Papua New Guinea has a population density of 60.5 people per square mile compared to 136.7 people in South Africa. Papua New Guinea has 471,041 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Papua New Guinea and South Africa are ranked 165th and 136th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, hence the population density in Papua New Guinea is 55.7% lower than in South Africa.
Population density comparison
Papua New Guinea
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 60.5 ppl/mi² | 136.7 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 165/197 | 136/197 |
| Population |
10911445
|
65314246
|
| Land area | 174,850 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 460,884 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 86.1% | 30.7% |
| Urban population | 13.9% | 69.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 14.8% |
Papua New Guinea vs South Africa:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Papua New Guinea increased by 67.1%, compared to a 30.6% growth in South Africa.
In 2004, Papua New Guinea ranked 166th for population density and is in 165th place now. South Africa was 132nd in 2004 and ranks 136th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Papua New Guinea
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 60.5 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 59.4 | 135 |
| 2022 | 58.4 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 57.3 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 56.1 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 55 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 53.7 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 52.5 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 51.3 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 50 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 48.7 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 47.5 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 46.2 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 44.9 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 43.7 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 42.4 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 41.1 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 39.8 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 38.6 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 37.4 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 36.2 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 35 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 33.9 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 32.8 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 31.7 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 30.6 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 29.5 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 28.5 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 27.5 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 26.6 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 25.6 | 94 |
| 1993 | 24.7 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 23.8 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | 23 | 89 |
| 1990 | 22.3 | 87 |
| 1989 | 21.7 | 84.6 |
| 1988 | 21.2 | 82.2 |
| 1987 | 20.8 | 79.7 |
| 1986 | 20.3 | 77.2 |
| 1985 | 19.9 | 74.8 |
| 1984 | 19.5 | 72.4 |
| 1983 | 19.1 | 69.9 |
| 1982 | 18.7 | 67.5 |
| 1981 | 18.3 | 65.2 |
| 1980 | 17.9 | 63 |
| 1979 | 17.5 | 61.1 |
| 1978 | 17.2 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 16.8 | 57.9 |
| 1976 | 16.5 | 56.4 |
| 1975 | 16.1 | 54.9 |
| 1974 | 15.7 | 53.4 |
| 1973 | 15.4 | 51.9 |
| 1972 | 15 | 50.4 |
| 1971 | 14.7 | 49 |
| 1970 | 14.3 | 47.6 |
| 1969 | 14 | 46.1 |
| 1968 | 13.7 | 44.7 |
| 1967 | 13.4 | 43.4 |
| 1966 | 13.1 | 42 |
| 1965 | 12.8 | 40.8 |
| 1964 | 12.5 | 39.5 |
| 1963 | 12.2 | 38.3 |
| 1962 | 12 | 37.2 |
| 1961 | 11.7 | 36.1 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Papua New Guinea
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 13.9% | 69.3% |
| 2023 | 13.7% | 68.8% |
| 2022 | 13.6% | 68.3% |
| 2021 | 13.5% | 67.8% |
| 2020 | 13.3% | 67.4% |
| 2019 | 13.3% | 66.9% |
| 2018 | 13.2% | 66.4% |
| 2017 | 13.1% | 65.8% |
| 2016 | 13% | 65.3% |
| 2015 | 13% | 64.8% |
| 2014 | 13% | 64.3% |
| 2013 | 13% | 63.8% |
| 2012 | 13% | 63.3% |
| 2011 | 13% | 62.7% |
| 2010 | 13% | 62.2% |
| 2009 | 13% | 61.7% |
| 2008 | 13.1% | 61.2% |
| 2007 | 13.1% | 60.6% |
| 2006 | 13.1% | 60.1% |
| 2005 | 13.1% | 59.5% |
| 2004 | 13.1% | 59% |
| 2003 | 13.1% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 13.2% | 57.9% |
| 2001 | 13.2% | 57.4% |
| 2000 | 13.2% | 56.9% |
| 1999 | 13.4% | 56.4% |
| 1998 | 13.5% | 55.9% |
| 1997 | 13.7% | 55.4% |
| 1996 | 13.9% | 55% |
| 1995 | 14.1% | 54.5% |
| 1994 | 14.3% | 54% |
| 1993 | 14.4% | 53.5% |
| 1992 | 14.6% | 53% |
| 1991 | 14.8% | 52.6% |
| 1990 | 15% | 52% |
| 1989 | 14.8% | 51.5% |
| 1988 | 14.6% | 51% |
| 1987 | 14.4% | 50.4% |
| 1986 | 14.2% | 49.9% |
| 1985 | 14% | 49.4% |
| 1984 | 13.8% | 49.1% |
| 1983 | 13.6% | 48.9% |
| 1982 | 13.4% | 48.8% |
| 1981 | 13.2% | 48.6% |
| 1980 | 13% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 12.8% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 12.6% | 48.3% |
| 1977 | 12.4% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 12.1% | 48.2% |
| 1975 | 11.9% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 11.7% | 48% |
| 1973 | 11.5% | 48% |
| 1972 | 11.3% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 11.1% | 47.9% |
| 1970 | 9.8% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 8.65% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 7.63% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 6.71% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 5.9% | 47.4% |
| 1965 | 5.47% | 47.2% |
| 1964 | 5.07% | 47.1% |
| 1963 | 4.69% | 47% |
| 1962 | 4.35% | 46.9% |
| 1961 | 4.02% | 46.8% |
| 1960 | 3.73% | 46.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 13.1% to 13.9% in Papua New Guinea and from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa.
Densely populated cities
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Port Moresby | 317K |
| Lae | 101K |
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.43M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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