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Population density: Papua New Guinea vs Singapore compared

Updated on by Georank team

Papua New Guinea has a population density of 62.6 people per square mile compared to 22,064 people in Singapore. Papua New Guinea has 471,041 sq ft of land per person vs 1,282 sq ft in Singapore. Papua New Guinea and Singapore rank 165th and 2nd 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 0.07% of the population and 0.0005% of the land area for Singapore, making the population density in Papua New Guinea 99.7% lower than in Singapore.

Population density by year

Papua New Guinea
Singapore

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Papua New Guinea Singapore
2026 62.6 22,064
2025 61.6 21,926
2024 60.5 21,776
2023 59.4 21,346
2022 58.4 20,334
2021 57.3 19,672
2020 56.1 20,510
2019 55 20,632
2018 53.7 20,454
2017 52.5 20,415
2016 51.3 20,483
2015 50 20,219
2014 48.7 19,981
2013 47.5 19,779
2012 46.2 19,489
2011 44.9 19,071
2010 43.7 18,730
2009 42.4 18,454
2008 41.1 17,906
2007 39.8 17,100
2006 38.6 16,426
2005 37.4 16,035
2004 36.2 15,663
2003 35 15,513
2002 33.9 16,023
2001 32.8 15,996
2000 31.7 15,570
1999 30.6 15,303
1998 29.5 15,181
1997 28.5 14,674
1996 27.5 14,190
1995 26.6 13,625
1994 25.6 13,217
1993 24.7 12,809
1992 23.8 12,489
1991 23 12,119
1990 22.3 11,779
1989 21.7 11,330
1988 21.2 11,002
1987 20.8 10,726
1986 20.3 10,566
1985 19.9 10,576
1984 19.5 10,562
1983 19.1 10,364
1982 18.7 10,230
1981 18.3 9,791
1980 17.9 9,331
1979 17.5 9,214
1978 17.2 9,098
1977 16.8 8,989
1976 16.5 8,865
1975 16.1 8,746
1974 15.7 8,620
1973 15.4 8,477
1972 15 8,320
1971 14.7 8,168
1970 14.3 8,019
1969 14 7,896
1968 13.7 7,778
1967 13.4 7,645
1966 13.1 7,478
1965 12.8 7,294
1964 12.5 7,119
1963 12.2 6,939
1962 12 6,766
1961 11.7 6,581

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/singapore | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Papua New Guinea increased by 62.3%, compared to a 34.3% growth in Singapore.

In 2006, Papua New Guinea ranked 167th by population density and is 165th now. Singapore was 2nd in 2006 and still ranks 2nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Papua New Guinea
Singapore
1x
Year Urban population
Papua New Guinea Singapore
2024 15.4% 100%
2023 15.1% 100%
2022 14.7% 100%
2021 14.4% 100%
2020 14.2% 100%
2019 13.9% 100%
2018 13.7% 100%
2017 13.5% 100%
2016 13.4% 100%
2015 13.2% 100%
2014 13.1% 100%
2013 13.1% 100%
2012 13% 100%
2011 13% 100%
2010 13% 100%
2009 13% 100%
2008 13% 100%
2007 13% 100%
2006 13% 100%
2005 13.1% 100%
2004 13.1% 100%
2003 13.1% 100%
2002 13.2% 100%
2001 13.2% 100%
2000 13.2% 100%
1999 13.3% 100%
1998 13.5% 100%
1997 13.7% 100%
1996 14% 100%
1995 14.4% 100%
1994 14.7% 100%
1993 14.9% 100%
1992 15.2% 100%
1991 15.3% 100%
1990 15.4% 100%
1989 15.3% 100%
1988 15.1% 100%
1987 14.8% 100%
1986 14.5% 100%
1985 14.2% 100%
1984 13.8% 100%
1983 13.5% 100%
1982 13.3% 100%
1981 13.1% 100%
1980 13.1% 100%
1979 13.1% 100%
1978 13.1% 100%
1977 13.1% 100%
1976 13.1% 100%
1975 13% 100%
1974 12.7% 100%
1973 12.2% 100%
1972 11.7% 100%
1971 11.1% 100%
1970 10.2% 100%
1969 9.05% 100%
1968 7.77% 100%
1967 6.63% 100%
1966 5.88% 100%
1965 5.42% 100%
1964 4.98% 100%
1963 4.57% 100%
1962 4.17% 100%
1961 3.81% 100%
1960 3.46% 100%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 13.1% to 15.4% in Papua New Guinea and from 100% to 100% in Singapore.

Densely populated cities

Papua New Guinea
City Population
Port Moresby 317K
Lae 101K
Singapore
City Population
Singapore 5.87M
Bukit Merah 152K

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/singapore | 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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