Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in Tonga
Tonga: Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP was 39.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in Tonga, 1975–2024
Source: World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Tonga recorded 39.2% for money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in 2024.
That represents a change of down 8.0% on the previous year and up 44.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in Tonga peaked at 42.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 12.2%, in 1981.
Tonga ranks 2nd of 194 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in Tonga, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 20.6% | — |
| 1976 | 17.9% | -13.1% |
| 1977 | 16.2% | -9.3% |
| 1978 | 14.6% | -10.2% |
| 1979 | 14.7% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 13.3% | -9.6% |
| 1981 | 12.2% | -8.2% |
| 1982 | 13.1% | +7.1% |
| 1983 | 27.1% | +106.9% |
| 1984 | 21.0% | -22.6% |
| 1985 | 36.4% | +73.8% |
| 1986 | 30.6% | -16.0% |
| 1987 | 27.4% | -10.4% |
| 1988 | 15.6% | -43.2% |
| 1989 | 14.0% | -10.2% |
| 1990 | 21.1% | +50.9% |
| 1991 | 14.2% | -32.7% |
| 1992 | 15.6% | +9.7% |
| 1993 | 15.1% | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 29.2% | +92.6% |
| 2002 | 34.0% | +16.7% |
| 2003 | 29.0% | -14.9% |
| 2004 | 28.4% | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 26.3% | -7.2% |
| 2006 | 26.7% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 27.4% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 30.0% | +9.6% |
| 2009 | 26.2% | -12.7% |
| 2010 | 20.2% | -23.1% |
| 2011 | 20.4% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 19.4% | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 27.2% | +40.2% |
| 2014 | 27.1% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 29.5% | +9.2% |
| 2016 | 30.0% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 34.5% | +14.9% |
| 2018 | 35.1% | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 35.9% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 37.5% | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 41.5% | +10.7% |
| 2022 | 38.7% | -6.9% |
| 2023 | 42.6% | +10.2% |
| 2024 | 39.2% | -8.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.8% | 14.6% | 20.6% | 5 |
| 1980s | 21.1% | 12.2% | 36.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.5% | 14.2% | 21.1% | 4 |
| 2000s | 28.6% | 26.2% | 34.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 27.9% | 19.4% | 35.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.9% | 37.5% | 42.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
- 1 Tajikistan 57.7% compare
- 3 Lebanon 33.3% compare
- 4 Honduras 30.1% compare
- 5 El Salvador 27.5% compare
More population data for Tonga
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0093 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.4068 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0093 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5565 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 131.22 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8047 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3365 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Population density 163.72 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6,812 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in Tonga?
- Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in Tonga was 39.2% in 2024, according to World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp recorded in Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 42.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.2% in 1981.
- How does Tonga rank for money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp?
- Tonga ranks 2nd out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tonga data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Money sent or brought back by migrants refers to remittances a country has received in this year.