New Zealand and Tonga
New Zealand and Tonga maintain institutional, family and labour ties in the Pacific. Their partnership statement for 2024–2028 organises priorities in climate, security, education and prosperity, drawing on police and military cooperation, worker mobility and relations with the Tongan diaspora.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08Bilateral context
The August 2024 partnership statement sets five priorities until August 2028: institutional collaboration, climate, stability and security, people and prosperity.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between New Zealand and Tonga totalled 110.6 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, machinery and mechanical appliances stands out in shipments from New Zealand to Tonga, at 10.5 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 110.58 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: New Zealand to Tonga | 85.56 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Tonga to New Zealand | 25.03 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: New Zealand to Tonga | ||
| Export share: Tonga to New Zealand | ||
| Investment stock: New Zealand in Tonga | ||
| Investment stock: Tonga in New Zealand |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter TON. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
- Goods: New Zealand to Tonga
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter TON. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
- Goods: Tonga to New Zealand
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter TON. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.
| Indicator | New Zealand | Tonga |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 264.06 billion USD2025 · WB | 679,218,218.58 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 49,591.04 USD2025 · WB | 6,547.19 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 0.46 %2025 · WB | 2.8 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 2.84 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 5.59 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | ||
| Unemployment | 5.08 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 2.01 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -3.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 4.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 54.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 27.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -3.62 %2025 · WB | -6.72 %2024 · WB |
| Population | 5,324,7002025 · WB | 103,7422025 · WB |
| Area | 267,710 km²2023 · WB | 750 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Tonga: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Tonga: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)New Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Tonga: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)New Zealand: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Tonga: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency stated
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionNew Zealand: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Tonga: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)New Zealand: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Tonga: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)New Zealand: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Tonga: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Tonga: 2024 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Population
- PeopleNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Tonga: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceNew Zealand: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Tonga: 2023 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
New Zealand to Tonga
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 10.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 8.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 7.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 4.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 2.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 1.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.874 M USD2025 · Source |
Tonga to New Zealand
Connections between people
Scholarships, vocational training, health and sport form part of the social agenda. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from New Zealand living in Tonga | ||
| Residents from Tonga living in New Zealand | ||
| Study and training: New Zealand in Tonga | ||
| Study and training: Tonga in New Zealand | ||
| Academic stays: New Zealand in Tonga | ||
| Academic stays: Tonga in New Zealand | ||
| Travel: New Zealand to Tonga | ||
| Travel: Tonga to New Zealand |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for New Zealand is 264.1 billion USD (2025), compared with 0.679 for Tonga (2025). The reference populations are 5.32 and 0.104 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of New Zealand was 388.77 times that of Tonga in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Bilateral context
The August 2024 partnership statement sets five priorities until August 2028: institutional collaboration, climate, stability and security, people and prosperity. It recognises cooperation between the armed forces and police, including training and humanitarian disaster response. [1]
Cooperation and bilateral issues
It envisages strengthening telecommunications and cybersecurity and supporting reconstruction of Tonga’s Legislative Assembly facilities. Scholarships, vocational training, health and sport form part of the social agenda. The Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme and other labour mobility mechanisms are considered mutually beneficial instruments, with attention to their effects on Tonga. PACER Plus provides a regional framework for trade and services. The statement establishes regular ministerial dialogue and annual official meetings for follow-up; many points are commitments to work, not outcomes already achieved. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (New Zealand and Tonga) totalled 110.6 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 85.6 million; those in the opposite direction, 25 million. The difference between the two flows was 60.5 million, in favour of New Zealand. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, machinery and mechanical appliances stands out in shipments from New Zealand to Tonga, at 10.5 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, machinery and mechanical appliances stands out in shipments from Tonga to New Zealand, at 0.232 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [3]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — NZL-TON
www.mfat.govt.nz · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- UN Comtrade annual data; reused verified primary payload, not re-downloaded
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official series — gdp
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official series — population
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.