Nauru has a population density of 1,568 people per square mile compared to 62.6 people in Papua New Guinea. Nauru has 18,920 sq ft of land per person vs 471,041 sq ft in Papua New Guinea. Nauru and Papua New Guinea rank 12th and 165th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Nauru has 0.0001% of the world's population and 0.00001% 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 Nauru 2,403% higher than in Papua New Guinea.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Nauru
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
| 2026 | 1,568 | 62.6 |
| 2025 | 1,558 | 61.6 |
| 2024 | 1,547 | 60.5 |
| 2023 | 1,538 | 59.4 |
| 2022 | 1,528 | 58.4 |
| 2021 | 1,516 | 57.3 |
| 2020 | 1,508 | 56.1 |
| 2019 | 1,501 | 55 |
| 2018 | 1,486 | 53.7 |
| 2017 | 1,466 | 52.5 |
| 2016 | 1,444 | 51.3 |
| 2015 | 1,419 | 50 |
| 2014 | 1,391 | 48.7 |
| 2013 | 1,362 | 47.5 |
| 2012 | 1,330 | 46.2 |
| 2011 | 1,308 | 44.9 |
| 2010 | 1,301 | 43.7 |
| 2009 | 1,297 | 42.4 |
| 2008 | 1,296 | 41.1 |
| 2007 | 1,298 | 39.8 |
| 2006 | 1,299 | 38.6 |
| 2005 | 1,301 | 37.4 |
| 2004 | 1,303 | 36.2 |
| 2003 | 1,303 | 35 |
| 2002 | 1,306 | 33.9 |
| 2001 | 1,312 | 32.8 |
| 2000 | 1,317 | 31.7 |
| 1999 | 1,319 | 30.6 |
| 1998 | 1,321 | 29.5 |
| 1997 | 1,321 | 28.5 |
| 1996 | 1,319 | 27.5 |
| 1995 | 1,316 | 26.6 |
| 1994 | 1,313 | 25.6 |
| 1993 | 1,308 | 24.7 |
| 1992 | 1,298 | 23.8 |
| 1991 | 1,276 | 23 |
| 1990 | 1,246 | 22.3 |
| 1989 | 1,216 | 21.7 |
| 1988 | 1,187 | 21.2 |
| 1987 | 1,159 | 20.8 |
| 1986 | 1,132 | 20.3 |
| 1985 | 1,107 | 19.9 |
| 1984 | 1,085 | 19.5 |
| 1983 | 1,064 | 19.1 |
| 1982 | 1,041 | 18.7 |
| 1981 | 1,015 | 18.3 |
| 1980 | 991 | 17.9 |
| 1979 | 967 | 17.5 |
| 1978 | 945 | 17.2 |
| 1977 | 928 | 16.8 |
| 1976 | 915 | 16.5 |
| 1975 | 905 | 16.1 |
| 1974 | 897 | 15.7 |
| 1973 | 889 | 15.4 |
| 1972 | 882 | 15 |
| 1971 | 876 | 14.7 |
| 1970 | 869 | 14.3 |
| 1969 | 852 | 14 |
| 1968 | 819 | 13.7 |
| 1967 | 794 | 13.4 |
| 1966 | 783 | 13.1 |
| 1965 | 755 | 12.8 |
| 1964 | 714 | 12.5 |
| 1963 | 677 | 12.2 |
| 1962 | 645 | 12 |
| 1961 | 618 | 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/nauru/papua-new-guinea | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Nauru increased by 20.6%, compared to a 62.3% growth in Papua New Guinea.
In 2006, Nauru ranked 13th by population density and is 12th now. Papua New Guinea was 167th in 2006 and ranks 165th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Nauru
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,568 ppl/mi² | 62.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 12/197 | 165/197 |
| Population |
12125
|
11002753
|
| Land area | 7.72 sq mi | 174,850 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 18,019 sq ft | 460,884 sq ft |
| Rural population | 0% | 84.6% |
| Urban population | 100% | 15.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nauru
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
| 2024 | 100% | 15.4% |
| 2023 | 100% | 15.1% |
| 2022 | 100% | 14.7% |
| 2021 | 100% | 14.4% |
| 2020 | 100% | 14.2% |
| 2019 | 100% | 13.9% |
| 2018 | 100% | 13.7% |
| 2017 | 100% | 13.5% |
| 2016 | 100% | 13.4% |
| 2015 | 100% | 13.2% |
| 2014 | 100% | 13.1% |
| 2013 | 100% | 13.1% |
| 2012 | 100% | 13% |
| 2011 | 100% | 13% |
| 2010 | 100% | 13% |
| 2009 | 100% | 13% |
| 2008 | 100% | 13% |
| 2007 | 100% | 13% |
| 2006 | 100% | 13% |
| 2005 | 100% | 13.1% |
| 2004 | 100% | 13.1% |
| 2003 | 100% | 13.1% |
| 2002 | 100% | 13.2% |
| 2001 | 100% | 13.2% |
| 2000 | 100% | 13.2% |
| 1999 | 100% | 13.3% |
| 1998 | 100% | 13.5% |
| 1997 | 100% | 13.7% |
| 1996 | 100% | 14% |
| 1995 | 100% | 14.4% |
| 1994 | 100% | 14.7% |
| 1993 | 100% | 14.9% |
| 1992 | 100% | 15.2% |
| 1991 | 100% | 15.3% |
| 1990 | 100% | 15.4% |
| 1989 | 100% | 15.3% |
| 1988 | 100% | 15.1% |
| 1987 | 100% | 14.8% |
| 1986 | 100% | 14.5% |
| 1985 | 100% | 14.2% |
| 1984 | 100% | 13.8% |
| 1983 | 100% | 13.5% |
| 1982 | 100% | 13.3% |
| 1981 | 100% | 13.1% |
| 1980 | 100% | 13.1% |
| 1979 | 100% | 13.1% |
| 1978 | 100% | 13.1% |
| 1977 | 100% | 13.1% |
| 1976 | 100% | 13.1% |
| 1975 | 100% | 13% |
| 1974 | 100% | 12.7% |
| 1973 | 100% | 12.2% |
| 1972 | 100% | 11.7% |
| 1971 | 100% | 11.1% |
| 1970 | 100% | 10.2% |
| 1969 | 100% | 9.05% |
| 1968 | 100% | 7.77% |
| 1967 | 100% | 6.63% |
| 1966 | 100% | 5.88% |
| 1965 | 100% | 5.42% |
| 1964 | 100% | 4.98% |
| 1963 | 100% | 4.57% |
| 1962 | 100% | 4.17% |
| 1961 | 100% | 3.81% |
| 1960 | 100% | 3.46% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/nauru/papua-new-guinea | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 100% to 100% in Nauru 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/nauru/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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