The Gambia has a population density of 739 people per square mile compared to 62.6 people in Papua New Guinea. The Gambia has 44,070 sq ft of land per person vs 471,041 sq ft in Papua New Guinea. The Gambia and Papua New Guinea rank 36th and 165th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. The Gambia has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.007% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.13% of the population and 0.3% of the land area for Papua New Guinea, making the population density in the Gambia 1,079% higher than in Papua New Guinea.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Gambia
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
| 2026 | 739 | 62.6 |
| 2025 | 722 | 61.6 |
| 2024 | 706 | 60.5 |
| 2023 | 690 | 59.4 |
| 2022 | 675 | 58.4 |
| 2021 | 659 | 57.3 |
| 2020 | 644 | 56.1 |
| 2019 | 629 | 55 |
| 2018 | 614 | 53.7 |
| 2017 | 599 | 52.5 |
| 2016 | 584 | 51.3 |
| 2015 | 569 | 50 |
| 2014 | 554 | 48.7 |
| 2013 | 538 | 47.5 |
| 2012 | 523 | 46.2 |
| 2011 | 508 | 44.9 |
| 2010 | 493 | 43.7 |
| 2009 | 479 | 42.4 |
| 2008 | 465 | 41.1 |
| 2007 | 452 | 39.8 |
| 2006 | 439 | 38.6 |
| 2005 | 427 | 37.4 |
| 2004 | 415 | 36.2 |
| 2003 | 404 | 35 |
| 2002 | 393 | 33.9 |
| 2001 | 383 | 32.8 |
| 2000 | 372 | 31.7 |
| 1999 | 362 | 30.6 |
| 1998 | 352 | 29.5 |
| 1997 | 343 | 28.5 |
| 1996 | 333 | 27.5 |
| 1995 | 324 | 26.6 |
| 1994 | 314 | 25.6 |
| 1993 | 304 | 24.7 |
| 1992 | 293.2 | 23.8 |
| 1991 | 281.5 | 23 |
| 1990 | 269.9 | 22.3 |
| 1989 | 258.8 | 21.7 |
| 1988 | 248.3 | 21.2 |
| 1987 | 238.3 | 20.8 |
| 1986 | 228.8 | 20.3 |
| 1985 | 219.8 | 19.9 |
| 1984 | 211.3 | 19.5 |
| 1983 | 203.3 | 19.1 |
| 1982 | 196 | 18.7 |
| 1981 | 189.2 | 18.3 |
| 1980 | 182.7 | 17.9 |
| 1979 | 176.5 | 17.5 |
| 1978 | 170.7 | 17.2 |
| 1977 | 165.3 | 16.8 |
| 1976 | 160.1 | 16.5 |
| 1975 | 155.3 | 16.1 |
| 1974 | 150.8 | 15.7 |
| 1973 | 146.4 | 15.4 |
| 1972 | 142.1 | 15 |
| 1971 | 138 | 14.7 |
| 1970 | 134.1 | 14.3 |
| 1969 | 130.4 | 14 |
| 1968 | 126.8 | 13.7 |
| 1967 | 123.3 | 13.4 |
| 1966 | 119.9 | 13.1 |
| 1965 | 116.7 | 12.8 |
| 1964 | 113.6 | 12.5 |
| 1963 | 110.5 | 12.2 |
| 1962 | 107.5 | 12 |
| 1961 | 104.7 | 11.7 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/gambia/papua-new-guinea | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in the Gambia increased by 68.2%, compared to a 62.3% growth in Papua New Guinea.
In 2006, the Gambia ranked 51st by population density and is 36th now. Papua New Guinea was 167th in 2006 and ranks 165th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Gambia
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 739 ppl/mi² | 62.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 36/197 | 165/197 |
| Population |
2902554
|
11002753
|
| Land area | 3,907 sq mi | 174,850 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 39,468 sq ft | 460,884 sq ft |
| Rural population | 35.7% | 84.6% |
| Urban population | 64.3% | 15.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Gambia
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
| 2024 | 64.3% | 15.4% |
| 2023 | 63.8% | 15.1% |
| 2022 | 63.3% | 14.7% |
| 2021 | 62.8% | 14.4% |
| 2020 | 62.2% | 14.2% |
| 2019 | 61.6% | 13.9% |
| 2018 | 61.1% | 13.7% |
| 2017 | 60.5% | 13.5% |
| 2016 | 59.9% | 13.4% |
| 2015 | 59.2% | 13.2% |
| 2014 | 58.6% | 13.1% |
| 2013 | 58% | 13.1% |
| 2012 | 57.3% | 13% |
| 2011 | 56.7% | 13% |
| 2010 | 56% | 13% |
| 2009 | 55.3% | 13% |
| 2008 | 54.6% | 13% |
| 2007 | 53.9% | 13% |
| 2006 | 53.2% | 13% |
| 2005 | 52.4% | 13.1% |
| 2004 | 51.5% | 13.1% |
| 2003 | 50.6% | 13.1% |
| 2002 | 49.6% | 13.2% |
| 2001 | 48.3% | 13.2% |
| 2000 | 47% | 13.2% |
| 1999 | 45.5% | 13.3% |
| 1998 | 44% | 13.5% |
| 1997 | 42.4% | 13.7% |
| 1996 | 40.9% | 14% |
| 1995 | 39.6% | 14.4% |
| 1994 | 38.3% | 14.7% |
| 1993 | 37.3% | 14.9% |
| 1992 | 36.5% | 15.2% |
| 1991 | 35.8% | 15.3% |
| 1990 | 35.2% | 15.4% |
| 1989 | 34.6% | 15.3% |
| 1988 | 34.1% | 15.1% |
| 1987 | 33.6% | 14.8% |
| 1986 | 33.1% | 14.5% |
| 1985 | 32.5% | 14.2% |
| 1984 | 31.8% | 13.8% |
| 1983 | 31% | 13.5% |
| 1982 | 30% | 13.3% |
| 1981 | 28.7% | 13.1% |
| 1980 | 27.2% | 13.1% |
| 1979 | 25.6% | 13.1% |
| 1978 | 23.8% | 13.1% |
| 1977 | 22% | 13.1% |
| 1976 | 20.3% | 13.1% |
| 1975 | 18.7% | 13% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 12.7% |
| 1973 | 16.1% | 12.2% |
| 1972 | 15.1% | 11.7% |
| 1971 | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 1970 | 13.2% | 10.2% |
| 1969 | 12.2% | 9.05% |
| 1968 | 11.3% | 7.77% |
| 1967 | 10.5% | 6.63% |
| 1966 | 9.86% | 5.88% |
| 1965 | 9.33% | 5.42% |
| 1964 | 8.98% | 4.98% |
| 1963 | 8.82% | 4.57% |
| 1962 | 8.84% | 4.17% |
| 1961 | 8.93% | 3.81% |
| 1960 | 9.07% | 3.46% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/gambia/papua-new-guinea | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 51.5% to 64.3% in the Gambia and from 13.1% to 15.4% in Papua New Guinea.
Densely populated cities
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Port Moresby | 317K |
| Lae | 101K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/gambia/papua-new-guinea | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2012–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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