If you lived in Tonga instead of Ethiopia, you would:

Health

live 5.5 years longer

In Ethiopia, the average life expectancy is 68 years (64 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024. In Tonga, that number is 73 years (70 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 6.0 times more spent on your healthcare

Ethiopia spends $86 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Tonga spends $512 as of 2023.

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have 7.1 times more doctors per person

Ethiopia has 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Tonga has 10.1 as of 2021.

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have 62.9% more access to essential health services

Ethiopia scores 35 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Tonga scores 57 as of 2021.

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be 22.1% less likely to die by suicide

Ethiopia has a suicide rate of 6.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Tonga, it is 4.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 25.3 times more likely to be obese

In Ethiopia, 2.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Tonga, that number is 73.8% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 39.5% less likely to be unemployed

In Ethiopia, 3.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Tonga, that number is 2.0% as of 2025.

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be 37.8% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Ethiopia, 33.1% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Tonga, however, that number is 20.6% as of 2021.

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make 7.0 times more money

Ethiopia has a GDP per capita of $933 as of 2025, while in Tonga, the GDP per capita is $6,547 as of 2025.

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Life

be 65.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In Ethiopia, approximately 195.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Tonga, 67.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 64.5% more likely to be literate

In Ethiopia, the literacy rate is 60.5% as of 2022. In Tonga, it is 99.5% as of 2023.

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be 77.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Ethiopia, approximately 34.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Tonga, on the other hand, 7.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 26.8% fewer children

In Ethiopia, there are approximately 31.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Tonga, there are 23.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 80.5% more likely to have access to electricity

In Ethiopia, approximately 55% of people have electricity access (95% in urban areas, and 44% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Tonga, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 3.1 times more likely to have internet access

In Ethiopia, approximately 21.9% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Tonga, about 67.4% do as of 2024.

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be 77.8% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Ethiopia, approximately 56% of people have access to drinking water (83% in urban areas, and 47% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Tonga, that number is 99% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 2.3 times more on education

Ethiopia spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Tonga spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 2.6 times more on healthcare

Ethiopia spends 2.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Tonga, that number is 7.4% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 52.0% less likely to die in a road accident

In Ethiopia, road accidents kill 17.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Tonga, they kill 8.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 13.8 times more home broadband

Ethiopia has 0.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Tonga has 8.2 as of 2022.

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Environment

be 47.8% less likely to die from air pollution

In Ethiopia, air pollution causes 46.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Tonga, it causes 24.0 as of 2019.

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emit 10.9 times more CO2

Ethiopia emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Tonga emits 1.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Tonga: At a glance

Tonga is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 717 sq km. Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
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How big is Tonga compared to Ethiopia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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