Tonga Current Account Balance
Current account balance as % of GDP BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS
Tonga's current account balance was -5.20% in 2025, ranked 143rd globally. This represents a 22.6% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1975–2025.
Overview
Tonga's current account balance stood at -5.20% in 2025, a rise of +1.52% from 2024. The IMF projects -5.20% by 2025. Tonga ranked 143rd globally.
Tonga’s current‑account balance has been persistently negative in recent years, registering a deficit of ‑5.20 percent of GDP in 2025, which places the nation at rank 143 globally. This follows a long‑term decline from a modest surplus of 0.75 percent in 1975 and a historic peak of 11.25 percent in 1990, when export earnings from tourism and fisheries briefly outpaced import growth. The sharpest downturn occurred in 2009, when the balance fell to a trough of ‑30.04 percent amid the global financial crisis and a collapse in commodity prices, a pattern mirrored in other small, open economies such as Uganda (‑5.04) and Egypt (‑5.11). Over the 51‑year coverage period, the persistent deficits reflect structural trade imbalances, limited diversification, and vulnerability to external shocks. If Tonga can broaden its export base, improve fiscal discipline and attract higher‑value foreign investment, the current‑account trajectory could gradually shift toward modest surpluses in the medium term.
Data & projection
| Year | Current Account Balance | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2030* IMF | -6.93% | - | - |
| 2029* IMF | -6.92% | - | - |
| 2028* IMF | -6.84% | - | - |
| 2027* IMF | -6.35% | - | - |
| 2026* IMF | -6.39% | - | - |
| 2025* IMF | -5.20% | - | - |
| 2025 | -5.20% | +1.52% | #143 |
| 2024 | -6.72% | −0.80% | #39 |
| 2023 | -7.93% | −2.54% | #35 |
| 2022 | -8.46% | −2.18% | #48 |
| 2021 | -9.55% | −3.81% | #35 |
| 2020 | -6.63% | −2.81% | #50 |
| 2019 | -7.78% | −0.76% | #39 |
| 2018 | -7.25% | −0.12% | #42 |
| 2017 | -7.60% | −0.12% | #37 |
| 2016 | -8.25% | +2.68% | #38 |
| 2015 | -10.92% | −4.67% | #32 |
| 2014 | -6.27% | +3.33% | #59 |
| 2013 | -9.47% | +6.92% | #43 |
| 2012 | -14.82% | +5.43% | #23 |
| 2011 | -20.25% | +3.57% | #11 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Tonga matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2022. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw current account balance improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Tonga's current account balance was -5.20% in 2025. Ranked 143rd globally. This represents a 22.6% increase from the previous year.
Tonga's current account balance peaked at 11.25% in 1990.
The lowest current account balance in Tonga was -30.04% in 2009.
Tonga ranks 143rd globally in current account balance as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Tonga's current account balance is projected to reach -5.20% by 2025 based on IMF projection.
The current account balance of Tonga in 2025 was -5.20%. This ranks 143rd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_tonga_current-account,
title = {Tonga Current Account Balance},
url = {https://historysaid.com/tonga/current-account/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}