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Population density: Papua New Guinea vs Vietnam compared

Updated on by Georank team

Papua New Guinea has a population density of 62.6 people per square mile compared to 845 people in Vietnam. Papua New Guinea has 471,041 sq ft of land per person vs 35,354 sq ft in Vietnam. Papua New Guinea and Vietnam rank 165th and 30th 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 1.24% of the population and 0.21% of the land area for Vietnam, making the population density in Papua New Guinea 92.6% lower than in Vietnam.

Population density by year

Papua New Guinea
Vietnam

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Papua New Guinea Vietnam
2026 62.6 845
2025 61.6 840
2024 60.5 835
2023 59.4 829
2022 58.4 824
2021 57.3 818
2020 56.1 810
2019 55 803
2018 53.7 795
2017 52.5 787
2016 51.3 777
2015 50 767
2014 48.7 758
2013 47.5 749
2012 46.2 740
2011 44.9 731
2010 43.7 723
2009 42.4 716
2008 41.1 705
2007 39.8 693
2006 38.6 680
2005 37.4 671
2004 36.2 671
2003 35 665
2002 33.9 657
2001 32.8 649
2000 31.7 642
1999 30.6 607
1998 29.5 599
1997 28.5 591
1996 27.5 582
1995 26.6 573
1994 25.6 564
1993 24.7 554
1992 23.8 543
1991 23 532
1990 22.3 521
1989 21.7 510
1988 21.2 500
1987 20.8 490
1986 20.3 480
1985 19.9 470
1984 19.5 459
1983 19.1 448
1982 18.7 438
1981 18.3 428
1980 17.9 418
1979 17.5 409
1978 17.2 400
1977 16.8 390
1976 16.5 379
1975 16.1 370
1974 15.7 361
1973 15.4 353
1972 15 346
1971 14.7 338
1970 14.3 330
1969 14 323
1968 13.7 316
1967 13.4 309
1966 13.1 303
1965 12.8 295.4
1964 12.5 288.1
1963 12.2 280.5
1962 12 272.8
1961 11.7 265.8

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/vietnam | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Papua New Guinea increased by 62.3%, compared to a 24.1% growth in Vietnam.

In 2006, Papua New Guinea ranked 167th by population density and is 165th now. Vietnam was 33rd in 2006 and ranks 30th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Papua New Guinea
Vietnam
1x
Year Urban population
Papua New Guinea Vietnam
2024 15.4% 38.5%
2023 15.1% 38.1%
2022 14.7% 37.5%
2021 14.4% 36.7%
2020 14.2% 35.6%
2019 13.9% 34.6%
2018 13.7% 33.9%
2017 13.5% 33.4%
2016 13.4% 32.8%
2015 13.2% 32.4%
2014 13.1% 31.9%
2013 13.1% 31.5%
2012 13% 31.1%
2011 13% 30.7%
2010 13% 30.3%
2009 13% 29.8%
2008 13% 29.2%
2007 13% 28.6%
2006 13% 28%
2005 13.1% 27.4%
2004 13.1% 26.8%
2003 13.1% 26.2%
2002 13.2% 25.6%
2001 13.2% 24.9%
2000 13.2% 24.4%
1999 13.3% 23.8%
1998 13.5% 23.3%
1997 13.7% 22.7%
1996 14% 22.1%
1995 14.4% 21.5%
1994 14.7% 20.9%
1993 14.9% 20.3%
1992 15.2% 19.8%
1991 15.3% 19.4%
1990 15.4% 19.2%
1989 15.3% 19.1%
1988 15.1% 19%
1987 14.8% 19.1%
1986 14.5% 19.1%
1985 14.2% 19.1%
1984 13.8% 19.1%
1983 13.5% 19.1%
1982 13.3% 19.1%
1981 13.1% 19.1%
1980 13.1% 19.2%
1979 13.1% 19.2%
1978 13.1% 19.2%
1977 13.1% 19.6%
1976 13.1% 20.4%
1975 13% 20.6%
1974 12.7% 20.5%
1973 12.2% 20.5%
1972 11.7% 20.6%
1971 11.1% 20.7%
1970 10.2% 20.7%
1969 9.05% 20.6%
1968 7.77% 20.1%
1967 6.63% 19.3%
1966 5.88% 18.4%
1965 5.42% 17.5%
1964 4.98% 16.9%
1963 4.57% 16.5%
1962 4.17% 16.1%
1961 3.81% 15.7%
1960 3.46% 15.3%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 13.1% to 15.4% in Papua New Guinea and from 26.8% to 38.5% in Vietnam.

Densely populated cities

Papua New Guinea
City Population
Port Moresby 317K
Lae 101K
Vietnam
City Population
Ho Chi Minh 14M
Hanoi 8.72M
Can Tho 3.21M
Da Nang 2.82M
Haiphong 2.12M
Bien Hoa 1.1M
Hue 653K
Bac Ninh 520K
Hai Duong 507K
Vinh 490K

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/vietnam | 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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