Papua New Guinea has a population density of 62.6 people per square mile, compared to the average of 144 people in other countries. Papua New Guinea has 471,041 sq ft of land per person and ranks 165th out of 197 countries (most to least densely populated).
Papua New Guinea has 0.13% of the world's population and 0.3% of the total land area of all countries.
Papua New Guinea population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 62.6 | 165 |
| 2025 | 61.6 | 165 |
| 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 | 167 |
| 1998 | 29.5 | 167 |
| 1997 | 28.5 | 167 |
| 1996 | 27.5 | 167 |
| 1995 | 26.6 | 167 |
| 1994 | 25.6 | 167 |
| 1993 | 24.7 | 167 |
| 1992 | 23.8 | 163 |
| 1991 | 23 | 147 |
| 1990 | 22.3 | 145 |
| 1989 | 21.7 | 145 |
| 1988 | 21.2 | 145 |
| 1987 | 20.8 | 145 |
| 1986 | 20.3 | 145 |
| 1985 | 19.9 | 145 |
| 1984 | 19.5 | 145 |
| 1983 | 19.1 | 144 |
| 1982 | 18.7 | 144 |
| 1981 | 18.3 | 144 |
| 1980 | 17.9 | 144 |
| 1979 | 17.5 | 144 |
| 1978 | 17.2 | 144 |
| 1977 | 16.8 | 144 |
| 1976 | 16.5 | 144 |
| 1975 | 16.1 | 144 |
| 1974 | 15.7 | 144 |
| 1973 | 15.4 | 144 |
| 1972 | 15 | 143 |
| 1971 | 14.7 | 143 |
| 1970 | 14.3 | 143 |
| 1969 | 14 | 143 |
| 1968 | 13.7 | 143 |
| 1967 | 13.4 | 143 |
| 1966 | 13.1 | 142 |
| 1965 | 12.8 | 142 |
| 1964 | 12.5 | 141 |
| 1963 | 12.2 | 140 |
| 1962 | 12 | 140 |
| 1961 | 11.7 | 140 |
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/papua-new-guinea | CC BY 
This chart shows how population density in Papua New Guinea has changed over time. From 2006 to 2026, population density increased by 62.3%. Papua New Guinea ranked 167th by population density 20 years ago and ranks 165th today.
Density metrics
Papua New Guinea
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 62.6 ppl/mi² | 165/197 |
| Population |
11002753
|
92/197 |
| Land area | 174,850 sq mi | 54/197 |
| Land area per capita | 460,884 sq ft | 33/197 |
| Rural population | 84.6% | 2/195 |
| Urban population | 15.4% | 194/195 |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 172/197 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 15.4% | 194 |
| 2023 | 15.1% | 194 |
| 2022 | 14.7% | 194 |
| 2021 | 14.4% | 195 |
| 2020 | 14.2% | 195 |
| 2019 | 13.9% | 195 |
| 2018 | 13.7% | 195 |
| 2017 | 13.5% | 195 |
| 2016 | 13.4% | 195 |
| 2015 | 13.2% | 195 |
| 2014 | 13.1% | 195 |
| 2013 | 13.1% | 194 |
| 2012 | 13% | 194 |
| 2011 | 13% | 194 |
| 2010 | 13% | 194 |
| 2009 | 13% | 194 |
| 2008 | 13% | 194 |
| 2007 | 13% | 194 |
| 2006 | 13% | 194 |
| 2005 | 13.1% | 194 |
| 2004 | 13.1% | 194 |
| 2003 | 13.1% | 193 |
| 2002 | 13.2% | 193 |
| 2001 | 13.2% | 193 |
| 2000 | 13.2% | 193 |
| 1999 | 13.3% | 193 |
| 1998 | 13.5% | 192 |
| 1997 | 13.7% | 192 |
| 1996 | 14% | 191 |
| 1995 | 14.4% | 190 |
| 1994 | 14.7% | 187 |
| 1993 | 14.9% | 187 |
| 1992 | 15.2% | 186 |
| 1991 | 15.3% | 186 |
| 1990 | 15.4% | 185 |
| 1989 | 15.3% | 184 |
| 1988 | 15.1% | 183 |
| 1987 | 14.8% | 183 |
| 1986 | 14.5% | 183 |
| 1985 | 14.2% | 183 |
| 1984 | 13.8% | 183 |
| 1983 | 13.5% | 183 |
| 1982 | 13.3% | 183 |
| 1981 | 13.1% | 182 |
| 1980 | 13.1% | 181 |
| 1979 | 13.1% | 180 |
| 1978 | 13.1% | 178 |
| 1977 | 13.1% | 175 |
| 1976 | 13.1% | 174 |
| 1975 | 13% | 173 |
| 1974 | 12.7% | 173 |
| 1973 | 12.2% | 173 |
| 1972 | 11.7% | 174 |
| 1971 | 11.1% | 174 |
| 1970 | 10.2% | 174 |
| 1969 | 9.05% | 177 |
| 1968 | 7.77% | 181 |
| 1967 | 6.63% | 181 |
| 1966 | 5.88% | 182 |
| 1965 | 5.42% | 184 |
| 1964 | 4.98% | 184 |
| 1963 | 4.57% | 185 |
| 1962 | 4.17% | 186 |
| 1961 | 3.81% | 187 |
| 1960 | 3.46% | 188 |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/papua-new-guinea | CC BY
This chart shows the share of urban population in Papua New Guinea from 1960 to 2024: 3.46% lived in urban areas in 1960, 13.2% in 2000, and 15.4% in 2024.
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/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) (2000–2024, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2012–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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