Urban and rural population in Tonga
Tonga: Urban and rural population was 21,948 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
21,948
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
219th
of 236 countries
All-time high
25,237
in 2011
All-time low
6,648
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban and rural population in Tonga, 1950–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban and rural population in Tonga is 21,948, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban and rural population in Tonga peaked at 25,237 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 6,648, in 1950.
Tonga ranks 219th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban and rural population in Tonga, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6,648 | — |
| 1951 | 7,075 | +6.4% |
| 1952 | 7,526 | +6.4% |
| 1953 | 8,002 | +6.3% |
| 1954 | 8,502 | +6.2% |
| 1955 | 9,019 | +6.1% |
| 1956 | 9,568 | +6.1% |
| 1957 | 10,189 | +6.5% |
| 1958 | 10,808 | +6.1% |
| 1959 | 11,441 | +5.9% |
| 1960 | 12,083 | +5.6% |
| 1961 | 12,725 | +5.3% |
| 1962 | 13,357 | +5.0% |
| 1963 | 13,974 | +4.6% |
| 1964 | 14,566 | +4.2% |
| 1965 | 15,126 | +3.8% |
| 1966 | 15,635 | +3.4% |
| 1967 | 16,044 | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 16,382 | +2.1% |
| 1969 | 16,714 | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 17,038 | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 17,355 | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 17,664 | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 17,972 | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 18,370 | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 18,865 | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 19,362 | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 19,688 | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 19,850 | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 20,006 | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 20,157 | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 20,309 | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 20,460 | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 20,613 | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 20,768 | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 20,931 | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 21,105 | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 21,353 | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 21,652 | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 21,913 | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 22,139 | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 22,334 | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 22,502 | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 22,646 | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 22,769 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 22,872 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 22,949 | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 23,086 | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 23,287 | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 23,469 | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 23,642 | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 23,807 | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 23,965 | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 24,125 | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 24,292 | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 24,460 | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 24,630 | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 24,786 | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 24,924 | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 25,044 | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 25,158 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 25,237 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 25,209 | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 25,074 | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 24,886 | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 24,660 | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 24,405 | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 24,202 | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 23,966 | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 23,595 | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 23,124 | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 22,425 | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 22,214 | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 22,120 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 22,034 | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 21,948 | -0.4% |
Tonga compared with similar countries
- Tonga's 21,948 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.47 million, 0% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Tonga's 21,948 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 722,007, 3% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 8,878 | 6,648 | 11,441 | 10 |
| 1960s | 14,661 | 12,083 | 16,714 | 10 |
| 1970s | 18,617 | 17,038 | 20,006 | 10 |
| 1980s | 20,926 | 20,157 | 21,913 | 10 |
| 1990s | 22,805 | 22,139 | 23,469 | 10 |
| 2000s | 24,367 | 23,642 | 25,044 | 10 |
| 2010s | 24,639 | 23,595 | 25,237 | 10 |
| 2020s | 22,311 | 21,948 | 23,124 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
- 216 Antigua and Barbuda 22,924 compare
- 217 British Virgin Islands 22,804 compare
- 218 Faroe Islands 22,201 compare
- 220 Guernsey 19,082 compare
- 221 Saint Kitts and Nevis 14,968 compare
- 222 Anguilla 14,728 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)
- Population growth rate -0.013 (2100)
- Population density 163.72 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 6,812 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban and rural population in Tonga?
- Urban and rural population in Tonga was 21,948 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban and rural population recorded in Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 25,237 in 2011.
- What is the lowest urban and rural population recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was 6,648 in 1950.
- How does Tonga rank for urban and rural population?
- Tonga ranks 219th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban and rural population rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tonga data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Urban and rural population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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