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Population density: Papua New Guinea vs Portugal compared

Updated on by Georank team

Papua New Guinea has a population density of 62.6 people per square mile compared to 302 people in Portugal. Papua New Guinea has 471,041 sq ft of land per person vs 92,822 sq ft in Portugal. Papua New Guinea and Portugal rank 165th and 81st by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Papua New Guinea has 0.13% of the world's population and 0.3% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.13% of the population and 0.06% of the land area for Portugal, making the population density in Papua New Guinea 79.2% lower than in Portugal.

Population density by year

Papua New Guinea
Portugal

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Papua New Guinea Portugal
2026 62.6 302
2025 61.6 302
2024 60.5 302
2023 59.4 299.1
2022 58.4 295
2021 57.3 293
2020 56.1 291.1
2019 55 290.8
2018 53.7 290.8
2017 52.5 291.2
2016 51.3 291.9
2015 50 292.9
2014 48.7 294.1
2013 47.5 295.7
2012 46.2 297.3
2011 44.9 298.5
2010 43.7 299
2009 42.4 298.8
2008 41.1 299
2007 39.8 298.5
2006 38.6 297.9
2005 37.4 297.4
2004 36.2 296.8
2003 35 296
2002 33.9 294.9
2001 32.8 293.3
2000 31.7 291.3
1999 30.6 289.2
1998 29.5 287.6
1997 28.5 286.1
1996 27.5 284.9
1995 26.6 283.8
1994 25.6 282.8
1993 24.7 282.1
1992 23.8 281.7
1991 23 281.9
1990 22.3 282.6
1989 21.7 283.2
1988 21.2 283.6
1987 20.8 283.9
1986 20.3 284
1985 19.9 283.7
1984 19.5 283
1983 19.1 281.9
1982 18.7 280.6
1981 18.3 278.9
1980 17.9 276.4
1979 17.5 273.5
1978 17.2 270.6
1977 16.8 267.7
1976 16.5 264.8
1975 16.1 257.4
1974 15.7 247.8
1973 15.4 244.4
1972 15 244.3
1971 14.7 244.7
1970 14.3 245.7
1969 14 247.9
1968 13.7 250.1
1967 13.4 251.2
1966 13.1 252.8
1965 12.8 254.7
1964 12.5 255.8
1963 12.2 255.6
1962 12 254.6
1961 11.7 252.8

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/portugal | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Papua New Guinea increased by 62.3%, compared to a 1.23% growth in Portugal.

In 2006, Papua New Guinea ranked 167th by population density and is 165th now. Portugal was 68th in 2006 and ranks 81st out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Papua New Guinea
Portugal
1x
Year Urban population
Papua New Guinea Portugal
2024 15.4% 61.3%
2023 15.1% 61.2%
2022 14.7% 61.1%
2021 14.4% 61.1%
2020 14.2% 61.1%
2019 13.9% 61.1%
2018 13.7% 61.1%
2017 13.5% 61.1%
2016 13.4% 61.1%
2015 13.2% 61.1%
2014 13.1% 61.1%
2013 13.1% 61.1%
2012 13% 61.1%
2011 13% 61.1%
2010 13% 61.1%
2009 13% 60.8%
2008 13% 60.4%
2007 13% 59.7%
2006 13% 59%
2005 13.1% 58.2%
2004 13.1% 57.4%
2003 13.1% 56.6%
2002 13.2% 55.8%
2001 13.2% 55.1%
2000 13.2% 54.4%
1999 13.3% 53.7%
1998 13.5% 53.1%
1997 13.7% 52.4%
1996 14% 51.7%
1995 14.4% 51%
1994 14.7% 50.3%
1993 14.9% 49.7%
1992 15.2% 49%
1991 15.3% 48.4%
1990 15.4% 47.7%
1989 15.3% 47.1%
1988 15.1% 46.5%
1987 14.8% 45.8%
1986 14.5% 45.2%
1985 14.2% 44.5%
1984 13.8% 43.9%
1983 13.5% 43.2%
1982 13.3% 42.6%
1981 13.1% 41.9%
1980 13.1% 41.3%
1979 13.1% 40.6%
1978 13.1% 40%
1977 13.1% 39.3%
1976 13.1% 38.7%
1975 13% 38.1%
1974 12.7% 37.5%
1973 12.2% 36.9%
1972 11.7% 36.3%
1971 11.1% 35.8%
1970 10.2% 35.2%
1969 9.05% 34.7%
1968 7.77% 34.2%
1967 6.63% 33.7%
1966 5.88% 33.2%
1965 5.42% 32.7%
1964 4.98% 32.3%
1963 4.57% 31.9%
1962 4.17% 31.5%
1961 3.81% 31.2%
1960 3.46% 30.8%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/papua-new-guinea/portugal | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 13.1% to 15.4% in Papua New Guinea and from 57.4% to 61.3% in Portugal.

Densely populated cities

Papua New Guinea
City Population
Port Moresby 317K
Lae 101K
Portugal
City Population
Lisbon 546K
Sintra 386K
Vila Nova de Gaia 304K
Porto 232K
Cascais 214K
Loures 202K
Braga 193K
Almada 177K
Matosinhos 173K
Oeiras 172K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

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/portugal | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2012–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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