Total dependency ratio in Tonga
Tonga: Total dependency ratio was 73.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
73.1%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
39th
of 236 countries
All-time high
98.3%
in 1971
All-time low
72.6%
in 2021
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Tonga, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Tonga recorded 73.1% for total dependency ratio in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Tonga peaked at 98.3% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 72.6%, in 2021.
Tonga ranks 39th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Total dependency ratio in Tonga, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 95.8% | — |
| 1951 | 95.3% | -0.5% |
| 1952 | 95.0% | -0.4% |
| 1953 | 94.8% | -0.2% |
| 1954 | 94.8% | -0.0% |
| 1955 | 94.9% | +0.1% |
| 1956 | 95.1% | +0.2% |
| 1957 | 95.2% | +0.1% |
| 1958 | 95.3% | +0.1% |
| 1959 | 95.3% | +0.1% |
| 1960 | 95.4% | +0.1% |
| 1961 | 95.4% | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 95.6% | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 95.9% | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 96.1% | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 96.3% | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 96.2% | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 96.6% | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 97.4% | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 97.9% | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 98.2% | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 98.3% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 98.1% | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 97.7% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 97.5% | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 97.6% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 97.2% | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 96.1% | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 94.4% | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 92.9% | -1.6% |
| 1980 | 91.5% | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 90.2% | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 88.8% | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 87.4% | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 86.2% | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 85.3% | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 84.7% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 84.1% | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 83.3% | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 82.8% | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 82.5% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 82.3% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 82.2% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 82.0% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 81.8% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 81.6% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 81.2% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 80.4% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 79.3% | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 78.4% | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 77.7% | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 77.3% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 77.3% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 77.5% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 78.0% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 78.4% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 78.7% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 78.5% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 77.9% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 77.2% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 76.5% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 76.2% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 76.0% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 75.7% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 75.3% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 74.6% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 74.0% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 73.8% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 73.5% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 73.1% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 72.7% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 72.6% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 72.8% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 73.1% | +0.3% |
Tonga compared with similar countries
- Tonga's 73.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 50.3%, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Tonga's 73.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 54.0%, 1.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 95.1% | 94.8% | 95.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 96.3% | 95.4% | 97.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 96.8% | 92.9% | 98.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 86.4% | 82.8% | 91.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 81.2% | 78.4% | 82.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 77.9% | 77.2% | 78.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.9% | 73.1% | 76.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.8% | 72.6% | 73.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
- 36 South Sudan 74.7% compare
- 37 Ethiopia 74.0% compare
- 38 Guinea-Bissau 73.6% compare
- 40 Senegal 73.1% compare
- 41 Palestine 72.9% compare
- 42 Sao Tome and Principe 72.9% compare
More reference data data for Tonga
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0105 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0092 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0197 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0197 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0353 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0269 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0446 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.1068 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0799 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Manure applied 9.35 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Tonga?
- Total dependency ratio in Tonga was 73.1% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 98.3% in 1971.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was 72.6% in 2021.
- How does Tonga rank for total dependency ratio?
- Tonga ranks 39th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tonga data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of children (under 15) and people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).