Madagascar vs Papua New Guinea Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Madagascar vs Papua New Guinea

Table

Year	Median age
	Madagascar	Papua New Guinea
1960	17.9	18.5
1961	17.5	18.4
1962	17.2	18.3
1963	17	18.1
1964	16.8	18
1965	16.8	17.9
1966	16.7	17.8
1967	16.7	17.6
1968	16.7	17.5
1969	16.6	17.4
1970	16.7	17.3
1971	16.7	17.2
1972	16.6	17.1
1973	16.6	17.2
1974	16.6	17.2
1975	16.6	17.3
1976	16.6	17.4
1977	16.5	17.5
1978	16.5	17.7
1979	16.5	17.8
1980	16.4	18
1981	16.4	18.1
1982	16.4	18.2
1983	16.4	18.3
1984	16.5	18.3
1985	16.5	18.4
1986	16.6	18.5
1987	16.6	18.5
1988	16.7	18.6
1989	16.8	18.6
1990	16.9	18.7
1991	16.9	18.8
1992	17	18.9
1993	17	19
1994	17.1	19.1
1995	17.1	19.2
1996	17.1	19.4
1997	17.1	19.5
1998	17.2	19.6
1999	17.2	19.7
2000	17.2	19.8
2001	17.2	19.9
2002	17.2	19.9
2003	17.2	20
2004	17.3	20.2
2005	17.3	20.3
2006	17.4	20.4
2007	17.5	20.6
2008	17.6	20.7
2009	17.7	20.9
2010	17.8	21
2011	17.9	21.2
2012	18.1	21.3
2013	18.2	21.5
2014	18.4	21.7
2015	18.6	21.9
2016	18.7	22
2017	18.9	22.2
2018	19.1	22.4
2019	19.3	22.6
2020	19.4	22.8
2021	19.6	23
2022	19.7	23.2
2023	19.9	23.4
2024	20	23.6
2025	20.2	23.8
2026	20.4	24
2027	20.5	24.2
2028	20.7	24.5
2029	20.9	24.7
2030	21.1	24.9
2031	21.3	25.2
2032	21.5	25.4
2033	21.7	25.6
2034	21.9	25.9
2035	22	26.1
2036	22.2	26.3
2037	22.4	26.6
2038	22.6	26.8
2039	22.8	27
2040	23	27.3
2041	23.2	27.5
2042	23.4	27.7
2043	23.6	28
2044	23.8	28.2
2045	24.1	28.4
2046	24.3	28.6
2047	24.5	28.9
2048	24.7	29.1
2049	25	29.3
2050	25.2	29.5

In 1960, the median age in Madagascar was 17.9 years compared to 18.5 years in Papua New Guinea. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 20 years in Madagascar and to 23.6 years in Papua New Guinea.

According to United Nations projections, the median age in Madagascar is expected to increased to around 25.2 years by 2050 compared to 29.5 years in Papua New Guinea. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Madagascar		Papua New Guinea
	Male	Female	Male	Female
0-4	7.39%	7.18%	6.03%	5.63%
5-9	6.55%	6.38%	5.8%	5.4%
10-14	5.95%	5.82%	5.54%	5.08%
15-19	5.38%	5.28%	5.19%	4.7%
20-24	4.79%	4.73%	4.82%	4.37%
25-29	4.23%	4.2%	4.39%	4.06%
30-34	3.41%	3.39%	3.97%	3.79%
35-39	2.76%	2.75%	3.45%	3.47%
40-44	2.35%	2.37%	2.9%	2.99%
45-49	1.99%	2.02%	2.49%	2.55%
50-54	1.6%	1.64%	2.07%	2.08%
55-59	1.22%	1.27%	1.69%	1.61%
60-64	0.95%	1.01%	1.3%	1.16%
65-69	0.71%	0.78%	0.86%	0.76%
70-74	0.48%	0.55%	0.5%	0.48%
75-79	0.23%	0.28%	0.27%	0.26%
80+	0.16%	0.21%	0.16%	0.18%

The chart above is a variation of a population pyramid and represents a comparison of age and gender structure. Madagascar has high demographic potential with 74.7% of people in the 0-34 age group compared to 68.8% and average potential in Papua New Guinea.

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Madagascar			Papua New Guinea
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	94.4%	87.9%	6.45%	80.3%	78.3%	2.01%
1961	96.5%	90%	6.54%	81.1%	79.1%	2.01%
1962	98.5%	91.9%	6.62%	81.9%	79.9%	2%
1963	100.1%	93.4%	6.7%	82.6%	80.7%	1.98%
1964	100.7%	94%	6.74%	83.4%	81.5%	1.96%
1965	100.4%	93.7%	6.75%	84.2%	82.2%	1.94%
1966	100%	93.3%	6.77%	84.9%	83%	1.93%
1967	99.7%	92.9%	6.8%	85.7%	83.8%	1.93%
1968	99.5%	92.7%	6.84%	86.5%	84.6%	1.95%
1969	99.4%	92.5%	6.9%	87.3%	85.4%	1.96%
1970	99.5%	92.5%	6.97%	88.1%	86.1%	1.98%
1971	99.6%	92.6%	7.06%	88.8%	86.8%	2%
1972	99.9%	92.8%	7.15%	89%	87%	2.01%
1973	100.2%	93%	7.24%	88.6%	86.6%	2.01%
1974	100.5%	93.2%	7.28%	88.1%	86%	2.02%
1975	100.7%	93.4%	7.28%	87.3%	85.3%	2.04%
1976	100.9%	93.6%	7.23%	86.3%	84.3%	2.08%
1977	101%	93.9%	7.15%	85.2%	83.1%	2.14%
1978	101.2%	94.2%	7.03%	84%	81.8%	2.21%
1979	101.4%	94.5%	6.91%	82.7%	80.4%	2.3%
1980	101.5%	94.7%	6.77%	81.4%	79%	2.41%
1981	101.4%	94.8%	6.63%	80.6%	78%	2.54%
1982	101.2%	94.7%	6.49%	80.3%	77.6%	2.69%
1983	100.8%	94.4%	6.35%	80.1%	77.2%	2.85%
1984	100.2%	94%	6.21%	79.9%	76.9%	3%
1985	99.6%	93.5%	6.1%	79.9%	76.7%	3.16%
1986	98.7%	92.7%	6%	79.8%	76.5%	3.32%
1987	97.8%	91.9%	5.92%	79.8%	76.3%	3.47%
1988	97%	91.1%	5.85%	79.7%	76.1%	3.6%
1989	96.1%	90.4%	5.79%	79.6%	75.9%	3.73%
1990	95.4%	89.7%	5.72%	79.5%	75.6%	3.87%
1991	94.8%	89.1%	5.67%	79.1%	75.1%	3.99%
1992	94.2%	88.6%	5.61%	78.5%	74.5%	4.07%
1993	93.6%	88.1%	5.56%	77.9%	73.8%	4.13%
1994	93.2%	87.7%	5.52%	77.3%	73.1%	4.19%
1995	93%	87.5%	5.48%	76.7%	72.4%	4.23%
1996	92.9%	87.4%	5.46%	76.1%	71.8%	4.27%
1997	92.9%	87.5%	5.44%	75.5%	71.2%	4.3%
1998	93.1%	87.6%	5.43%	75%	70.6%	4.33%
1999	93.2%	87.8%	5.42%	74.4%	70.1%	4.35%
2000	93.2%	87.8%	5.4%	73.9%	69.5%	4.37%
2001	93.2%	87.8%	5.39%	73.3%	68.9%	4.4%
2002	93.1%	87.8%	5.37%	72.7%	68.3%	4.43%
2003	93%	87.6%	5.35%	72%	67.6%	4.46%
2004	92.6%	87.3%	5.32%	71.3%	66.8%	4.47%
2005	92%	86.8%	5.27%	70.6%	66.1%	4.49%
2006	91.3%	86.1%	5.22%	69.9%	65.4%	4.49%
2007	90.5%	85.3%	5.16%	69.3%	64.8%	4.5%
2008	89.6%	84.5%	5.11%	68.6%	64.1%	4.51%
2009	88.6%	83.6%	5.05%	67.9%	63.4%	4.52%
2010	87.6%	82.6%	5%	67.2%	62.7%	4.53%
2011	86.3%	81.3%	4.95%	66.6%	62%	4.55%
2012	84.9%	80%	4.92%	66%	61.4%	4.57%
2013	83.5%	78.6%	4.9%	65.3%	60.7%	4.6%
2014	82.1%	77.2%	4.94%	64.7%	60.1%	4.62%
2015	81%	76%	5.05%	64%	59.4%	4.67%
2016	80%	74.9%	5.16%	63.4%	58.7%	4.72%
2017	79.2%	73.9%	5.27%	62.7%	58%	4.78%
2018	78.4%	73%	5.39%	62.1%	57.2%	4.85%
2019	77.8%	72.3%	5.5%	61.4%	56.5%	4.92%
2020	77.1%	71.5%	5.59%	60.8%	55.8%	5%
2021	76.5%	70.8%	5.66%	60.2%	55.1%	5.08%
2022	75.9%	70.1%	5.75%	59.6%	54.5%	5.18%
2023	75.2%	69.3%	5.84%	59.1%	53.8%	5.33%
2024	74.4%	68.5%	5.94%	58.6%	53.1%	5.49%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64.

Age dependency in Madagascar decreased from 92.6% to 74.4% between 2004 and 2024.

In Papua New Guinea, the ratio of dependent people decreased from 71.3% to 58.6% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of young people and an increased proportion of people aged 65+.

Working age demographic

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Madagascar	Papua New Guinea
1960	51.4%	55.5%
1961	50.9%	55.2%
1962	50.4%	55%
1963	50%	54.8%
1964	49.8%	54.5%
1965	49.9%	54.3%
1966	50%	54.1%
1967	50.1%	53.8%
1968	50.1%	53.6%
1969	50.1%	53.4%
1970	50.1%	53.2%
1971	50.1%	53%
1972	50%	52.9%
1973	49.9%	53%
1974	49.9%	53.2%
1975	49.8%	53.4%
1976	49.8%	53.7%
1977	49.7%	54%
1978	49.7%	54.4%
1979	49.6%	54.7%
1980	49.6%	55.1%
1981	49.6%	55.4%
1982	49.7%	55.5%
1983	49.8%	55.5%
1984	49.9%	55.6%
1985	50.1%	55.6%
1986	50.3%	55.6%
1987	50.5%	55.6%
1988	50.8%	55.6%
1989	51%	55.7%
1990	51.2%	55.7%
1991	51.3%	55.8%
1992	51.5%	56%
1993	51.6%	56.2%
1994	51.8%	56.4%
1995	51.8%	56.6%
1996	51.8%	56.8%
1997	51.8%	57%
1998	51.8%	57.2%
1999	51.8%	57.3%
2000	51.8%	57.5%
2001	51.8%	57.7%
2002	51.8%	57.9%
2003	51.8%	58.1%
2004	51.9%	58.4%
2005	52.1%	58.6%
2006	52.3%	58.8%
2007	52.5%	59.1%
2008	52.7%	59.3%
2009	53%	59.6%
2010	53.3%	59.8%
2011	53.7%	60%
2012	54.1%	60.3%
2013	54.5%	60.5%
2014	54.9%	60.7%
2015	55.2%	61%
2016	55.5%	61.2%
2017	55.8%	61.4%
2018	56%	61.7%
2019	56.3%	61.9%
2020	56.5%	62.2%
2021	56.7%	62.4%
2022	56.9%	62.6%
2023	57.1%	62.8%
2024	57.3%	63.1%
2025	57.6%	63.3%
2026	57.8%	63.5%
2027	58%	63.7%
2028	58.2%	63.9%
2029	58.5%	64.1%
2030	58.7%	64.3%
2031	58.9%	64.5%
2032	59.1%	64.7%
2033	59.4%	64.9%
2034	59.6%	65.1%
2035	59.9%	65.2%
2036	60.2%	65.4%
2037	60.5%	65.6%
2038	60.7%	65.7%
2039	61%	65.8%
2040	61.2%	66%
2041	61.5%	66.1%
2042	61.7%	66.1%
2043	61.9%	66.2%
2044	62.2%	66.3%
2045	62.4%	66.4%
2046	62.6%	66.4%
2047	62.8%	66.5%
2048	63%	66.5%
2049	63.2%	66.5%
2050	63.3%	66.6%

Between 2004 and 2024, the share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 changed from 51.9% to 57.3% in Madagascar and from 58.4% to 63.1% in Papua New Guinea.

Share of young demographic (0-14 years old)

Table

Year	Share of people 0-14 years old
	Madagascar	Papua New Guinea
1960	45.2%	43.4%
1961	45.8%	43.7%
1962	46.3%	43.9%
1963	46.7%	44.2%
1964	46.8%	44.4%
1965	46.7%	44.6%
1966	46.6%	44.9%
1967	46.5%	45.1%
1968	46.5%	45.3%
1969	46.4%	45.6%
1970	46.4%	45.8%
1971	46.4%	46%
1972	46.4%	46%
1973	46.4%	45.9%
1974	46.5%	45.8%
1975	46.5%	45.5%
1976	46.6%	45.2%
1977	46.7%	44.9%
1978	46.8%	44.4%
1979	46.9%	44%
1980	47%	43.5%
1981	47.1%	43.2%
1982	47.1%	43%
1983	47%	42.9%
1984	46.9%	42.8%
1985	46.8%	42.6%
1986	46.7%	42.5%
1987	46.5%	42.4%
1988	46.3%	42.4%
1989	46.1%	42.3%
1990	45.9%	42.1%
1991	45.7%	41.9%
1992	45.6%	41.7%
1993	45.5%	41.5%
1994	45.4%	41.2%
1995	45.3%	41%
1996	45.3%	40.8%
1997	45.3%	40.6%
1998	45.4%	40.4%
1999	45.4%	40.2%
2000	45.4%	40%
2001	45.4%	39.8%
2002	45.4%	39.5%
2003	45.4%	39.3%
2004	45.3%	39%
2005	45.2%	38.8%
2006	45%	38.5%
2007	44.8%	38.3%
2008	44.6%	38%
2009	44.3%	37.7%
2010	44%	37.5%
2011	43.7%	37.2%
2012	43.3%	37%
2013	42.8%	36.7%
2014	42.4%	36.5%
2015	42%	36.2%
2016	41.6%	35.9%
2017	41.2%	35.6%
2018	40.9%	35.3%
2019	40.7%	35%
2020	40.4%	34.7%
2021	40.1%	34.4%
2022	39.9%	34.1%
2023	39.6%	33.8%
2024	39.3%	33.5%
2025	38.9%	33.1%
2026	38.6%	32.8%
2027	38.4%	32.5%
2028	38.1%	32.1%
2029	37.8%	31.8%
2030	37.6%	31.4%
2031	37.3%	31.1%
2032	37%	30.7%
2033	36.7%	30.4%
2034	36.4%	30.1%
2035	36%	29.7%
2036	35.7%	29.4%
2037	35.3%	29.1%
2038	35%	28.8%
2039	34.6%	28.5%
2040	34.3%	28.3%
2041	34%	28%
2042	33.6%	27.8%
2043	33.3%	27.5%
2044	33%	27.3%
2045	32.7%	27.1%
2046	32.4%	26.9%
2047	32.1%	26.7%
2048	31.8%	26.5%
2049	31.6%	26.3%
2050	31.3%	26.1%

The share of young people aged below 15 is 39.3% in Madagascar and 33.5% in Papua New Guinea. Birth rates in Madagascar compared to Papua New Guinea .

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Madagascar	Papua New Guinea
1960	3.32%	1.11%
1961	3.33%	1.11%
1962	3.34%	1.1%
1963	3.35%	1.09%
1964	3.36%	1.07%
1965	3.37%	1.05%
1966	3.38%	1.04%
1967	3.4%	1.04%
1968	3.43%	1.04%
1969	3.46%	1.05%
1970	3.49%	1.05%
1971	3.53%	1.06%
1972	3.58%	1.06%
1973	3.62%	1.06%
1974	3.63%	1.07%
1975	3.63%	1.09%
1976	3.6%	1.12%
1977	3.55%	1.15%
1978	3.49%	1.2%
1979	3.43%	1.26%
1980	3.36%	1.33%
1981	3.29%	1.41%
1982	3.23%	1.49%
1983	3.16%	1.58%
1984	3.1%	1.67%
1985	3.06%	1.76%
1986	3.02%	1.84%
1987	2.99%	1.93%
1988	2.97%	2.01%
1989	2.95%	2.08%
1990	2.93%	2.16%
1991	2.91%	2.23%
1992	2.89%	2.28%
1993	2.87%	2.32%
1994	2.85%	2.36%
1995	2.84%	2.39%
1996	2.83%	2.42%
1997	2.82%	2.45%
1998	2.81%	2.47%
1999	2.81%	2.49%
2000	2.8%	2.51%
2001	2.79%	2.54%
2002	2.78%	2.57%
2003	2.77%	2.59%
2004	2.76%	2.61%
2005	2.74%	2.63%
2006	2.73%	2.65%
2007	2.71%	2.66%
2008	2.69%	2.68%
2009	2.68%	2.69%
2010	2.67%	2.71%
2011	2.66%	2.73%
2012	2.66%	2.76%
2013	2.67%	2.78%
2014	2.71%	2.81%
2015	2.79%	2.84%
2016	2.87%	2.89%
2017	2.94%	2.94%
2018	3.02%	2.99%
2019	3.09%	3.05%
2020	3.15%	3.11%
2021	3.21%	3.17%
2022	3.27%	3.25%
2023	3.34%	3.35%
2024	3.41%	3.46%
2025	3.47%	3.59%
2026	3.54%	3.72%
2027	3.6%	3.86%
2028	3.66%	4%
2029	3.71%	4.14%
2030	3.77%	4.29%
2031	3.82%	4.44%
2032	3.88%	4.59%
2033	3.94%	4.73%
2034	4.01%	4.88%
2035	4.08%	5.03%
2036	4.15%	5.18%
2037	4.23%	5.33%
2038	4.31%	5.48%
2039	4.4%	5.64%
2040	4.48%	5.79%
2041	4.57%	5.95%
2042	4.66%	6.1%
2043	4.75%	6.26%
2044	4.84%	6.41%
2045	4.93%	6.57%
2046	5.02%	6.72%
2047	5.1%	6.87%
2048	5.19%	7.03%
2049	5.28%	7.19%
2050	5.36%	7.35%

The share of older people aged 65 and over is 3.41% in Madagascar and 3.46% in Papua New Guinea. Life expectancy in Madagascar compared to Papua New Guinea .