Tonga: Merchandise imports (current US$)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Tonga's merchandise imports (current US$) fell 13.6% on 2024 (from US$295 million to US$255 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +5.3% and a typical year strayed about 9.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 54.5% in 1974 and the biggest yearly fall was 25% in 1961. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about US$6.05 million a year. A straight line explains 65% 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 2025, Tonga had the 199th highest value of the 204 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 2025 ranking

• Comoros — 196th of 204: US$371 million
• Micronesia, Fed. Sts. — 197th of 204: US$310 million
• Dominica — 198th of 204: US$259 million
• São Tomé and Principe — 200th of 204: US$183 million
• Palau — 201st of 204: US$162 million
• Marshall Islands — 202nd of 204: US$111 million

What this measures

Merchandise imports includes goods whose economic ownership is changed from a non-resident to a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.

Limitations: The value of imports is generally recorded as the cost of the goods when purchased by the importer plus the cost of transport and insurance to the frontier of the importing country - the cost, insurance, and freight (c.i.f.) value, corresponding to the landed cost at the point of entry of foreign goods into the country. A few countries collect import data on a free on board (f.o.b.) basis and adjust them for freight and insurance costs. Countries may report trade according to the general or special system of trade. Under the general system imports include goods imported for domestic consumption and imports into bonded warehouses and free trade zones.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a gap-filled total.

All 66 values

Merchandise imports (current US$) in nearby economies

• American Samoa — US$678 million (2025)
• Australia — US$310.63 billion (2025)
• Brunei Darussalam — US$6.04 billion (2025)
• Cambodia — US$33.89 billion (2025)
• China — US$2.58 trillion (2025)
• Fiji — US$3.25 billion (2025)
• French Polynesia — US$2.45 billion (2025)
• Guam — US$937 million (2025)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — US$831.83 billion (2025)
• Indonesia — US$241.86 billion (2025)
• Japan

More private sector & trade data for Tonga

• Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$13 million (2025)
• Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — 39.46% (2025)
• Computer, communications and other services (% of commercial service imports) — 32.75% (2025)
• Commercial service imports (current US$) — US$169.35 million (2025)
• Transport services (% of commercial service imports) — 24.33% (2025)
• Travel services (% of commercial service imports) — 40.27% (2025)
• Computer, communications and other services (% of commercial service exports) — 11.76% (2025)
• Commercial service exports (current US$) — US$102.8 million (2025)
• Transport services (% of commercial service exports)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Tonga's merchandise imports (current US$)?

US$255 million in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 6,275% from US$4 million in 1960 (6.6% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$295 million in 2024 and the lowest US$3 million in 1961.

How does Tonga rank?

199th highest of 204 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in merchandise imports (current US$) unusual for Tonga?

In 2025, Tonga's merchandise imports (current US$) fell 13.6% on 2024 (from US$295 million to US$255 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +5.3% and a typical year strayed about 9.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator TM.VAL.MRCH.CD.WT, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: World Trade Organization (WTO) 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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