Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Tonga
Tonga: Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 was 21.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
21.2%
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
229th
of 238 countries
All-time high
23.5%
in 2011
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Tonga, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Tonga stood at 21.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Tonga peaked at 23.5% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Tonga ranks 229th of 238 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Tonga, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.1% | -39.2% |
| 1720 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1730 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1740 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1750 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1760 | 0.2% | +25.0% |
| 1770 | 0.2% | +25.0% |
| 1780 | 0.3% | +25.0% |
| 1790 | 0.4% | +25.0% |
| 1800 | 0.5% | +25.0% |
| 1810 | 0.6% | +25.0% |
| 1820 | 0.7% | +25.0% |
| 1830 | 0.9% | +25.0% |
| 1840 | 1.1% | +25.0% |
| 1850 | 1.4% | +25.0% |
| 1860 | 1.7% | +25.0% |
| 1870 | 2.2% | +25.0% |
| 1880 | 2.7% | +25.0% |
| 1890 | 3.4% | +25.0% |
| 1900 | 4.2% | +25.0% |
| 1910 | 5.3% | +25.0% |
| 1920 | 6.6% | +25.0% |
| 1930 | 8.2% | +25.0% |
| 1940 | 10.3% | +25.0% |
| 1950 | 13.4% | +29.9% |
| 1951 | 13.9% | +3.7% |
| 1952 | 14.4% | +3.5% |
| 1953 | 14.9% | +3.3% |
| 1954 | 15.3% | +3.1% |
| 1955 | 15.8% | +2.9% |
| 1956 | 16.2% | +2.8% |
| 1957 | 16.7% | +3.4% |
| 1958 | 17.3% | +3.2% |
| 1959 | 17.8% | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 18.3% | +2.7% |
| 1961 | 18.7% | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 19.1% | +2.1% |
| 1963 | 19.4% | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 19.9% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 20.0% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 20.1% | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 20.1% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 20.2% | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 20.2% | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 20.2% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 20.2% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 20.2% | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 20.3% | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 20.3% | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 20.3% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 20.4% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 20.4% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 20.5% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 20.6% | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 20.7% | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 20.9% | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 21.0% | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 21.2% | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 21.4% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 21.5% | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 21.7% | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 21.9% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 22.0% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 22.2% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 22.4% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 22.5% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 22.6% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 22.7% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 22.8% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 22.9% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 22.9% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 23.0% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 23.0% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 23.0% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 23.0% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 23.1% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 23.1% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 23.1% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 23.1% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 23.2% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 23.2% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 23.3% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 23.4% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 23.4% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 23.5% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 23.5% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 23.4% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 23.3% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 23.2% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 23.1% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 23.0% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 22.7% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 22.3% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 21.9% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 21.3% | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 21.1% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 21.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 21.2% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 21.2% | +0.0% |
Tonga compared with similar countries
- Tonga's 21.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 32% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Tonga's 21.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 32% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1800s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1810s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1820s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1830s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1860s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1870s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1880s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 1890s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 1900s | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 1 |
| 1910s | 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 1 |
| 1920s | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1 |
| 1930s | 8.2% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 1 |
| 1940s | 10.3% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 1 |
| 1950s | 15.6% | 13.4% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.6% | 18.3% | 20.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 20.3% | 20.2% | 20.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.3% | 20.6% | 22.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.7% | 22.2% | 23.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.2% | 23.0% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.1% | 22.3% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.3% | 21.1% | 21.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
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 share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Tonga?
- Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Tonga was 21.2% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 23.5% in 2011.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Tonga rank for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050?
- Tonga ranks 229th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tonga data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.