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Population density: Papua New Guinea vs Thailand compared

Updated on by Georank team

Papua New Guinea has a population density of 62.6 people per square mile compared to 363 people in Thailand. Papua New Guinea has 471,041 sq ft of land per person vs 77,066 sq ft in Thailand. Papua New Guinea and Thailand rank 165th and 70th 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 0.88% of the population and 0.34% of the land area for Thailand, making the population density in Papua New Guinea 82.7% lower than in Thailand.

Population density by year

Papua New Guinea
Thailand

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Papua New Guinea Thailand
2026 62.6 363
2025 61.6 363
2024 60.5 363
2023 59.4 363
2022 58.4 364
2021 57.3 364
2020 56.1 363
2019 55 363
2018 53.7 362
2017 52.5 361
2016 51.3 359
2015 50 358
2014 48.7 356
2013 47.5 354
2012 46.2 352
2011 44.9 350
2010 43.7 348
2009 42.4 345
2008 41.1 343
2007 39.8 340
2006 38.6 337
2005 37.4 335
2004 36.2 332
2003 35 329
2002 33.9 326
2001 32.8 323
2000 31.7 319
1999 30.6 316
1998 29.5 312
1997 28.5 308
1996 27.5 304
1995 26.6 299.6
1994 25.6 295.4
1993 24.7 291
1992 23.8 286.6
1991 23 282.1
1990 22.3 277.5
1989 21.7 273
1988 21.2 268.5
1987 20.8 264
1986 20.3 259.4
1985 19.9 254.9
1984 19.5 250.2
1983 19.1 245.5
1982 18.7 240.8
1981 18.3 236.1
1980 17.9 231.4
1979 17.5 226.7
1978 17.2 222
1977 16.8 217.2
1976 16.5 212.4
1975 16.1 207.5
1974 15.7 202.5
1973 15.4 197.4
1972 15 192.3
1971 14.7 187.3
1970 14.3 182.3
1969 14 177.3
1968 13.7 172.4
1967 13.4 167.5
1966 13.1 162.7
1965 12.8 157.9
1964 12.5 153.3
1963 12.2 148.8
1962 12 144.4
1961 11.7 140.2

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/thailand | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Papua New Guinea increased by 62.3%, compared to a 7.52% growth in Thailand.

In 2006, Papua New Guinea ranked 167th by population density and is 165th now. Thailand was 61st in 2006 and ranks 70th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Papua New Guinea
Thailand
1x
Year Urban population
Papua New Guinea Thailand
2024 15.4% 61.9%
2023 15.1% 60.9%
2022 14.7% 59.7%
2021 14.4% 58.5%
2020 14.2% 57.2%
2019 13.9% 55.9%
2018 13.7% 54.6%
2017 13.5% 49.2%
2016 13.4% 47.9%
2015 13.2% 47%
2014 13.1% 46.3%
2013 13.1% 45.8%
2012 13% 45.4%
2011 13% 44.8%
2010 13% 44%
2009 13% 43%
2008 13% 41.9%
2007 13% 40.7%
2006 13% 39.4%
2005 13.1% 38.1%
2004 13.1% 36.8%
2003 13.1% 35.4%
2002 13.2% 34.1%
2001 13.2% 32.7%
2000 13.2% 31.5%
1999 13.3% 30.2%
1998 13.5% 28.7%
1997 13.7% 27.2%
1996 14% 25.6%
1995 14.4% 24.1%
1994 14.7% 22.7%
1993 14.9% 21.3%
1992 15.2% 20.2%
1991 15.3% 19.4%
1990 15.4% 18.8%
1989 15.3% 18.5%
1988 15.1% 18.3%
1987 14.8% 18.1%
1986 14.5% 17.9%
1985 14.2% 17.8%
1984 13.8% 17.7%
1983 13.5% 17.6%
1982 13.3% 17.4%
1981 13.1% 17.3%
1980 13.1% 17.1%
1979 13.1% 16.8%
1978 13.1% 16.5%
1977 13.1% 16.1%
1976 13.1% 15.7%
1975 13% 15.2%
1974 12.7% 14.8%
1973 12.2% 14.3%
1972 11.7% 13.9%
1971 11.1% 13.6%
1970 10.2% 13.3%
1969 9.05% 13.1%
1968 7.77% 12.9%
1967 6.63% 12.7%
1966 5.88% 12.6%
1965 5.42% 12.5%
1964 4.98% 12.3%
1963 4.57% 12.2%
1962 4.17% 12.1%
1961 3.81% 12%
1960 3.46% 11.8%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 13.1% to 15.4% in Papua New Guinea and from 36.8% to 61.9% in Thailand.

Densely populated cities

Papua New Guinea
City Population
Port Moresby 317K
Lae 101K
Thailand
City Population
Bangkok 5.68M
Chiang Mai 1.2M
Nonthaburi 256K
Pak Kret 190K
Hat Yai 159K
Nakhon Ratchasima 134K
Chaophraya Surasak 133K
Surat Thani 131K
Udon Thani 130K
Klaeng 130K

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/thailand | 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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