Tonga Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Tonga's industry employment was 23.34% in 2025, ranked 130th globally. This represents a 0.2% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Tonga's industry employment stood at 23.34% in 2025, a rise of +0.05% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 21.46% by 2026. Tonga ranked 130th globally.
Tonga’s share of the labour force employed in industry fell to 23.34 percent in 2025, placing the kingdom 130th in the World Bank’s global ranking and positioning it between Japan (23.23 percent) and Korea (23.38 percent). This marks a continued decline from the early‑1990s, when industry employment stood at 28.49 percent, and from the all‑time peak of 30.40 percent recorded in 2002. The most recent trough occurred in 2023 at 23.04 percent, indicating that the 2025 figure, although marginally higher, remains well below historical highs. Over the 35‑year coverage period, the downward trajectory reflects structural shifts toward services and the limited scale of Tonga’s manufacturing base. If diversification policies succeed in expanding value‑added processing and attracting foreign investment, the proportion of workers in industry could stabilise or modestly rise, altering the long‑term decline.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 19.49% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 20.47% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 21.46% | - | - |
| 2025 | 23.34% | +0.05% | #130 |
| 2024 | 23.29% | +0.25% | #129 |
| 2023 | 23.04% | −1.86% | #128 |
| 2022 | 24.90% | −2.55% | #140 |
| 2021 | 27.44% | +0.66% | #158 |
| 2020 | 26.78% | +0.41% | #156 |
| 2019 | 26.37% | +0.27% | #153 |
| 2018 | 26.10% | +0.10% | #153 |
| 2017 | 26.01% | +0.45% | #154 |
| 2016 | 25.55% | −0.17% | #148 |
| 2015 | 25.72% | +0.00% | #151 |
| 2014 | 25.72% | +0.28% | #148 |
| 2013 | 25.44% | −0.32% | #146 |
| 2012 | 25.76% | −0.11% | #151 |
| 2011 | 25.87% | +1.24% | #150 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Tonga matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2022. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Tonga's industry employment was 23.34% in 2025. Ranked 130th globally. This represents a 0.2% increase from the previous year.
Tonga's industry employment peaked at 30.40% in 2002.
The lowest industry employment in Tonga was 23.04% in 2023.
Tonga ranks 130th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Tonga's industry employment is projected to reach 21.46% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of Tonga in 2025 was 23.34%. This ranks 130th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_tonga_industry-employment,
title = {Tonga Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/tonga/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}