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

Health

live 8.8 years longer

In Swaziland, the average life expectancy is 64 years (61 years for men, 67 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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have 82.0% more doctors per person

Swaziland has 5.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Tonga has 10.1 as of 2021.

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be 82.6% less likely to die by suicide

Swaziland has a suicide rate of 27.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Tonga, it is 4.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 2.5 times more likely to be obese

In Swaziland, 29.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Tonga, that number is 73.8% of people as of 2024.

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see 44.4% less spent on your healthcare

Swaziland spends $922 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Tonga spends $512 as of 2023.

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Economy

be 94.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Swaziland, 34.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Tonga, that number is 2.0% as of 2025.

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be 61.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Swaziland, 53.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Tonga, however, that number is 20.6% as of 2021.

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make 59.4% more money

Swaziland has a GDP per capita of $4,108 as of 2025, while in Tonga, the GDP per capita is $6,547 as of 2025.

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Life

be 43.2% less likely to die during childbirth

In Swaziland, approximately 118.0 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 81.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Swaziland, approximately 42.2 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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Basic Needs

be 15.7% more likely to have access to electricity

In Swaziland, approximately 86% of people have electricity access (91% in urban areas, and 85% 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 23.0% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Swaziland, approximately 80% of people have access to drinking water (98% in urban areas, and 74% 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 11.9% less on education

Swaziland spends 6.0% 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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Safety

be 92.4% less likely to be murdered

Swaziland has a homicide rate of 12.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Tonga, that number is 0.9 per 100,000 as of 2019.

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be 65.6% less likely to die in a road accident

In Swaziland, road accidents kill 24.7 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 3.3 times more home broadband

Swaziland has 2.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Tonga has 8.2 as of 2022.

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Environment

be 63.6% less likely to die from air pollution

In Swaziland, air pollution causes 66.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Tonga, it causes 24.0 as of 2019.

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emit 85.2% more CO2

Swaziland emits 0.9 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 (2019–2025), 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 Swaziland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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