Tonga Demographics: Median age, Gender, Race, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Tonga vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Tonga	World
1960	17.1	22.5
1961	17.1	22.5
1962	17.1	22.4
1963	17	22.2
1964	17	22
1965	17	21.8
1966	17	21.7
1967	17	21.6
1968	16.9	21.5
1969	16.8	21.5
1970	16.8	21.4
1971	16.7	21.4
1972	16.7	21.5
1973	16.8	21.5
1974	16.8	21.6
1975	16.7	21.7
1976	16.7	21.9
1977	16.8	22
1978	17.1	22.2
1979	17.3	22.3
1980	17.4	22.5
1981	17.6	22.6
1982	17.8	22.7
1983	17.9	22.9
1984	18	23
1985	18.1	23.2
1986	18.2	23.3
1987	18.3	23.4
1988	18.6	23.6
1989	18.9	23.8
1990	19.1	23.9
1991	19.3	24.1
1992	19.5	24.3
1993	19.6	24.5
1994	19.6	24.7
1995	19.6	25
1996	19.6	25.2
1997	19.7	25.4
1998	19.9	25.7
1999	20.1	25.9
2000	20.3	26.1
2001	20.5	26.3
2002	20.7	26.5
2003	20.8	26.7
2004	20.8	27
2005	20.8	27.2
2006	20.8	27.4
2007	20.9	27.6
2008	21	27.8
2009	21.1	28
2010	21.2	28.2
2011	21.2	28.4
2012	21.4	28.6
2013	21.6	28.9
2014	21.7	29.1
2015	21.8	29.3
2016	21.9	29.5
2017	21.9	29.8
2018	22	30
2019	22	30.3
2020	22.1	30.6
2021	22.1	30.8
2022	22	31
2023	21.9	31.3
2024	21.9	31.6
2025	21.8	31.9
2026	22	32.1
2027	22.1	32.3
2028	22.3	32.6
2029	22.5	32.8
2030	22.6	33
2031	22.8	33.2
2032	23.1	33.4
2033	23.3	33.6
2034	23.6	33.8
2035	23.9	34
2036	24.1	34.2
2037	24.4	34.4
2038	24.7	34.6
2039	25	34.8
2040	25.3	35
2041	25.6	35.2
2042	25.9	35.4
2043	26.1	35.6
2044	26.3	35.8
2045	26.5	36
2046	26.7	36.2
2047	26.9	36.4
2048	27.1	36.6
2049	27.3	36.8
2050	27.5	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Tonga was 17.1 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 21.9 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 168th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Tonga ranks 149th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Tonga is expected to increase to around 27.5 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Tonga demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Tonga
	Male	Female
0-4	5.84%	5.4%
5-9	6.05%	5.67%
10-14	6.42%	6.02%
15-19	5.54%	5.55%
20-24	4.32%	4.79%
25-29	2.4%	3.61%
30-34	2.05%	3.09%
35-39	2.01%	3.07%
40-44	2.11%	2.93%
45-49	2.07%	2.53%
50-54	2.13%	2.46%
55-59	2.05%	2.16%
60-64	1.43%	1.58%
65-69	1.07%	1.3%
70-74	0.77%	1.02%
75-79	0.53%	0.74%
80+	0.46%	0.82%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Tonga has average demographic potential with 66.8% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 62/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Tonga			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	95.4%	89.3%	6.08%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	95.5%	89.4%	6.04%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	95.6%	89.6%	6.03%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	95.9%	89.9%	6.04%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	96.1%	90.1%	6.06%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	96.3%	90.2%	6.08%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	96.2%	90.1%	6.11%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	96.6%	90.5%	6.15%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	97.4%	91.2%	6.18%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	97.9%	91.7%	6.22%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	98.2%	91.9%	6.26%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	98.3%	92%	6.29%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	98.1%	91.8%	6.32%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	97.7%	91.4%	6.33%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	97.5%	91.2%	6.34%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	97.6%	91.2%	6.33%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	97.3%	90.9%	6.33%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	96.1%	89.7%	6.36%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	94.4%	88%	6.43%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	92.9%	86.4%	6.51%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	91.5%	84.9%	6.6%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	90.2%	83.5%	6.72%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	88.8%	82%	6.85%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	87.4%	80.4%	7%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	86.2%	79%	7.19%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	85.3%	77.9%	7.4%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	84.7%	77.1%	7.6%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	84.1%	76.4%	7.76%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	83.3%	75.5%	7.86%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	82.8%	74.8%	7.96%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	82.5%	74.4%	8.1%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	82.3%	74%	8.27%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	82.2%	73.7%	8.46%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	82%	73.4%	8.68%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	81.8%	72.9%	8.88%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	81.5%	72.5%	9.08%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	81.2%	71.9%	9.29%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	80.4%	71%	9.44%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	79.3%	69.8%	9.5%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	78.4%	68.8%	9.55%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	77.7%	68.1%	9.6%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	77.3%	67.7%	9.66%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	77.3%	67.5%	9.74%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	77.5%	67.7%	9.85%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	78%	68%	9.99%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	78.4%	68.3%	10.1%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	78.7%	68.5%	10.2%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	78.5%	68.3%	10.2%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	77.9%	67.7%	10.2%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	77.2%	67%	10.2%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	76.5%	66.3%	10.2%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	76.2%	65.9%	10.3%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	76%	65.5%	10.4%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	75.7%	65.2%	10.5%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	75.3%	64.8%	10.5%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	74.6%	64.1%	10.5%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	74%	63.5%	10.5%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	73.7%	63.2%	10.5%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	73.5%	62.8%	10.7%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	73.1%	62.3%	10.8%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	72.7%	61.8%	10.9%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	72.6%	61.5%	11.1%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	72.8%	61.6%	11.2%	54%	39%	15%
2023	73.1%	61.7%	11.4%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	72.8%	61.2%	11.6%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in Tonga decreased from 78% to 72.8% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Tonga working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Tonga	World
1960	51.2%	57.6%
1961	51.2%	57.5%
1962	51.1%	57.4%
1963	51%	57.2%
1964	51%	57%
1965	51%	56.9%
1966	51%	56.8%
1967	50.9%	56.9%
1968	50.7%	56.9%
1969	50.5%	56.9%
1970	50.5%	57%
1971	50.4%	57.1%
1972	50.5%	57.2%
1973	50.6%	57.3%
1974	50.6%	57.3%
1975	50.6%	57.4%
1976	50.7%	57.5%
1977	51%	57.7%
1978	51.4%	58%
1979	51.8%	58.4%
1980	52.2%	58.7%
1981	52.6%	59%
1982	53%	59.3%
1983	53.4%	59.6%
1984	53.7%	59.9%
1985	54%	60.1%
1986	54.1%	60.4%
1987	54.3%	60.5%
1988	54.5%	60.7%
1989	54.7%	60.8%
1990	54.8%	60.9%
1991	54.9%	61%
1992	54.9%	61.1%
1993	54.9%	61.2%
1994	55%	61.3%
1995	55.1%	61.5%
1996	55.2%	61.7%
1997	55.4%	61.9%
1998	55.8%	62.2%
1999	56.1%	62.5%
2000	56.3%	62.8%
2001	56.4%	63.1%
2002	56.4%	63.4%
2003	56.3%	63.7%
2004	56.2%	64%
2005	56.1%	64.3%
2006	56%	64.5%
2007	56%	64.7%
2008	56.2%	64.9%
2009	56.4%	65%
2010	56.6%	65.1%
2011	56.8%	65.2%
2012	56.8%	65.2%
2013	56.9%	65.2%
2014	57.1%	65.2%
2015	57.3%	65.1%
2016	57.5%	65.1%
2017	57.6%	65%
2018	57.6%	64.9%
2019	57.8%	64.9%
2020	57.9%	64.8%
2021	57.9%	64.9%
2022	57.9%	64.9%
2023	57.8%	65%
2024	57.9%	65.1%
2025	58.2%	65.2%
2026	58.6%	65.3%
2027	59.1%	65.4%
2028	59.5%	65.4%
2029	60%	65.4%
2030	60.4%	65.4%
2031	60.7%	65.4%
2032	60.8%	65.4%
2033	60.8%	65.4%
2034	60.6%	65.3%
2035	60.5%	65.2%
2036	60.4%	65%
2037	60.4%	64.9%
2038	60.3%	64.7%
2039	60.3%	64.6%
2040	60.2%	64.5%
2041	60.1%	64.4%
2042	60.1%	64.3%
2043	60.1%	64.2%
2044	60%	64.1%
2045	60%	63.9%
2046	60.1%	63.8%
2047	60.2%	63.7%
2048	60.3%	63.6%
2049	60.4%	63.4%
2050	60.7%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Tonga changed from 56.2% to 57.9% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Tonga	World
1960	45.7%	37.4%
1961	45.7%	37.5%
1962	45.8%	37.6%
1963	45.9%	37.8%
1964	45.9%	38%
1965	45.9%	38%
1966	45.9%	38%
1967	46%	38%
1968	46.2%	37.9%
1969	46.3%	37.8%
1970	46.4%	37.7%
1971	46.4%	37.6%
1972	46.3%	37.5%
1973	46.2%	37.3%
1974	46.2%	37.2%
1975	46.2%	37.1%
1976	46.1%	36.9%
1977	45.8%	36.7%
1978	45.3%	36.3%
1979	44.8%	35.9%
1980	44.3%	35.5%
1981	43.9%	35.2%
1982	43.4%	34.9%
1983	42.9%	34.6%
1984	42.4%	34.3%
1985	42%	34%
1986	41.7%	33.8%
1987	41.5%	33.6%
1988	41.2%	33.4%
1989	40.9%	33.2%
1990	40.8%	33%
1991	40.6%	32.9%
1992	40.5%	32.7%
1993	40.3%	32.5%
1994	40.1%	32.3%
1995	39.9%	32.1%
1996	39.7%	31.8%
1997	39.3%	31.5%
1998	38.9%	31.1%
1999	38.6%	30.8%
2000	38.3%	30.4%
2001	38.2%	30%
2002	38.1%	29.6%
2003	38.1%	29.2%
2004	38.2%	28.8%
2005	38.3%	28.5%
2006	38.3%	28.1%
2007	38.3%	27.9%
2008	38%	27.6%
2009	37.8%	27.5%
2010	37.6%	27.3%
2011	37.4%	27.1%
2012	37.2%	27%
2013	37.1%	26.9%
2014	36.9%	26.8%
2015	36.7%	26.6%
2016	36.5%	26.5%
2017	36.4%	26.4%
2018	36.2%	26.2%
2019	36%	26%
2020	35.8%	25.8%
2021	35.7%	25.6%
2022	35.6%	25.3%
2023	35.6%	25%
2024	35.4%	24.7%
2025	34.9%	24.4%
2026	34.4%	24.1%
2027	33.8%	23.8%
2028	33.3%	23.4%
2029	32.6%	23.1%
2030	32%	22.8%
2031	31.6%	22.6%
2032	31.2%	22.3%
2033	31%	22.1%
2034	30.8%	21.9%
2035	30.7%	21.7%
2036	30.5%	21.6%
2037	30.4%	21.5%
2038	30.3%	21.4%
2039	30.2%	21.3%
2040	30.1%	21.2%
2041	30.1%	21.1%
2042	30%	21%
2043	30%	21%
2044	29.9%	20.9%
2045	29.8%	20.8%
2046	29.6%	20.7%
2047	29.5%	20.7%
2048	29.2%	20.6%
2049	29%	20.5%
2050	28.7%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Tonga decreased from 38.2% to 35.4% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Tonga	World
1960	3.11%	4.97%
1961	3.09%	4.99%
1962	3.08%	5.01%
1963	3.08%	5.02%
1964	3.09%	5.04%
1965	3.1%	5.08%
1966	3.11%	5.12%
1967	3.13%	5.16%
1968	3.13%	5.2%
1969	3.14%	5.24%
1970	3.16%	5.28%
1971	3.17%	5.32%
1972	3.19%	5.37%
1973	3.2%	5.42%
1974	3.21%	5.47%
1975	3.2%	5.53%
1976	3.21%	5.59%
1977	3.24%	5.65%
1978	3.31%	5.71%
1979	3.37%	5.77%
1980	3.45%	5.81%
1981	3.53%	5.81%
1982	3.63%	5.8%
1983	3.74%	5.79%
1984	3.86%	5.8%
1985	3.99%	5.82%
1986	4.12%	5.86%
1987	4.21%	5.91%
1988	4.29%	5.95%
1989	4.36%	6.01%
1990	4.44%	6.07%
1991	4.54%	6.14%
1992	4.65%	6.21%
1993	4.77%	6.29%
1994	4.89%	6.37%
1995	5%	6.45%
1996	5.13%	6.53%
1997	5.23%	6.61%
1998	5.3%	6.68%
1999	5.35%	6.76%
2000	5.4%	6.84%
2001	5.45%	6.92%
2002	5.5%	7.01%
2003	5.55%	7.1%
2004	5.61%	7.18%
2005	5.67%	7.26%
2006	5.7%	7.34%
2007	5.73%	7.41%
2008	5.74%	7.47%
2009	5.74%	7.52%
2010	5.77%	7.58%
2011	5.85%	7.66%
2012	5.94%	7.78%
2013	5.99%	7.92%
2014	6%	8.08%
2015	6.01%	8.26%
2016	6.03%	8.45%
2017	6.07%	8.65%
2018	6.15%	8.88%
2019	6.24%	9.1%
2020	6.34%	9.33%
2021	6.42%	9.53%
2022	6.5%	9.74%
2023	6.6%	9.98%
2024	6.72%	10.2%
2025	6.86%	10.4%
2026	6.99%	10.6%
2027	7.1%	10.8%
2028	7.21%	11.1%
2029	7.33%	11.5%
2030	7.52%	11.7%
2031	7.77%	12%
2032	8.01%	12.3%
2033	8.26%	12.6%
2034	8.55%	12.8%
2035	8.81%	13.1%
2036	9.06%	13.4%
2037	9.26%	13.7%
2038	9.41%	13.9%
2039	9.55%	14.1%
2040	9.68%	14.3%
2041	9.8%	14.5%
2042	9.89%	14.7%
2043	9.98%	14.9%
2044	10.1%	15%
2045	10.2%	15.2%
2046	10.3%	15.4%
2047	10.4%	15.7%
2048	10.5%	15.9%
2049	10.6%	16.1%
2050	10.7%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Tonga increased from 5.61% to 6.72% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.