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Tonga

US Revised Tariffs (%)

10

Ease of doing business

theboardiQ Tariffs Dashboard:

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Understand the complexities of international tariffs and ease of doing business across nations to cultivate balanced trade relationships, streamline operations, and deliver cost savings to end consumers.

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Share of US Imports % (1 implies <1%)
US Tariff %
Revised Tariff %
Country Tariff Rate %
1
10
10
6.4
Exports (in USD Bill.) 2024
Imports (in USD Bill.) 2024
Balance (in USD Bill.) 2024
0.02
0
0.02

US Revised Tariffs

Country Tariffs

Balance of Trade

Commercial Guide

Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in countries, prepared by U.S. Embassies worldwide, Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals

Trade.Gov Fact Sheet

Tariff Rate for US

World Bank staff estimates using the World Integrated Trade Solution system, based on tariff data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's Trade Analysis and Information System ( TRAINS ) database and global imports data from the United Nations Statistics Division's Comtrade database.

US Imports Guide 

United States Imports from Countries during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. United States Imports from Countries- data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on April of 2025.

Implications

While comprehensive, real-time tariff updates for every single country are difficult to track with absolute immediacy, here's the latest information we can gather regarding tariffs related to Tonga, keeping in mind the global context of recent US tariff actions: 1. Tonga's General Tariff Structure: Tonga's applied weighted mean tariff rate for all products was 6.59% in 2021, showing a slight increase from previous years. Historically, Tonga's customs duties have been relatively low, with a significant percentage of duties set at 0%. Tonga uses the CIF method for calculating import duties and taxes, meaning they are based on the value of the imported goods plus shipping and insurance costs.   Additional fees apply for various customs processes (entry processing, attendance at bonded warehouses, etc.).   2. Tonga and Recent US "Reciprocal Tariffs": A recent report (dated April 16, 2025) from a Tongan news outlet indicates that the United States has imposed a 10% tariff on imports from Tonga as part of its "reciprocal tariff" policy. The Tongan perspective is that this is contrary to the principles of international trade, given Tonga's persistent trade deficit with the U.S. The report suggests that these tariffs could increase costs for essential imports in Tonga, potentially causing supply chain disruptions. 3. Tonga-US Bilateral Trade: In 2023, Tonga's exports to the United States totaled $2.73 million, with main products including coral and shells, perfume plants, and non-fillet fresh fish. In 2023, the United States' exports to Tonga were $13.3 million, with main products including poultry meat, other edible preparations, and baked goods. The United States has a trade surplus with Tonga.   4. Tonga's Trade Agreements and Policies: Tonga has been a member of the WTO since 2007. It is a party to several trade agreements, including SPARTECA, PICTA, and PACER Plus.   Tonga is in the process of developing its trade policy framework, aiming to improve export competitiveness, support trade facilitation, and develop trade-supporting institutions.   Summary of the Latest Update: The most recent development indicates that Tonga has been included in the United States' "reciprocal tariff" regime, facing a 10% tariff on its exports to the U.S. This is a point of concern for Tonga, given the existing trade imbalance favoring the United States. Tonga's overall tariff rates have historically been relatively low, but the impact of this new U.S. tariff on its economy, especially on essential imports, remains to be seen. It's important to note that specific tariff rates for particular goods can vary. For detailed information, you would need to consult the official tariff schedules of both Tonga and the United States, often categorized by the Harmonized System (HS) codes of the products. Resources like the World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) database can provide detailed tariff data at the product level.

US Negotiation Strategy

Based on the most recent data (2024), the top imports to the US from Tonga by value are: Fish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic invertebrates ($702.52K) - Specifically, in January 2025, the top fish import was Non-fillet Fresh Fish ($52.2k). In 2023, Non-fillet Fresh Fish was also a top export from Tonga to the US ($344k), as well as Aquatic invertebrates, nes, includ. flours,meals,p ($3,073.08K to the world). Rubbers ($442.05K) - In January 2025, Rubber Apparel was the top import at $312k. Commodities not specified according to kind ($422.66K) Oil seed, oleagic fruits, grain, seed, fruits ($321.52K) Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers ($216.53K) Now, regarding which states in the US can manufacture the same with state companies as examples: Fish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic invertebrates: Alaska: Known for its large commercial fishing industry, including companies like Trident Seafoods and Peter Pan Seafood.   Washington: Another major seafood producing state with companies such as Cooke Aquaculture Pacific (farming salmon and other species). Louisiana: Significant in the Gulf Coast seafood industry, including companies processing shrimp, oysters, and various fish. Rubbers: This category is quite broad, encompassing both natural and synthetic rubbers and related articles. Ohio: Has a long history in rubber and tire manufacturing, with companies like Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (now part of Goodyear).   Indiana: Also has a strong presence in the rubber and plastics industry, hosting various manufacturing facilities.   Texas: A major hub for the petrochemical industry, which is essential in producing synthetic rubber, with numerous large chemical companies.   Commodities not specified according to kind: This is a very general category and difficult to pinpoint specific manufacturing states or companies without more precise details on what these unspecified commodities are. Oil seed, oleagic fruits, grain, seed, fruits: These are primarily agricultural products rather than manufactured goods in the traditional sense. However, processing and value-added manufacturing occur in various states: California: A major producer of fruits, nuts, and oilseeds, with numerous processing and packaging companies. For example, Blue Diamond Growers (almonds). Iowa: A leading state in grain and oilseed production (corn and soybeans), with companies like Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Cargill having significant processing facilities.   Kansas: Another major agricultural state, particularly for wheat and grain sorghum, with various milling and processing companies.   Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers: This is a broad industrial sector. Illinois: Known for manufacturing industrial machinery, including companies like Caterpillar.   Pennsylvania: Has a strong manufacturing base in various types of machinery and industrial equipment. Wisconsin: Also has a significant machinery manufacturing sector, with companies like Kohler. It's important to note that the scale of Tonga's exports to the US is relatively small, and the US has a vast and diverse manufacturing base that produces similar goods, often on a much larger scale and with different specializations. The examples provided are illustrative of states and companies involved in the general categories of Tonga's top imports.

Investing in USA

theboardiQ Economic Relevance Score, ranks States of USA based on 11 parameters

Sources : ForbesUSDA Economic Research | TCGen Total Innovation Rank Index | Best States for Manufacturing | World Population Review | Tax Foundation | US News | BEA Data | Wikipedia International Trade Administration

theboardiQ's Economic Relevance Score provides a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of a nation's economic vitality and global significance. This score is meticulously calculated using 11 key parameters, each reflecting a critical facet of economic performance. It analyzes the representation of Fortune 500 companies within a nation, a strong indicator of its business environment and market size. The balance of trade surplus or deficit reveals the nation's international competitiveness and export strength. It incorporates Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a fundamental measure of overall economic output, and examine the health of key sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. The score also accounts for innovation, gauging a nation's ability to drive future growth through technological advancements. Crucial labor market indicators such as employment rates are considered, alongside fiscal policies reflected in tax rates. To capture the lived experience of citizens, it assesses cost of living and disposable income, providing insight into purchasing power and economic well-being. Finally, education levels are integrated, recognizing their pivotal role in fostering a skilled workforce and driving long-term economic development. By synthesizing these 11 parameters, theboardiQ's Economic Relevance Score delivers a nuanced and holistic view of a nation's economic standing, enabling informed strategic decisions. The Top 5 States in the assessment are Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Washington. Texas does consistently well across most of the 11 variables especially in the areas of GDP, F500 representation in the State, Balance of Trade where it ranks 2nd nationally. North Carolina scores as the highest-ranking state nationally in manufacturing and performs consistently across the other variables. Virginia does well in disposable income where it ranks 3rd nationally. It also scores high in the variables of manufacturing and employment Florida holds the 4th ranking nationally for GDP and Tax Washington State scores the top spot for disposable income nationally, 2nd for education and 3rd for innovation. Colorado, with an overall rank of 7 scores the top spot for Education (schools and higher education). Nebraska, that ranked 10th overall, did well in Agriculture where it is ranked 3rd nationally as well as Trade Balance where it ranked 5th. Illinois, though ranked 20th overall did well nationally in F500 representation, GDP, Agriculture, and Disposable Income. Pennsylvania comes in at 21 overall doing well nationally in GDP (6th); Manufacturing (8th) and F500 representation (8th) New York scores 23rd overall with a 2 ranking in Disposable Income nationally, as well as 3rd in both F500 representation and GDP. California comes in at 29th overall and has the top spot ranking in a whopping 4 variables nationally – GDP, Innovation, Agriculture and F500 representation. However, performance in the areas of Trade Balance, Cost of Living, Tax, Manufacturing and Employment resulted in the overall ranking dipping. Wyoming at 30th overall scores the top spot nationally in the area of Tax Massachusetts at 31 overall does well in innovation where it is ranked 2nd nationally Arkansas at 36 and Alabama at 39, do well in overall Cost of Living where they are ranked 2nd and 3rd nationally, respectively. Louisiana ranked 44th overall is ranked 1st in Trade Balance nationally.

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