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Samoa vs Tonga
Side-by-side comparison of Samoa and Tonga from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
In short
Samoa scores 50.2 in the NationsTree Index (87th in the world) and Tonga scores 48.9 (93rd), a gap of 1.2 points. Their trees are 0.9 m and 0.6 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Samoa has 2.1 times the population of Tonga. Samoa is 3.8 times larger than Tonga by land area. Samoa has an economy 2.3 times the size of Tonga (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Samoa 219,306 and Tonga 103,742 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $9,319 in Samoa and $8,675 in Tonga (2025, international dollars). People in Tonga live on average 1.2 years longer (73.1 vs 71.8 years).
Of 28 indicators reported by both countries, Samoa ranks higher in the world on 17 and Tonga on 11. Samoa is clearly stronger in environment & energy and institutions & safety. Tonga is clearly stronger in society & health and tourism.
As a nation, Samoa is the older of the two (statehood since 1962, 64 years), compared with Tonga (since 1970). Over the last five years Samoa improved faster (direction score 96 vs 86 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Samoa and Tonga.
Samoa
85%
132nd of 193
Tongabetter
99%
1st of 193
Renewable energyEnvironment & energy
Samoabetter
35.9%
67th of 212
Tonga
2.3%
178th of 212
InflationEconomy
Samoabetter
2.2%
66th of 180
Tonga
5.6%
142nd of 180
UnemploymentEconomy
Samoa
5.0%
86th of 187
Tongabetter
2.0%
17th of 187
Control of corruptionInstitutions & safety
Samoabetter
61.3
53rd of 207
Tonga
39.6
127th of 207
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Samoa overtook Tonga in the NationsTree Index in 2024 and has stayed ahead since.
Samoa overtook Tonga in GDP per person (PPP) in 2023 and has stayed ahead since.
Tonga overtook Samoa in life expectancy in 2011 and has stayed ahead since.
Samoa has been ahead of Tonga 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
SamoaTonga 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 | Samoa | Tonga |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 2,840173rd/216 · 2024 | 749183rd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 2,780171st/216 · 2024 | 720183rd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 219,306182nd/217 · 2025 | 103,742193rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.59%130th/217 · 2025 | -0.42%195th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 78.4125th/216 · 2024 | 144.781st/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 17.5%215th/217 · 2025 | 21.2%211th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 38.1%32nd/217 · 2025 | 34.9%52nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 6.1%137th/217 · 2025 | 6.9%127th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $1.29 bn196th/210 · 2025 | $679.2 m203rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $2.04 bn187th/199 · 2025 | $899.9 m193rd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.75 bn187th/199 · 2025 | $769.0 m193rd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $5,873131st/210 · 2025 | $6,547126th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $9,319142nd/199 · 2025 | $8,675146th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $5,640123rd/201 · 2025 | $6,840112th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.2%75th/210 · 2025 | 2.8%123rd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 2.2%66th/180 · 2025 | 5.6%142nd/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 5.0%86th/187 · 2025 | 2.0%17th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 43.1%19th/55 · 2020 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 21.2%20th/189 · 2025 | 26.9%27th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | 4.7%8th/192 · 2025 | 1.2%27th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 9.1%74th/197 · 2025 | 18.6%40th/197 · 2024 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 10.2%183rd/200 · 2025 | 17.7%144th/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 4.9%154th/192 · 2025 | 5.5%146th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 72.1%26th/200 · 2025 | 49.5%147th/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $355.7 m169th/182 · 2025 | $109.4 m179th/182 · 2024 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $553.9 m175th/182 · 2025 | $392.9 m176th/182 · 2024 |
| Exports % of GDP | 27.6%117th/183 · 2025 | 16.9%155th/183 · 2024 |
| Imports % of GDP | 43.0%94th/183 · 2025 | 60.7%55th/183 · 2024 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 70.6%112th/183 · 2025 | 77.6%101st/183 · 2024 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 33.3%28th/170 · 2024 | 0.0%156th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 39.4%76th/171 · 2024 | 84.2%13th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 24.8%57th/171 · 2024 | 15.0%91st/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.3%125th/171 · 2024 | 0.7%141st/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 76.7%2nd/168 · 2024 | 28.5%18th/168 · 2023 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 5.7%32nd/191 · 2025 | -4.3%135th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.2%169th/196 · 2025 | 2.6%78th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.3%146th/209 · 2021 | 0.0%166th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.28%83rd/209 · 2021 | 0.04%131st/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 4.1%146th/206 · 2024 | 30.3%28th/206 · 2024 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 23,900185th/194 · 2020 | 94,000164th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $23.1 m161st/175 · 2020 | $47.7 m157th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 19.8%34th/168 · 2020 | 47.8%16th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 18,500104th/107 · 2020 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 71.8139th/217 · 2024 | 73.1124th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 14.998th/196 · 2024 | 9.570th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.56118th/174 · 2021 | 1.01105th/174 · 2021 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.02005 | 2.52010 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 85%132nd/193 · 2024 | 99%1st/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 92.3%41st/153 · 2022 | 94.2%32nd/153 · 2021 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 87.4%2016 | 92.4%90th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 33.6%2008 | — |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 10.9%124th/217 · 2025 | 11.8%117th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 6.8%91st/193 · 2023 | 7.4%78th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 98.0%2019 | 99.5%11th/98 · 2023 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 16.0%127th/150 · 2024 | 42.9%91st/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.708122nd/193 · 2023 | 0.76992nd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 38.72013 | 27.111th/108 · 2021 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 4.5%2013 | 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 | 62.5%100th/150 · 2024 | 29.6%131st/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 44.1%91st/144 · 2024 | 31.2%109th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 21.2%2014 | 67.4%128th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 62190th/210 · 2022 | 62192nd/210 · 2022 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.9171st/208 · 2022 | 8.2124th/208 · 2022 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 42,120144th/161 · 2023 | 75,4162004 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 1.6079th/203 · 2024 | 1.6381st/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 35.9%67th/212 · 2022 | 2.3%178th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 4.69th/200 · 2023 | 4.711th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 57.6%38th/214 · 2024 | 12.1%155th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 3072007 | 5432007 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 56.588th/205 · 2025 | 51.1112th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 61.353rd/207 · 2025 | 39.6127th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 76.133rd/207 · 2025 | 71.448th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 89.011th/207 · 2025 | 88.614th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 54.2100th/205 · 2025 | 51.1116th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 74.544th/205 · 2025 | 72.553rd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 6.32018 | 0.940th/145 · 2019 |
| Military | ||
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 7.0 m2019 | 7.0 m2020 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1126th/137 · 2021 | 5117th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 22171st/197 · 2023 | 5187th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Samoa or Tonga?
Samoa has the larger population: 219,306 (2025) compared with 103,742 for Tonga (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Samoa or Tonga?
Samoa is larger: 2,840 km² (2024) compared with 749 km² for Tonga (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Samoa or Tonga?
Samoa has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $2.04 bn intl. (2025) compared with $899.9 m intl. for Tonga (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Samoa or Tonga?
Samoa has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $9,319 intl. (2025) compared with $8,675 intl. for Tonga (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Samoa or Tonga?
Tonga has the higher life expectancy at birth: 73.1 years (2024) compared with 71.8 years for Samoa (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Samoa or Tonga?
Samoa: 50.2 points (87th in the world); Tonga: 48.9 points (93rd). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Solomon Islands
Timor-Leste
Vanuatu
Kiribati
Micronesia
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). Samoa vs Tonga — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/samoa-vs-tonga. Data as of 26 October 2026.