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1992 | -0.0529 % change on previous year | — |
| 1993 | -0.0813 % change on previous year | +53.7% |
| 1994 | -0.0775 % change on previous year | -4.7% |
| 1995 | -0.0568 % change on previous year | -26.6% |
| 1996 | -0.0349 % change on previous year | -38.6% |
| 1997 | 0.3375 % change on previous year | -1067.0% |
| 1998 | 0.6625 % change on previous year | +96.3% |
| 1999 | 0.6095 % change on previous year | -8.0% |
| 2000 | 0.5829 % change on previous year | -4.4% |
| 2001 | 0.5643 % change on previous year | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 0.5385 % change on previous year | -4.6% |
| 2003 | 0.5381 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 0.5477 % change on previous year | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 0.5348 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 0.5073 % change on previous year | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 0.3884 % change on previous year | -23.4% |
| 2008 | 0.1904 % change on previous year | -51.0% |
| 2009 | 0.0767 % change on previous year | -59.7% |
| 2010 | 0.101 % change on previous year | +31.6% |
| 2011 | 0.1106 % change on previous year | +9.5% |
| 2012 | -0.0996 % change on previous year | -190.0% |
| 2013 | -0.3015 % change on previous year | +202.7% |
| 2014 | -0.3415 % change on previous year | +13.2% |
| 2015 | -0.3524 % change on previous year | +3.2% |
| 2016 | -0.388 % change on previous year | +10.1% |
| 2017 | 0.0444 % change on previous year | -111.4% |
| 2018 | 0.5496 % change on previous year | +1138.3% |
| 2019 | 0.5796 % change on previous year | +5.5% |
| 2020 | 0.6165 % change on previous year | +6.4% |
| 2021 | 0.5873 % change on previous year | -4.7% |
| 2022 | -0.2841 % change on previous year | -148.4% |
| 2023 | -0.425 % change on previous year | +49.6% |
| 2024 | -0.4074 % change on previous year | -4.1% |
| 2025 | -0.4224 % change on previous year | +3.7% |
Tonga compared with similar countries
- Tonga's -0.4224 % change on previous year is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is -0.5998 % change on previous year, 70% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Tonga's -0.4224 % change on previous year is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.0489 % change on previous year. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population, annual growth rate in Tonga changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +1138.3% | 0.0444 % change on previous year | 0.5496 % change on previous year |
| 1997 | +1067.0% | -0.0349 % change on previous year | 0.3375 % change on previous year |
| 1982 | -566.8% | -0.0155 % change on previous year | -0.1031 % change on previous year |
| 2013 | -202.7% | -0.0996 % change on previous year | -0.3015 % change on previous year |
| 2012 | -190.0% | 0.1106 % change on previous year | -0.0996 % change on previous year |
| 1987 | +179.9% | -0.1921 % change on previous year | 0.1534 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.27 % change on previous year | 1.85 % change on previous year | 2.58 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.6 % change on previous year | 0.2379 % change on previous year | 2.54 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.006 % change on previous year | -0.2176 % change on previous year | 0.3817 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1398 % change on previous year | -0.0813 % change on previous year | 0.6625 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4469 % change on previous year | 0.0767 % change on previous year | 0.5829 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.0098 % change on previous year | -0.388 % change on previous year | 0.5796 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.0558 % change on previous year | -0.425 % change on previous year | 0.6165 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
- 131 Italy -0.3131 % change on previous year compare
- 132 Barbados -0.3404 % change on previous year compare
- 133 Slovenia -0.3588 % change on previous year compare
- 135 Croatia -0.4457 % change on previous year compare
- 136 Czechia -0.4625 % change on previous year compare
- 137 Austria -0.4906 % change on previous year compare
More agriculture & rural data for Tonga
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1857 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,154 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.7884 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 18.6% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 18.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.6% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.7% (2023)
- Rural population 78.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, annual growth rate in Tonga?
- Rural population, annual growth rate in Tonga was -0.4224 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 2.58 % change on previous year in 1966.
- What is the lowest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.425 % change on previous year in 2023.
- How does Tonga rank for rural population, annual growth rate?
- Tonga ranks 134th out of 208 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tonga data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.