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

Health

live 23.9 years longer

In Afghanistan, the average life expectancy is 54 years (52 years for men, 55 years for women) as of 2022. In Tonga, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2022.

be 8.8 times more likely to be obese

In Afghanistan, 5.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Tonga, that number is 48.2% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 3.3 times more money

Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $2,000 as of 2022, while in Tonga, the GDP per capita is $6,600 as of 2022.

be 84.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Afghanistan, 14.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Tonga, that number is 2.3% as of 2023.

be 62.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Afghanistan, 54.5% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Tonga, however, that number is 20.6% as of 2021.

Life

be 79.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Afghanistan, approximately 620.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Tonga, 126.0 women do as of 2020.

be 2.7 times more likely to be literate

In Afghanistan, the literacy rate is 37.3% as of 2021. In Tonga, it is 99.4% as of 2021.

be 88.2% less likely to die during infancy

In Afghanistan, approximately 104.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Tonga, on the other hand, 12.4 children do as of 2022.

have 42.4% fewer children

In Afghanistan, there are approximately 34.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Tonga, there are 19.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 17.2% more likely to have access to electricity

In Afghanistan, approximately 85% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Tonga, that number is 100% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 3.7 times more likely to have internet access

In Afghanistan, approximately 18.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Tonga, about 67.0% do as of 2021.

be 30.2% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Afghanistan, approximately 76% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 68% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Tonga, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 65.8% less on healthcare

Afghanistan spends 15.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Tonga, that number is 5.3% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 2.3 times more on education

Afghanistan spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Tonga spends 6.6% of total GDP on education as of 2021.


The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

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 Afghanistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

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