Papua New Guinea has a population density of 60.5 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Papua New Guinea has 471,041 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Papua New Guinea ranked 165th out of 197.
Papua New Guinea has 0.13% of the world's population and 0.3% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Papua New Guinea compared to the World's average
Papua New Guinea
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 60.5 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 165/197 | N/A |
| Population |
10911445
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 174,850 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 460,884 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 86.1% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 13.9% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 28.6% |
Papua New Guinea population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Papua New Guinea has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 67.1%. The population density rank was 166th 21 years ago and is 165th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 60.5 | 165 |
| 2023 | 59.4 | 165 |
| 2022 | 58.4 | 165 |
| 2021 | 57.3 | 165 |
| 2020 | 56.1 | 165 |
| 2019 | 55 | 165 |
| 2018 | 53.7 | 165 |
| 2017 | 52.5 | 165 |
| 2016 | 51.3 | 165 |
| 2015 | 50 | 166 |
| 2014 | 48.7 | 167 |
| 2013 | 47.5 | 167 |
| 2012 | 46.2 | 167 |
| 2011 | 44.9 | 167 |
| 2010 | 43.7 | 166 |
| 2009 | 42.4 | 166 |
| 2008 | 41.1 | 167 |
| 2007 | 39.8 | 167 |
| 2006 | 38.6 | 167 |
| 2005 | 37.4 | 165 |
| 2004 | 36.2 | 166 |
| 2003 | 35 | 166 |
| 2002 | 33.9 | 168 |
| 2001 | 32.8 | 168 |
| 2000 | 31.7 | 169 |
| 1999 | 30.6 | 166 |
| 1998 | 29.5 | 166 |
| 1997 | 28.5 | 166 |
| 1996 | 27.5 | 166 |
| 1995 | 26.6 | 166 |
| 1994 | 25.6 | 166 |
| 1993 | 24.7 | 166 |
| 1992 | 23.8 | 162 |
| 1991 | 23 | 146 |
| 1990 | 22.3 | 144 |
| 1989 | 21.7 | 143 |
| 1988 | 21.2 | 143 |
| 1987 | 20.8 | 143 |
| 1986 | 20.3 | 143 |
| 1985 | 19.9 | 143 |
| 1984 | 19.5 | 143 |
| 1983 | 19.1 | 142 |
| 1982 | 18.7 | 142 |
| 1981 | 18.3 | 142 |
| 1980 | 17.9 | 142 |
| 1979 | 17.5 | 142 |
| 1978 | 17.2 | 142 |
| 1977 | 16.8 | 142 |
| 1976 | 16.5 | 142 |
| 1975 | 16.1 | 142 |
| 1974 | 15.7 | 142 |
| 1973 | 15.4 | 142 |
| 1972 | 15 | 141 |
| 1971 | 14.7 | 141 |
| 1970 | 14.3 | 141 |
| 1969 | 14 | 141 |
| 1968 | 13.7 | 141 |
| 1967 | 13.4 | 141 |
| 1966 | 13.1 | 140 |
| 1965 | 12.8 | 140 |
| 1964 | 12.5 | 139 |
| 1963 | 12.2 | 138 |
| 1962 | 12 | 138 |
| 1961 | 11.7 | 138 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Papua New Guinea from 1960 to 2024: 3.73% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 13.2% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 13.9%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13.9% | 195 |
| 2023 | 13.7% | 195 |
| 2022 | 13.6% | 195 |
| 2021 | 13.5% | 195 |
| 2020 | 13.3% | 195 |
| 2019 | 13.3% | 195 |
| 2018 | 13.2% | 194 |
| 2017 | 13.1% | 194 |
| 2016 | 13% | 194 |
| 2015 | 13% | 194 |
| 2014 | 13% | 194 |
| 2013 | 13% | 194 |
| 2012 | 13% | 194 |
| 2011 | 13% | 194 |
| 2010 | 13% | 194 |
| 2009 | 13% | 194 |
| 2008 | 13.1% | 194 |
| 2007 | 13.1% | 194 |
| 2006 | 13.1% | 194 |
| 2005 | 13.1% | 194 |
| 2004 | 13.1% | 194 |
| 2003 | 13.1% | 194 |
| 2002 | 13.2% | 194 |
| 2001 | 13.2% | 194 |
| 2000 | 13.2% | 194 |
| 1999 | 13.4% | 193 |
| 1998 | 13.5% | 192 |
| 1997 | 13.7% | 191 |
| 1996 | 13.9% | 190 |
| 1995 | 14.1% | 189 |
| 1994 | 14.3% | 189 |
| 1993 | 14.4% | 188 |
| 1992 | 14.6% | 187 |
| 1991 | 14.8% | 185 |
| 1990 | 15% | 185 |
| 1989 | 14.8% | 184 |
| 1988 | 14.6% | 184 |
| 1987 | 14.4% | 183 |
| 1986 | 14.2% | 182 |
| 1985 | 14% | 181 |
| 1984 | 13.8% | 181 |
| 1983 | 13.6% | 181 |
| 1982 | 13.4% | 181 |
| 1981 | 13.2% | 181 |
| 1980 | 13% | 181 |
| 1979 | 12.8% | 180 |
| 1978 | 12.6% | 180 |
| 1977 | 12.4% | 179 |
| 1976 | 12.1% | 177 |
| 1975 | 11.9% | 176 |
| 1974 | 11.7% | 177 |
| 1973 | 11.5% | 177 |
| 1972 | 11.3% | 175 |
| 1971 | 11.1% | 175 |
| 1970 | 9.8% | 176 |
| 1969 | 8.65% | 180 |
| 1968 | 7.63% | 184 |
| 1967 | 6.71% | 185 |
| 1966 | 5.9% | 186 |
| 1965 | 5.47% | 187 |
| 1964 | 5.07% | 188 |
| 1963 | 4.69% | 189 |
| 1962 | 4.35% | 189 |
| 1961 | 4.02% | 188 |
| 1960 | 3.73% | 188 |
Densely populated cities
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Port Moresby | 317K |
| Lae | 101K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Papua New Guinea topic pages:
Population density comparisons
