Tonga: Expense (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Tonga's expense (current LCU) fell 4.2% on 2022 (from 505.15 million to 483.79 million).

Across the 9 yearly changes before that (2014 to 2022), the average change was +10% and a typical year strayed about 5.4% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 18.6% in 2022 and the biggest yearly fall was 4.2% in 2023. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 28.67 million a year. A straight line explains 94% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2023, Tonga had the 80th highest value of the 80 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Tonga in the 2023 ranking

• Bahamas, The — 76th of 80: 3.11 billion
• Samoa — 77th of 80: 761.33 million
• San Marino — 78th of 80: 759.13 million
• Kiribati — 80th of 80: 367.36 million

What this measures

Expense is a decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

All 11 values

Expense (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Australia — 644.6 billion (2022)
• Cambodia — 22.54 trillion (2023)
• Fiji — 3.42 billion (2023)
• Japan — 117.32 trillion (2022)
• Kiribati — 367.36 million (2023)
• Korea, Rep. — 682.2 trillion (2023)
• Lao PDR — 22.4 trillion (2022)
• Macao SAR, China — 72.06 billion (2023)
• Malaysia — 310.25 billion (2023)
• Marshall Islands — 143.73 million (2020)
• Micronesia, Fed. Sts. — 87.36 million (2020)
• Mongolia

More public sector data for Tonga

• CPIA business regulatory environment rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3 (2025)
• CPIA debt policy rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3 (2025)
• CPIA economic management cluster average (1=low to 6=high) — 3.33 (2025)
• CPIA policy and institutions for environmental sustainability rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3 (2025)
• CPIA quality of budgetary and financial management rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3.5 (2025)
• CPIA financial sector rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3.5 (2025)
• CPIA fiscal policy rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3.5 (2025)
• CPIA gender equality rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3 (2025)
• CPIA building human resources rating (1=low to 6=high)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Tonga's expense (current LCU)?

483.79 million in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2013?

It is up 123.37% from 216.59 million in 2013 (8.37% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 505.15 million in 2022 and the lowest 216.59 million in 2013.

How does Tonga rank?

80th highest of 80 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in expense (current LCU) unusual for Tonga?

In 2023, Tonga's expense (current LCU) fell 4.2% on 2022 (from 505.15 million to 483.79 million). Across the 9 yearly changes before that (2014 to 2022), the average change was +10% and a typical year strayed about 5.4% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Where does this data come from?

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.XPN.TOTL.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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