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Population density: Papua New Guinea vs Uganda compared

Updated on by Georank team

Papua New Guinea has a population density of 62.6 people per square mile compared to 682 people in Uganda. Papua New Guinea has 471,041 sq ft of land per person vs 51,875 sq ft in Uganda. Papua New Guinea and Uganda rank 165th and 42nd 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 0.62% of the population and 0.13% of the land area for Uganda, making the population density in Papua New Guinea 90.8% lower than in Uganda.

Population density by year

Papua New Guinea
Uganda

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Papua New Guinea Uganda
2026 62.6 682
2025 61.6 664
2024 60.5 646
2023 59.4 628
2022 58.4 611
2021 57.3 593
2020 56.1 574
2019 55 555
2018 53.7 537
2017 52.5 519
2016 51.3 501
2015 50 485
2014 48.7 470
2013 47.5 456
2012 46.2 444
2011 44.9 431
2010 43.7 418
2009 42.4 408
2008 41.1 396
2007 39.8 384
2006 38.6 373
2005 37.4 362
2004 36.2 352
2003 35 342
2002 33.9 331
2001 32.8 321
2000 31.7 311
1999 30.6 301
1998 29.5 291.9
1997 28.5 283.3
1996 27.5 275.2
1995 26.6 267.9
1994 25.6 260.7
1993 24.7 252.1
1992 23.8 243.5
1991 23 235.3
1990 22.3 227.7
1989 21.7 220.5
1988 21.2 213.5
1987 20.8 206.8
1986 20.3 200.5
1985 19.9 194.7
1984 19.5 189.3
1983 19.1 184.3
1982 18.7 179.8
1981 18.3 175.7
1980 17.9 172.1
1979 17.5 168.5
1978 17.2 164.5
1977 16.8 160.2
1976 16.5 156
1975 16.1 152
1974 15.7 148.1
1973 15.4 144.5
1972 15 141.1
1971 14.7 137.6
1970 14.3 133.8
1969 14 129.8
1968 13.7 125.8
1967 13.4 122
1966 13.1 118.3
1965 12.8 114.7
1964 12.5 111.3
1963 12.2 108
1962 12 104.9
1961 11.7 101.9

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/uganda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Papua New Guinea increased by 62.3%, compared to a 82.7% growth in Uganda.

In 2006, Papua New Guinea ranked 167th by population density and is 165th now. Uganda was 55th in 2006 and ranks 42nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Papua New Guinea
Uganda
1x
Year Urban population
Papua New Guinea Uganda
2024 15.4% 31.3%
2023 15.1% 30.6%
2022 14.7% 29.9%
2021 14.4% 29.2%
2020 14.2% 28.5%
2019 13.9% 27.8%
2018 13.7% 27.1%
2017 13.5% 26.4%
2016 13.4% 25.7%
2015 13.2% 25%
2014 13.1% 24.2%
2013 13.1% 22.7%
2012 13% 21.4%
2011 13% 20.1%
2010 13% 18.8%
2009 13% 17.6%
2008 13% 16.5%
2007 13% 15.5%
2006 13% 14.6%
2005 13.1% 13.8%
2004 13.1% 13.1%
2003 13.1% 12.6%
2002 13.2% 12.2%
2001 13.2% 11.9%
2000 13.2% 11.6%
1999 13.3% 11.4%
1998 13.5% 11.2%
1997 13.7% 11%
1996 14% 10.9%
1995 14.4% 10.7%
1994 14.7% 10.6%
1993 14.9% 10.4%
1992 15.2% 10.2%
1991 15.3% 10%
1990 15.4% 9.76%
1989 15.3% 9.47%
1988 15.1% 9.15%
1987 14.8% 8.8%
1986 14.5% 8.44%
1985 14.2% 8.09%
1984 13.8% 7.74%
1983 13.5% 7.43%
1982 13.3% 7.15%
1981 13.1% 6.92%
1980 13.1% 6.76%
1979 13.1% 6.65%
1978 13.1% 6.57%
1977 13.1% 6.51%
1976 13.1% 6.46%
1975 13% 6.42%
1974 12.7% 6.38%
1973 12.2% 6.34%
1972 11.7% 6.29%
1971 11.1% 6.24%
1970 10.2% 6.17%
1969 9.05% 6.09%
1968 7.77% 5.97%
1967 6.63% 5.81%
1966 5.88% 5.63%
1965 5.42% 5.42%
1964 4.98% 5.2%
1963 4.57% 4.97%
1962 4.17% 4.75%
1961 3.81% 4.55%
1960 3.46% 4.36%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 13.1% to 15.4% in Papua New Guinea and from 13.1% to 31.3% in Uganda.

Densely populated cities

Papua New Guinea
City Population
Port Moresby 317K
Lae 101K
Uganda
City Population
Kampala 1.68M
Mbale 586K
Arua 385K
Kira Town 317K
Jinja 279K
Gulu 177K
Kasese 101K
Entebbe 70K

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/uganda | 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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