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Palau vs Tonga
Side-by-side comparison of Palau and Tonga from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
In short
Tonga scores 48.9 in the NationsTree Index (93rd in the world) and Palau scores 46.7 (103rd), a gap of 2.3 points. Their trees are 0.4 m and 0.6 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Tonga has 5.9 times the population of Palau. Tonga has 63% more land area than Palau. Tonga has an economy 2.2 times the size of Palau (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Palau 17,663 and Tonga 103,742 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $23,052 in Palau and $8,675 in Tonga (2025, international dollars). People in Tonga live on average 3.7 years longer (73.1 vs 69.4 years).
Of 28 indicators reported by both countries, Palau ranks higher in the world on 18 and Tonga on 10. Palau is clearly stronger in infrastructure & digital and institutions & safety. Tonga is clearly stronger in natural resources.
As a nation, Tonga is the older of the two (statehood since 1970, 56 years), compared with Palau (since 1994). Over the last five years Tonga improved faster (direction score 86 vs 57 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Palau and Tonga.
Palaubetter
-0.4%
7th of 180
Tonga
5.6%
142nd of 180
CO₂ emissions per personEnvironment & energy
Palau
82.84
203rd of 203
Tongabetter
1.63
81st of 203
Safely managed drinking waterInfrastructure & digital
Palaubetter
90.8%
59th of 150
Tonga
29.6%
131st of 150
GDP growthEconomy
Palaubetter
6.3%
33rd of 210
Tonga
2.8%
123rd of 210
Tertiary enrolmentSociety & health
Palaubetter
71.8%
45th of 150
Tonga
42.9%
91st of 150
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Tonga overtook Palau in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Palau has been ahead of Tonga in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Tonga has been ahead of Palau in GDP (PPP), life expectancy 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
PalauTonga 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 | Palau | Tonga |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 460190th/216 · 2024 | 749183rd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 460189th/216 · 2024 | 720183rd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 17,663215th/217 · 2025 | 103,742193rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.18%189th/217 · 2025 | -0.42%195th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 38.5164th/216 · 2024 | 144.781st/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 79.3%62nd/217 · 2025 | 21.2%211th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 17.9%140th/217 · 2025 | 34.9%52nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 11.8%87th/217 · 2025 | 6.9%127th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $345.0 m207th/210 · 2025 | $679.2 m203rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $407.2 m196th/199 · 2025 | $899.9 m193rd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $347.9 m196th/199 · 2025 | $769.0 m193rd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $19,53278th/210 · 2025 | $6,547126th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $23,05294th/199 · 2025 | $8,675146th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $19,89067th/201 · 2025 | $6,840112th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 6.3%33rd/210 · 2025 | 2.8%123rd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | -0.4%7th/180 · 2025 | 5.6%142nd/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | — | 2.0%17th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 85.2%2019 | 43.1%19th/55 · 2020 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 52.8%93rd/189 · 2025 | 26.9%27th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -0.4%46th/192 · 2025 | 1.2%27th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 2.7%132nd/197 · 2024 | 18.6%40th/197 · 2024 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 13.0%169th/200 · 2024 | 17.7%144th/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 1.2%182nd/192 · 2024 | 5.5%146th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 73.1%22nd/200 · 2024 | 49.5%147th/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $105.1 m181st/182 · 2024 | $109.4 m179th/182 · 2024 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $235.1 m181st/182 · 2024 | $392.9 m176th/182 · 2024 |
| Exports % of GDP | 32.7%100th/183 · 2024 | 16.9%155th/183 · 2024 |
| Imports % of GDP | 73.1%30th/183 · 2024 | 60.7%55th/183 · 2024 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 105.8%53rd/183 · 2024 | 77.6%101st/183 · 2024 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.5%2017 | 0.0%156th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 9.0%2018 | 84.2%13th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 88.7%2018 | 15.0%91st/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 2.1%2018 | 0.7%141st/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 51.7%2018 | 28.5%18th/168 · 2023 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -11.6%171st/191 · 2025 | -4.3%135th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 16.6%10th/196 · 2025 | 2.6%78th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%187th/209 · 2021 | 0.0%166th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | — | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | — | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | — | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 | 0.04%131st/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 0.7%194th/206 · 2024 | 30.3%28th/206 · 2024 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 18,400186th/194 · 2020 | 94,000164th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $123.0 m137th/175 · 2017 | $47.7 m157th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 93.5%1st/168 · 2017 | 47.8%16th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 9,0001998 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 69.4157th/217 · 2024 | 73.1124th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 21.4125th/196 · 2024 | 9.570th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 1.8187th/174 · 2023 | 1.01105th/174 · 2021 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 4.32010 | 2.52010 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 99%1st/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 94.4%31st/153 · 2020 | 94.2%32nd/153 · 2021 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 95.7%77th/173 · 2024 | 92.4%90th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 37.4%2006 | — |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 16.8%89th/217 · 2025 | 11.8%117th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 10.9%18th/193 · 2023 | 7.4%78th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 99.8%6th/98 · 2020 | 99.5%11th/98 · 2023 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 71.8%45th/150 · 2024 | 42.9%91st/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.78684th/193 · 2023 | 0.76992nd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | — | 27.111th/108 · 2021 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | — | 0.4%27th/108 · 2021 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 90.8%59th/150 · 2024 | 29.6%131st/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | — | 31.2%109th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 83.9%86th/186 · 2024 | 67.4%128th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 13548th/210 · 2023 | 62192nd/210 · 2022 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 7.3129th/208 · 2023 | 8.2124th/208 · 2022 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | — | 75,4162004 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 82.84203rd/203 · 2024 | 1.6381st/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 0.9%193rd/212 · 2022 | 2.3%178th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 4.914th/200 · 2023 | 4.711th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 90.8%4th/214 · 2024 | 12.1%155th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 4,8141990 | 5432007 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 54.5100th/205 · 2025 | 51.1112th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 58.468th/207 · 2025 | 39.6127th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 77.930th/207 · 2025 | 71.448th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 88.416th/207 · 2025 | 88.614th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 63.258th/205 · 2025 | 51.1116th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 76.340th/205 · 2025 | 72.553rd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 11.22018 | 0.940th/145 · 2019 |
| Military | ||
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 7.0 m2020 | 7.0 m2020 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| Patent applications by residents applications | — | 5117th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 5186th/197 · 2023 | 5187th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Palau or Tonga?
Tonga has the larger population: 103,742 (2025) compared with 17,663 for Palau (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Palau or Tonga?
Tonga is larger: 749 km² (2024) compared with 460 km² for Palau (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Palau or Tonga?
Tonga has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $899.9 m intl. (2025) compared with $407.2 m intl. for Palau (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Palau or Tonga?
Palau has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $23,052 intl. (2025) compared with $8,675 intl. for Tonga (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Palau or Tonga?
Tonga has the higher life expectancy at birth: 73.1 years (2024) compared with 69.4 years for Palau (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Palau or Tonga?
Tonga: 48.9 points (93rd in the world); Palau: 46.7 points (103rd). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Kiribati
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Naoero
Tuvalu
Samoa
Solomon Islands
VanuatuSources
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). Palau vs Tonga — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/palau-vs-tonga. Data as of 26 October 2026.