Tonga: Trade Profile

Foreign Trade in Figures

Tonga is a country open to foreign trade, which represented 73% of the country's GDP in 2021 (World Bank, 2023). The country is a member of the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA), the South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (SPARTECA), and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Agricultural and food products, including fish, make up more than two-thirds of total exports. The main imports are Refined Petroleum (11.4% of all imports in 2021), poultry meat (4.53%), cars (2.89%), sheep and goat meat (2.56%) and saw wood (2.35%). Customs duties remain relatively low (the average applied tariff rate is 5.5%), and there are no major trade barriers. The major export partners of Tonga are United States (22% of all exports in 2021), South Africa (17.8%), New Zealand (15.3%), Australia (13.2%) and South Korea with 10.6% (OEC, 2023). The country main suppliers are New Zealand (35.8% of all imports), China (20.2%), Fidji (17.7%) and Australia with 6.1% (OEC, 2023).

The archipelago imports much more than it exports. As a result, it suffers from chronic trade deficit, which should continue in the coming years despite substantial international aid. In 2021, Tonga exported 16 million USD and imported 276 million USD in goods (WTO and World Bank, 2023), resulting in a deficit of 198 million USD. According to figures from the World Bank, Tonga’s overall trade deficit stood at 25.6% of the country’s GDP in 2020.

Foreign Trade Indicators	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Imports of Goods (million USD)	230	238	229	246	245
Exports of Goods (million USD)	13	20	15	16	14
Imports of Services (million USD)	105	106	100	78	113
Exports of Services (million USD)	91	97	82	42	44
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change)	-1	5	-4	-13	n/a
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change)	1	-3	-6	-49	n/a
Trade Balance (million USD)	-203	-206	-191	-198	-201
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP)	88	87	86	73	n/a
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP)	66	65	65	61	n/a
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP)	21	22	21	13	n/a

Source: WTO – World Trade Organisation ; World Bank - Latest available data.

To go further, check out our service Import controls and Export Controls

To go further, check out our service Import Export Flows

Main Services

0.0 bn USD of services exported in 2022
Computer and information servicesComputer and information services	34.50%
TransportationTransportation	22.88%
TravelTravel +	21.65%
Personal travelPersonal travel	19.11%
OtherOther	55.48%
Business travelBusiness travel	2.53%
Other business servicesOther business services	15.20%
Government servicesGovernment services	4.52%
Construction servicesConstruction services	1.20%
Cultural and recreational servicesCultural and recreational services	0.05%

0.1 bn USD of services imported in 2022
TransportationTransportation	46.36%
TravelTravel +	19.15%
Personal travelPersonal travel	11.37%
OtherOther	34.49%
Business travelBusiness travel	7.78%
Other business servicesOther business services	15.70%
Computer and information servicesComputer and information services	9.06%
Government servicesGovernment services	7.82%
Insurance servicesInsurance services	1.01%
Cultural and recreational servicesCultural and recreational services	0.85%
Construction servicesConstruction services	0.03%
Financial servicesFinancial services	0.02%

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, Latest Available Data

List of tariffs and local taxes that apply to your product on our service Customs duties

Trade Compliance

International Conventions: Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Useful Resources: Tonga Revenue Services
National Organisation of Intellectual Property: The Registry and Intellectual Property Office (RIPO), Ministry of Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Any Comment About This Content? Report It to Us.