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Population density: Papua New Guinea vs Tonga compared

Updated on by Georank team

Papua New Guinea has a population density of 62.6 people per square mile compared to 372 people in Tonga. Papua New Guinea has 471,041 sq ft of land per person vs 77,340 sq ft in Tonga. Papua New Guinea and Tonga rank 165th and 69th 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 0.001% of the population and 0.0005% of the land area for Tonga, making the population density in Papua New Guinea 83.1% lower than in Tonga.

Population density by year

Papua New Guinea
Tonga

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Papua New Guinea Tonga
2026 62.6 372
2025 61.6 373
2024 60.5 375
2023 59.4 376
2022 58.4 378
2021 57.3 379
2020 56.1 380
2019 55 380
2018 53.7 380
2017 52.5 379
2016 51.3 380
2015 50 382
2014 48.7 383
2013 47.5 385
2012 46.2 387
2011 44.9 387
2010 43.7 386
2009 42.4 386
2008 41.1 385
2007 39.8 384
2006 38.6 382
2005 37.4 380
2004 36.2 378
2003 35 376
2002 33.9 374
2001 32.8 372
2000 31.7 369
1999 30.6 367
1998 29.5 365
1997 28.5 362
1996 27.5 361
1995 26.6 361
1994 25.6 360
1993 24.7 360
1992 23.8 360
1991 23 359
1990 22.3 359
1989 21.7 358
1988 21.2 356
1987 20.8 354
1986 20.3 353
1985 19.9 352
1984 19.5 352
1983 19.1 353
1982 18.7 352
1981 18.3 352
1980 17.9 352
1979 17.5 351
1978 17.2 350
1977 16.8 348
1976 16.5 343
1975 16.1 335
1974 15.7 326
1973 15.4 319
1972 15 314
1971 14.7 309
1970 14.3 304
1969 14 298.2
1968 13.7 292.6
1967 13.4 287.1
1966 13.1 280.6
1965 12.8 273.1
1964 12.5 265.8
1963 12.2 258.6
1962 12 251.6
1961 11.7 244.7

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/tonga | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Papua New Guinea increased by 62.3%, compared to a 2.77% decline in Tonga.

In 2006, Papua New Guinea ranked 167th by population density and is 165th now. Tonga was 54th in 2006 and ranks 69th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Papua New Guinea
Tonga
1x
Year Urban population
Papua New Guinea Tonga
2024 15.4% 21.2%
2023 15.1% 21.1%
2022 14.7% 21.1%
2021 14.4% 21.3%
2020 14.2% 21.9%
2019 13.9% 22.3%
2018 13.7% 22.7%
2017 13.5% 23%
2016 13.4% 23.1%
2015 13.2% 23.2%
2014 13.1% 23.3%
2013 13.1% 23.4%
2012 13% 23.5%
2011 13% 23.5%
2010 13% 23.4%
2009 13% 23.4%
2008 13% 23.3%
2007 13% 23.2%
2006 13% 23.2%
2005 13.1% 23.1%
2004 13.1% 23.1%
2003 13.1% 23.1%
2002 13.2% 23.1%
2001 13.2% 23%
2000 13.2% 23%
1999 13.3% 23%
1998 13.5% 23%
1997 13.7% 22.9%
1996 14% 22.9%
1995 14.4% 22.8%
1994 14.7% 22.7%
1993 14.9% 22.6%
1992 15.2% 22.5%
1991 15.3% 22.4%
1990 15.4% 22.2%
1989 15.3% 22%
1988 15.1% 21.9%
1987 14.8% 21.7%
1986 14.5% 21.5%
1985 14.2% 21.4%
1984 13.8% 21.2%
1983 13.5% 21%
1982 13.3% 20.9%
1981 13.1% 20.7%
1980 13.1% 20.6%
1979 13.1% 20.5%
1978 13.1% 20.4%
1977 13.1% 20.4%
1976 13.1% 20.3%
1975 13% 20.3%
1974 12.7% 20.3%
1973 12.2% 20.2%
1972 11.7% 20.2%
1971 11.1% 20.2%
1970 10.2% 20.2%
1969 9.05% 20.2%
1968 7.77% 20.1%
1967 6.63% 20.1%
1966 5.88% 20%
1965 5.42% 19.9%
1964 4.98% 19.7%
1963 4.57% 19.4%
1962 4.17% 19.1%
1961 3.81% 18.7%
1960 3.46% 18.3%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 13.1% to 15.4% in Papua New Guinea and from 23.1% to 21.2% in Tonga.

Densely populated cities

Papua New Guinea
City Population
Port Moresby 317K
Lae 101K

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/tonga | 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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