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Marshall Islands vs Tuvalu
Side-by-side comparison of Marshall Islands and Tuvalu from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Marshall Islands
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 40 years
In short
Tuvalu scores 33.1 in the NationsTree Index (152nd in the world) and Marshall Islands scores 21.0 (187th), a gap of 12.1 points. Their trees are 0.3 m and 0.1 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Marshall Islands has 3.8 times the population of Tuvalu. Marshall Islands is 7.0 times larger than Tuvalu by land area. Marshall Islands has an economy 5.1 times the size of Tuvalu (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Marshall Islands 36,282 and Tuvalu 9,492 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $8,964 in Marshall Islands and $6,759 in Tuvalu (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 67.1 and 67.3 years.
Of 24 indicators reported by both countries, Marshall Islands ranks higher in the world on 9 and Tuvalu on 15. Marshall Islands is clearly stronger in tourism and environment & energy. Tuvalu is clearly stronger in infrastructure & digital.
As a nation, Tuvalu is the older of the two (statehood since 1978, 48 years), compared with Marshall Islands (since 1986). Over the last five years Tuvalu improved faster (direction score 82 vs 0 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Marshall Islands and Tuvalu.
Marshall Islands
97.2%
145th of 215
Tuvalubetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Adult literacySociety & health
Marshall Islands
95.8%
35th of 98
Tuvalubetter
100.0%
1st of 98
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Marshall Islands
85%
132nd of 193
Tuvalubetter
94%
66th of 193
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Tuvalu overtook Marshall Islands in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Marshall Islands overtook Tuvalu in GDP per person (PPP) in 2009 and has stayed ahead since.
Tuvalu overtook Marshall Islands in life expectancy in 2006 and has stayed ahead since.
Marshall Islands has been ahead of Tuvalu in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
Marshall IslandsTuvalu All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Marshall Islands | Tuvalu |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 181205th/216 · 2024 | 26214th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 181204th/216 · 2024 | 26213th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 36,282212th/217 · 2025 | 9,492217th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -3.43%216th/217 · 2025 | -1.61%213th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 207.465th/216 · 2024 | 371.031st/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 79.1%64th/217 · 2025 | 65.4%106th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 33.9%55th/217 · 2025 | 33.0%58th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 4.9%150th/217 · 2025 | 7.0%124th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $308.0 m208th/210 · 2025 | $57.3 m210th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $325.2 m197th/199 · 2025 | $64.2 m199th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $277.9 m197th/199 · 2025 | $54.8 m199th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $8,489110th/210 · 2025 | $6,041130th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $8,964145th/199 · 2025 | $6,759155th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $9,71095th/201 · 2025 | $9,78094th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 2.3%138th/210 · 2025 | 1.6%158th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | — | 0.5%2011 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 41.6%2019 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 8.8%8th/189 · 2025 | 2.8%4th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | 4.8%7th/192 · 2025 | 25.8%1st/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 19.9%39th/197 · 2024 | 15.9%2015 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 13.4%168th/200 · 2024 | 7.0%2015 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 3.2%169th/192 · 2024 | 1.0%2011 |
| Services % of GDP | 68.2%41st/200 · 2024 | — |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $111.0 m177th/182 · 2025 | — |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $246.0 m180th/182 · 2025 | — |
| Exports % of GDP | 36.0%92nd/183 · 2025 | — |
| Imports % of GDP | 79.9%20th/183 · 2025 | — |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 115.9%44th/183 · 2025 | — |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | — | 7.2%2005 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | — | 39.6%2005 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | — | 3.2%2004 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 33.8%2nd/191 · 2025 | 21.1%5th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.0%138th/196 · 2025 | 0.4%164th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%187th/209 · 2021 | 0.0%187th/209 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | — | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 2.8%159th/206 · 2024 | — |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 6,100191st/194 · 2019 | 3,600193rd/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $20.1 m163rd/175 · 2018 | $2.4 m2013 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 15.6%41st/168 · 2018 | 43.4%2013 |
| Outbound trips departures | — | 2,1002011 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 67.1178th/217 · 2024 | 67.3175th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 26.7135th/196 · 2024 | 19.2122nd/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.472012 | 1.3597th/174 · 2020 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 2.82010 | 4.22001 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 85%132nd/193 · 2024 | 94%66th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 94.0%2019 | 58.3%2019 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 85.8%117th/173 · 2024 | 90.7%100th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 62.7%20th/55 · 2019 | — |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 8.0%145th/217 · 2025 | 11.7%118th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 13.4%5th/193 · 2023 | 27.1%1st/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 95.8%35th/98 · 2021 | 100.0%1st/98 · 2022 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 37.7%98th/150 · 2024 | 19.4%124th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.733108th/193 · 2023 | 0.689129th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 35.52019 | 39.12010 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 2.1%2019 | 9.0%2010 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 97.2%145th/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 8.7%148th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | — | 39.7%97th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 65.9%131st/186 · 2024 | 35.2%2017 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 40204th/210 · 2022 | 99140th/210 · 2022 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 2.4156th/208 · 2022 | 4.5143rd/208 · 2022 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 29,502150th/161 · 2023 | — |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.008th/203 · 2024 | 0.001st/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 12.2%131st/212 · 2022 | 5.2%167th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 4.16th/200 · 2023 | 5.215th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 53.6%46th/214 · 2024 | 39.6%80th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 6152007 | — |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 45.1134th/205 · 2025 | 40.0151st/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 55.274th/207 · 2025 | 59.861st/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 74.339th/207 · 2025 | 80.924th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 92.23rd/207 · 2025 | 90.58th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 42.9156th/205 · 2025 | 47.9130th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 74.743rd/205 · 2025 | 80.821st/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 4.21994 | 18.32012 |
| Military | ||
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 6.0 m1991 | 7.0 m2019 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| Scientific articles articles | 1195th/197 · 2023 | 0196th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Marshall Islands or Tuvalu?
Marshall Islands has the larger population: 36,282 (2025) compared with 9,492 for Tuvalu (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Marshall Islands or Tuvalu?
Marshall Islands is larger: 181 km² (2024) compared with 26 km² for Tuvalu (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Marshall Islands or Tuvalu?
Marshall Islands has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $325.2 m intl. (2025) compared with $64.2 m intl. for Tuvalu (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Marshall Islands or Tuvalu?
Marshall Islands has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $8,964 intl. (2025) compared with $6,759 intl. for Tuvalu (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Marshall Islands or Tuvalu?
Tuvalu has the higher life expectancy at birth: 67.3 years (2024) compared with 67.1 years for Marshall Islands (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Marshall Islands or Tuvalu?
Tuvalu: 33.1 points (152nd in the world); Marshall Islands: 21.0 points (187th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Kiribati
Micronesia
Naoero
PalauSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Marshall Islands vs Tuvalu — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/marshall-islands-vs-tuvalu. Data as of 26 October 2026.