Homicide rate in Tonga
Tonga: Homicide rate was 0.9463 homicides per 100,000 population in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Homicide rate in Tonga, 1995–2019
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides per 100,000 population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicide rate in Tonga is 0.9463 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2019.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 90.0% on the previous year and down 87.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Tonga peaked at 9.47 homicides per 100,000 population in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.9306 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2012.
Tonga ranks 135th of 179 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicide rate in Tonga, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 2 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 1996 | 1.99 homicides per 100,000 population | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 1.99 homicides per 100,000 population | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 0.9739 homicides per 100,000 population | -51.0% |
| 2001 | 5.81 homicides per 100,000 population | +496.5% |
| 2002 | 5.78 homicides per 100,000 population | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 5.74 homicides per 100,000 population | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 1.9 homicides per 100,000 population | -66.9% |
| 2005 | 3.79 homicides per 100,000 population | +98.9% |
| 2006 | 7.53 homicides per 100,000 population | +98.9% |
| 2007 | 0.937 homicides per 100,000 population | -87.6% |
| 2008 | 3.74 homicides per 100,000 population | +298.9% |
| 2009 | 7.46 homicides per 100,000 population | +99.7% |
| 2010 | 0.9311 homicides per 100,000 population | -87.5% |
| 2011 | 1.86 homicides per 100,000 population | +99.7% |
| 2012 | 0.9306 homicides per 100,000 population | -49.9% |
| 2018 | 9.47 homicides per 100,000 population | +917.9% |
| 2019 | 0.9463 homicides per 100,000 population | -90.0% |
Tonga compared with similar countries
- Tonga's 0.9463 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.06 homicides per 100,000 population, 23% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Tonga's 0.9463 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.46 homicides per 100,000 population, 65% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Homicide rate in Tonga changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +917.9% | 0.9306 homicides per 100,000 population | 9.47 homicides per 100,000 population |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.99 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.99 homicides per 100,000 population | 2 homicides per 100,000 population | 3 |
| 2000s | 4.37 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.937 homicides per 100,000 population | 7.53 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.83 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.9306 homicides per 100,000 population | 9.47 homicides per 100,000 population | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
- 132 Jordan 0.9878 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 133 Finland 0.9819 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 134 Cyprus 0.9571 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 136 Saudi Arabia 0.9353 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 137 Germany 0.9107 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 138 Tajikistan 0.8924 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Tonga
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 65 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 3 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 50 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 3 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0006 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 65 (2025)
- Sovereign state gleditsch ward, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 54.76 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate in Tonga?
- Homicide rate in Tonga was 0.9463 homicides per 100,000 population in 2019, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicide rate recorded in Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 9.47 homicides per 100,000 population in 2018.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9306 homicides per 100,000 population in 2012.
- How does Tonga rank for homicide rate?
- Tonga ranks 135th out of 179 countries with data for 2019.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is down 87.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tonga data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicide rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 population.