Tonga Regulatory Quality
Regulatory Quality RQ.EST
Tonga's regulatory quality was -0.40 in 2025, ranked 127th globally. This represents a 1.1% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 2004–2025.
Overview
Tonga's regulatory quality stood at -0.40 in 2025, a decline of +0.00 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach -0.40 by 2025. Tonga ranked 127th globally.
Tonga’s regulatory quality score, measured by the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators, stood at –0.40 in 2025, placing the nation 127th among the 193 economies assessed. The index, which aggregates perceptions of the ability of the government to formulate and implement sound policies and regulations, improved from a trough of –0.79 in 2008 to a peak of –0.32 in 2021, before slipping modestly in the most recent year. Over the 21‑year coverage period the average trajectory has been upward, reflecting gradual reforms in business licensing, environmental standards and public‑sector accountability, yet the score remains below the regional peers of Kenya (–0.40) and Senegal (–0.42). The modest decline after 2021 suggests that recent fiscal pressures or administrative bottlenecks may be offsetting earlier gains. Continued investment in digital governance platforms and transparent rule‑making could help reverse the recent dip and sustain a longer‑term improvement in regulatory quality.
Data & projection
| Year | Regulatory Quality | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | -0.41 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | -0.40 | - | - |
| 2025 | -0.40 | −0.00 | #127 |
| 2023 | -0.39 | −0.05 | #126 |
| 2022 | -0.35 | −0.03 | #120 |
| 2021 | -0.32 | +0.06 | #118 |
| 2020 | -0.38 | −0.06 | #125 |
| 2019 | -0.32 | +0.04 | #118 |
| 2018 | -0.36 | +0.04 | #124 |
| 2017 | -0.41 | +0.03 | #130 |
| 2016 | -0.43 | −0.01 | #128 |
| 2015 | -0.42 | +0.00 | #125 |
| 2014 | -0.43 | +0.23 | #127 |
| 2013 | -0.66 | −0.01 | #145 |
| 2012 | -0.65 | −0.05 | #144 |
| 2011 | -0.60 | −0.02 | #142 |
| 2010 | -0.58 | −0.00 | #139 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Tonga matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2022. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw regulatory quality improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Tonga's regulatory quality was -0.40 in 2025. Ranked 127th globally. This represents a 1.1% decrease from the previous year.
Tonga's regulatory quality peaked at -0.32 in 2021.
The lowest regulatory quality in Tonga was -0.79 in 2008.
Tonga ranks 127th globally in regulatory quality as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RQ.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Tonga's regulatory quality is projected to reach -0.40 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The regulatory quality of Tonga in 2025 was -0.40. This ranks 127th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_tonga_regulatory-quality,
title = {Tonga Regulatory Quality},
url = {https://historysaid.com/tonga/regulatory-quality/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}