If you lived in Tonga instead of French Polynesia, you would:

Health

live 11.1 years less

In French Polynesia, the average life expectancy is 84 years (82 years for men, 87 years for women) as of 2024. In Tonga, that number is 73 years (70 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 50.2% more likely to be obese

In French Polynesia, 49.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Tonga, that number is 73.8% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 82.8% less likely to be unemployed

In French Polynesia, 11.7% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Tonga, that number is 2.0% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

make 70.8% less money

French Polynesia has a GDP per capita of $22,440 as of 2024, while in Tonga, the GDP per capita is $6,547 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

have 2.2 times more children

In French Polynesia, there are approximately 10.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Tonga, there are 23.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 77.3% more likely to die during infancy

In French Polynesia, approximately 4.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Tonga, on the other hand, 7.8 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Geography

see 83.4% less coastline

French Polynesia has a total of 2,525 km of coastline. In Tonga, that number is 419 km.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

find 77.0% less home broadband

French Polynesia has 35.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Tonga has 8.2 as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Environment

emit 52.9% less CO2

French Polynesia emits 3.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Tonga emits 1.6 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →


Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2022), 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.
Read more

How big is Tonga compared to French Polynesia? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Tonga or French Polynesia. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.