Papua New Guinea Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

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

Table

Year	Median age
	Papua New Guinea	World
1960	18.5	22.5
1961	18.4	22.5
1962	18.3	22.4
1963	18.1	22.2
1964	18	22
1965	17.9	21.8
1966	17.8	21.7
1967	17.6	21.6
1968	17.5	21.5
1969	17.4	21.5
1970	17.3	21.4
1971	17.2	21.4
1972	17.1	21.5
1973	17.2	21.5
1974	17.2	21.6
1975	17.3	21.7
1976	17.4	21.9
1977	17.5	22
1978	17.7	22.2
1979	17.8	22.3
1980	18	22.5
1981	18.1	22.6
1982	18.2	22.7
1983	18.3	22.9
1984	18.3	23
1985	18.4	23.2
1986	18.5	23.3
1987	18.5	23.4
1988	18.6	23.6
1989	18.6	23.8
1990	18.7	23.9
1991	18.8	24.1
1992	18.9	24.3
1993	19	24.5
1994	19.1	24.7
1995	19.2	25
1996	19.4	25.2
1997	19.5	25.4
1998	19.6	25.7
1999	19.7	25.9
2000	19.8	26.1
2001	19.9	26.3
2002	19.9	26.5
2003	20	26.7
2004	20.2	27
2005	20.3	27.2
2006	20.4	27.4
2007	20.6	27.6
2008	20.7	27.8
2009	20.9	28
2010	21	28.2
2011	21.2	28.4
2012	21.3	28.6
2013	21.5	28.9
2014	21.7	29.1
2015	21.9	29.3
2016	22	29.5
2017	22.2	29.8
2018	22.4	30
2019	22.6	30.3
2020	22.8	30.6
2021	23	30.8
2022	23.2	31
2023	23.4	31.3
2024	23.6	31.6
2025	23.8	31.9
2026	24	32.1
2027	24.2	32.3
2028	24.5	32.6
2029	24.7	32.8
2030	24.9	33
2031	25.2	33.2
2032	25.4	33.4
2033	25.6	33.6
2034	25.9	33.8
2035	26.1	34
2036	26.3	34.2
2037	26.6	34.4
2038	26.8	34.6
2039	27	34.8
2040	27.3	35
2041	27.5	35.2
2042	27.7	35.4
2043	28	35.6
2044	28.2	35.8
2045	28.4	36
2046	28.6	36.2
2047	28.9	36.4
2048	29.1	36.6
2049	29.3	36.8
2050	29.5	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Papua New Guinea was 18.5 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 23.6 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 132nd for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Papua New Guinea ranks 140th currently.

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

Papua New Guinea demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Papua New Guinea
	Male	Female
0-4	6.03%	5.63%
5-9	5.8%	5.4%
10-14	5.54%	5.08%
15-19	5.19%	4.7%
20-24	4.82%	4.37%
25-29	4.39%	4.06%
30-34	3.97%	3.79%
35-39	3.45%	3.47%
40-44	2.9%	2.99%
45-49	2.49%	2.55%
50-54	2.07%	2.08%
55-59	1.69%	1.61%
60-64	1.3%	1.16%
65-69	0.86%	0.76%
70-74	0.5%	0.48%
75-79	0.27%	0.26%
80+	0.16%	0.18%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Papua New Guinea has average demographic potential with 68.8% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 56/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Papua New Guinea			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	80.3%	78.3%	2.01%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	81.1%	79.1%	2.01%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	81.9%	79.9%	2%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	82.6%	80.7%	1.98%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	83.4%	81.5%	1.96%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	84.2%	82.2%	1.94%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	84.9%	83%	1.93%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	85.7%	83.8%	1.93%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	86.5%	84.6%	1.95%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	87.3%	85.4%	1.96%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	88.1%	86.1%	1.98%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	88.8%	86.8%	2%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	89%	87%	2.01%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	88.6%	86.6%	2.01%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	88.1%	86%	2.02%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	87.3%	85.3%	2.04%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	86.3%	84.3%	2.08%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	85.2%	83.1%	2.14%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	84%	81.8%	2.21%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	82.7%	80.4%	2.3%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	81.4%	79%	2.41%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	80.6%	78%	2.54%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	80.3%	77.6%	2.69%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	80.1%	77.2%	2.85%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	79.9%	76.9%	3%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	79.9%	76.7%	3.16%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	79.8%	76.5%	3.32%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	79.8%	76.3%	3.47%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	79.7%	76.1%	3.6%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	79.6%	75.9%	3.73%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	79.5%	75.6%	3.87%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	79.1%	75.1%	3.99%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	78.5%	74.5%	4.07%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	77.9%	73.8%	4.13%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	77.3%	73.1%	4.19%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	76.7%	72.4%	4.23%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	76.1%	71.8%	4.27%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	75.5%	71.2%	4.3%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	75%	70.6%	4.33%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	74.4%	70.1%	4.35%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	73.9%	69.5%	4.37%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	73.3%	68.9%	4.4%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	72.7%	68.3%	4.43%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	72%	67.6%	4.46%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	71.3%	66.8%	4.47%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	70.6%	66.1%	4.49%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	69.9%	65.4%	4.49%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	69.3%	64.8%	4.5%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	68.6%	64.1%	4.51%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	67.9%	63.4%	4.52%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	67.2%	62.7%	4.53%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	66.6%	62%	4.55%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	66%	61.4%	4.57%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	65.3%	60.7%	4.6%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	64.7%	60.1%	4.62%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	64%	59.4%	4.67%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	63.4%	58.7%	4.72%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	62.7%	58%	4.78%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	62.1%	57.2%	4.85%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	61.4%	56.5%	4.92%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	60.8%	55.8%	5%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	60.2%	55.1%	5.08%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	59.6%	54.5%	5.18%	54%	39%	15%
2023	59.1%	53.8%	5.33%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	58.6%	53.1%	5.49%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

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 Papua New Guinea decreased from 71.3% to 58.6% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Papua New Guinea working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Papua New Guinea	World
1960	55.5%	57.6%
1961	55.2%	57.5%
1962	55%	57.4%
1963	54.8%	57.2%
1964	54.5%	57%
1965	54.3%	56.9%
1966	54.1%	56.8%
1967	53.8%	56.9%
1968	53.6%	56.9%
1969	53.4%	56.9%
1970	53.2%	57%
1971	53%	57.1%
1972	52.9%	57.2%
1973	53%	57.3%
1974	53.2%	57.3%
1975	53.4%	57.4%
1976	53.7%	57.5%
1977	54%	57.7%
1978	54.4%	58%
1979	54.7%	58.4%
1980	55.1%	58.7%
1981	55.4%	59%
1982	55.5%	59.3%
1983	55.5%	59.6%
1984	55.6%	59.9%
1985	55.6%	60.1%
1986	55.6%	60.4%
1987	55.6%	60.5%
1988	55.6%	60.7%
1989	55.7%	60.8%
1990	55.7%	60.9%
1991	55.8%	61%
1992	56%	61.1%
1993	56.2%	61.2%
1994	56.4%	61.3%
1995	56.6%	61.5%
1996	56.8%	61.7%
1997	57%	61.9%
1998	57.2%	62.2%
1999	57.3%	62.5%
2000	57.5%	62.8%
2001	57.7%	63.1%
2002	57.9%	63.4%
2003	58.1%	63.7%
2004	58.4%	64%
2005	58.6%	64.3%
2006	58.8%	64.5%
2007	59.1%	64.7%
2008	59.3%	64.9%
2009	59.6%	65%
2010	59.8%	65.1%
2011	60%	65.2%
2012	60.3%	65.2%
2013	60.5%	65.2%
2014	60.7%	65.2%
2015	61%	65.1%
2016	61.2%	65.1%
2017	61.4%	65%
2018	61.7%	64.9%
2019	61.9%	64.9%
2020	62.2%	64.8%
2021	62.4%	64.9%
2022	62.6%	64.9%
2023	62.8%	65%
2024	63.1%	65.1%
2025	63.3%	65.2%
2026	63.5%	65.3%
2027	63.7%	65.4%
2028	63.9%	65.4%
2029	64.1%	65.4%
2030	64.3%	65.4%
2031	64.5%	65.4%
2032	64.7%	65.4%
2033	64.9%	65.4%
2034	65.1%	65.3%
2035	65.2%	65.2%
2036	65.4%	65%
2037	65.6%	64.9%
2038	65.7%	64.7%
2039	65.8%	64.6%
2040	66%	64.5%
2041	66.1%	64.4%
2042	66.1%	64.3%
2043	66.2%	64.2%
2044	66.3%	64.1%
2045	66.4%	63.9%
2046	66.4%	63.8%
2047	66.5%	63.7%
2048	66.5%	63.6%
2049	66.5%	63.4%
2050	66.6%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Papua New Guinea changed from 58.4% to 63.1% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Papua New Guinea	World
1960	43.4%	37.4%
1961	43.7%	37.5%
1962	43.9%	37.6%
1963	44.2%	37.8%
1964	44.4%	38%
1965	44.6%	38%
1966	44.9%	38%
1967	45.1%	38%
1968	45.3%	37.9%
1969	45.6%	37.8%
1970	45.8%	37.7%
1971	46%	37.6%
1972	46%	37.5%
1973	45.9%	37.3%
1974	45.8%	37.2%
1975	45.5%	37.1%
1976	45.2%	36.9%
1977	44.9%	36.7%
1978	44.4%	36.3%
1979	44%	35.9%
1980	43.5%	35.5%
1981	43.2%	35.2%
1982	43%	34.9%
1983	42.9%	34.6%
1984	42.8%	34.3%
1985	42.6%	34%
1986	42.5%	33.8%
1987	42.4%	33.6%
1988	42.4%	33.4%
1989	42.3%	33.2%
1990	42.1%	33%
1991	41.9%	32.9%
1992	41.7%	32.7%
1993	41.5%	32.5%
1994	41.2%	32.3%
1995	41%	32.1%
1996	40.8%	31.8%
1997	40.6%	31.5%
1998	40.4%	31.1%
1999	40.2%	30.8%
2000	40%	30.4%
2001	39.8%	30%
2002	39.5%	29.6%
2003	39.3%	29.2%
2004	39%	28.8%
2005	38.8%	28.5%
2006	38.5%	28.1%
2007	38.3%	27.9%
2008	38%	27.6%
2009	37.7%	27.5%
2010	37.5%	27.3%
2011	37.2%	27.1%
2012	37%	27%
2013	36.7%	26.9%
2014	36.5%	26.8%
2015	36.2%	26.6%
2016	35.9%	26.5%
2017	35.6%	26.4%
2018	35.3%	26.2%
2019	35%	26%
2020	34.7%	25.8%
2021	34.4%	25.6%
2022	34.1%	25.3%
2023	33.8%	25%
2024	33.5%	24.7%
2025	33.1%	24.4%
2026	32.8%	24.1%
2027	32.5%	23.8%
2028	32.1%	23.4%
2029	31.8%	23.1%
2030	31.4%	22.8%
2031	31.1%	22.6%
2032	30.7%	22.3%
2033	30.4%	22.1%
2034	30.1%	21.9%
2035	29.7%	21.7%
2036	29.4%	21.6%
2037	29.1%	21.5%
2038	28.8%	21.4%
2039	28.5%	21.3%
2040	28.3%	21.2%
2041	28%	21.1%
2042	27.8%	21%
2043	27.5%	21%
2044	27.3%	20.9%
2045	27.1%	20.8%
2046	26.9%	20.7%
2047	26.7%	20.7%
2048	26.5%	20.6%
2049	26.3%	20.5%
2050	26.1%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Papua New Guinea decreased from 39% to 33.5% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Papua New Guinea	World
1960	1.11%	4.97%
1961	1.11%	4.99%
1962	1.1%	5.01%
1963	1.09%	5.02%
1964	1.07%	5.04%
1965	1.05%	5.08%
1966	1.04%	5.12%
1967	1.04%	5.16%
1968	1.04%	5.2%
1969	1.05%	5.24%
1970	1.05%	5.28%
1971	1.06%	5.32%
1972	1.06%	5.37%
1973	1.06%	5.42%
1974	1.07%	5.47%
1975	1.09%	5.53%
1976	1.12%	5.59%
1977	1.15%	5.65%
1978	1.2%	5.71%
1979	1.26%	5.77%
1980	1.33%	5.81%
1981	1.41%	5.81%
1982	1.49%	5.8%
1983	1.58%	5.79%
1984	1.67%	5.8%
1985	1.76%	5.82%
1986	1.84%	5.86%
1987	1.93%	5.91%
1988	2.01%	5.95%
1989	2.08%	6.01%
1990	2.16%	6.07%
1991	2.23%	6.14%
1992	2.28%	6.21%
1993	2.32%	6.29%
1994	2.36%	6.37%
1995	2.39%	6.45%
1996	2.42%	6.53%
1997	2.45%	6.61%
1998	2.47%	6.68%
1999	2.49%	6.76%
2000	2.51%	6.84%
2001	2.54%	6.92%
2002	2.57%	7.01%
2003	2.59%	7.1%
2004	2.61%	7.18%
2005	2.63%	7.26%
2006	2.65%	7.34%
2007	2.66%	7.41%
2008	2.68%	7.47%
2009	2.69%	7.52%
2010	2.71%	7.58%
2011	2.73%	7.66%
2012	2.76%	7.78%
2013	2.78%	7.92%
2014	2.81%	8.08%
2015	2.84%	8.26%
2016	2.89%	8.45%
2017	2.94%	8.65%
2018	2.99%	8.88%
2019	3.05%	9.1%
2020	3.11%	9.33%
2021	3.17%	9.53%
2022	3.25%	9.74%
2023	3.35%	9.98%
2024	3.46%	10.2%
2025	3.59%	10.4%
2026	3.72%	10.6%
2027	3.86%	10.8%
2028	4%	11.1%
2029	4.14%	11.5%
2030	4.29%	11.7%
2031	4.44%	12%
2032	4.59%	12.3%
2033	4.73%	12.6%
2034	4.88%	12.8%
2035	5.03%	13.1%
2036	5.18%	13.4%
2037	5.33%	13.7%
2038	5.48%	13.9%
2039	5.64%	14.1%
2040	5.79%	14.3%
2041	5.95%	14.5%
2042	6.1%	14.7%
2043	6.26%	14.9%
2044	6.41%	15%
2045	6.57%	15.2%
2046	6.72%	15.4%
2047	6.87%	15.7%
2048	7.03%	15.9%
2049	7.19%	16.1%
2050	7.35%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Papua New Guinea increased from 2.61% to 3.46% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.