The current population of Papua New Guinea is 11,002,753 people, as of 2026 based on the adjusted UN estimation. The latest officially reported number was 10,576,502 in 2024.
- Papua New Guinea accounts for 0.13% of the world's population.
- Papua New Guinea is ranked 89/197 by population and was ranked 100th in 2006.
- For the last 20 years, Papua New Guinea has had an average growth rate of 3.15% per year.
- Papua New Guinea is projected to reach 18.8M people in 2100.
- Since 2006, population has increased from 6.75M people to 11M (63.1% growth in 20 years).
Papua New Guinea population and growth rate by year
| Year | Population | Growth rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2100 | 18,802,138 | 0.06% |
| 2099 | 18,790,040 | 0.07% |
| 2098 | 18,776,265 | 0.09% |
| 2097 | 18,758,897 | 0.11% |
| 2096 | 18,737,707 | 0.13% |
| 2095 | 18,714,219 | 0.14% |
| 2094 | 18,687,257 | 0.16% |
| 2093 | 18,658,233 | 0.17% |
| 2092 | 18,625,772 | 0.19% |
| 2091 | 18,590,001 | 0.22% |
| 2090 | 18,549,501 | 0.21% |
| 2089 | 18,510,463 | 0.23% |
| 2088 | 18,468,827 | 0.24% |
| 2087 | 18,424,378 | 0.26% |
| 2086 | 18,376,043 | 0.28% |
| 2085 | 18,325,641 | 0.28% |
| 2084 | 18,274,394 | 0.31% |
| 2083 | 18,218,709 | 0.31% |
| 2082 | 18,163,177 | 0.33% |
| 2081 | 18,104,285 | 0.36% |
| 2080 | 18,039,008 | 0.35% |
| 2079 | 17,975,778 | 0.37% |
| 2078 | 17,908,670 | 0.38% |
| 2077 | 17,840,781 | 0.39% |
| 2076 | 17,771,791 | 0.41% |
| 2075 | 17,699,428 | 0.42% |
| 2074 | 17,625,044 | 0.44% |
| 2073 | 17,548,128 | 0.47% |
| 2072 | 17,466,649 | 0.49% |
| 2071 | 17,381,598 | 0.5% |
| 2070 | 17,295,105 | 0.52% |
| 2069 | 17,205,503 | 0.55% |
| 2068 | 17,112,154 | 0.57% |
| 2067 | 17,015,090 | 0.59% |
| 2066 | 16,915,436 | 0.61% |
| 2065 | 16,812,946 | 0.62% |
| 2064 | 16,708,669 | 0.63% |
| 2063 | 16,604,296 | 0.65% |
| 2062 | 16,497,292 | 0.67% |
| 2061 | 16,386,905 | 0.72% |
| 2060 | 16,270,535 | 0.73% |
| 2059 | 16,152,614 | 0.75% |
| 2058 | 16,032,684 | 0.77% |
| 2057 | 15,909,649 | 0.79% |
| 2056 | 15,784,519 | 0.82% |
| 2055 | 15,656,542 | 0.86% |
| 2054 | 15,523,143 | 0.87% |
| 2053 | 15,389,244 | 0.91% |
| 2052 | 15,250,715 | 0.93% |
| 2051 | 15,110,389 | 0.95% |
| 2050 | 14,968,530 | 0.99% |
| 2049 | 14,821,865 | 1.01% |
| 2048 | 14,673,459 | 1.04% |
| 2047 | 14,522,926 | 1.06% |
| 2046 | 14,370,120 | 1.1% |
| 2045 | 14,213,585 | 1.12% |
| 2044 | 14,056,036 | 1.14% |
| 2043 | 13,897,765 | 1.16% |
| 2042 | 13,738,690 | 1.19% |
| 2041 | 13,577,382 | 1.22% |
| 2040 | 13,413,396 | 1.25% |
| 2039 | 13,247,486 | 1.29% |
| 2038 | 13,079,352 | 1.31% |
| 2037 | 12,909,735 | 1.35% |
| 2036 | 12,738,223 | 1.37% |
| 2035 | 12,566,543 | 1.4% |
| 2034 | 12,392,476 | 1.43% |
| 2033 | 12,218,246 | 1.46% |
| 2032 | 12,042,345 | 1.49% |
| 2031 | 11,865,316 | 1.54% |
| 2030 | 11,685,599 | 1.57% |
| 2029 | 11,504,890 | 1.61% |
| 2028 | 11,322,573 | 1.65% |
| 2027 | 11,138,409 | 1.7% |
| 2026 | 10,952,454 | 1.74% |
| 2025 | 10,765,048 | 1.78% |
| 2024 | 10,576,502 | 1.8% |
| 2023 | 10,389,635 | 1.83% |
| 2022 | 10,203,169 | 1.9% |
| 2021 | 10,012,896 | 2.01% |
| 2020 | 9,815,746 | 2.15% |
| 2019 | 9,609,010 | 2.28% |
| 2018 | 9,394,513 | 2.35% |
| 2017 | 9,178,714 | 2.42% |
| 2016 | 8,961,718 | 2.5% |
| 2015 | 8,743,246 | 2.58% |
| 2014 | 8,523,441 | 2.66% |
| 2013 | 8,302,698 | 2.74% |
| 2012 | 8,081,390 | 2.83% |
| 2011 | 7,859,346 | 2.96% |
| 2010 | 7,633,523 | 3.07% |
| 2009 | 7,406,438 | 3.11% |
| 2008 | 7,183,002 | 3.15% |
| 2007 | 6,963,345 | 3.2% |
| 2006 | 6,747,720 | 3.24% |
| 2005 | 6,535,905 | 3.28% |
| 2004 | 6,328,041 | 3.33% |
| 2003 | 6,123,997 | 3.38% |
| 2002 | 5,924,003 | 3.41% |
| 2001 | 5,728,435 | 3.46% |
| 2000 | 5,537,064 | 3.51% |
| 1999 | 5,349,333 | 3.54% |
| 1998 | 5,166,390 | 3.58% |
| 1997 | 4,987,883 | 3.63% |
| 1996 | 4,813,361 | 3.64% |
| 1995 | 4,644,278 | 3.66% |
| 1994 | 4,480,208 | 3.69% |
| 1993 | 4,320,872 | 3.7% |
| 1992 | 4,166,699 | 3.6% |
| 1991 | 4,021,837 | 3.22% |
| 1990 | 3,896,481 | 2.64% |
| 1989 | 3,796,078 | 2.27% |
| 1988 | 3,711,880 | 2.18% |
| 1987 | 3,632,543 | 2.19% |
| 1986 | 3,554,793 | 2.18% |
| 1985 | 3,478,936 | 2.17% |
| 1984 | 3,405,198 | 2.15% |
| 1983 | 3,333,633 | 2.12% |
| 1982 | 3,264,291 | 2.1% |
| 1981 | 3,197,019 | 2.09% |
| 1980 | 3,131,512 | 2.09% |
| 1979 | 3,067,341 | 2.12% |
| 1978 | 3,003,714 | 2.16% |
| 1977 | 2,940,327 | 2.19% |
| 1976 | 2,877,327 | 2.22% |
| 1975 | 2,814,820 | 2.26% |
| 1974 | 2,752,671 | 2.31% |
| 1973 | 2,690,629 | 2.37% |
| 1972 | 2,628,432 | 2.42% |
| 1971 | 2,566,421 | 2.43% |
| 1970 | 2,505,628 | 2.4% |
| 1969 | 2,446,927 | 2.35% |
| 1968 | 2,390,803 | 2.28% |
| 1967 | 2,337,532 | 2.26% |
| 1966 | 2,285,774 | 2.23% |
| 1965 | 2,235,820 | 2.17% |
| 1964 | 2,188,325 | 2.19% |
| 1963 | 2,141,376 | 2.27% |
| 1962 | 2,093,919 | 2.34% |
| 1961 | 2,046,127 | 2.56% |
| 1960 | 1,995,110 | - |
Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population/papua-new-guinea | CC BY 
Papua New Guinea has a population of 11M as of 2026, compared to 8.96M in 2016, 6.75M in 2006, and 4.81M in 1996.
Over the past 10 years, the population has had a trend to increase by an average of 2.28% per year. Papua New Guinea is ranked 50th out of 197 countries by a 10-year average growth rate.
The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that with changing growth rate trends in 20 years (in 2046) Papua New Guinea will have 14,370,120 people (30.6% growth) with a rank change from 89th to 87th.
By the year 2100, Papua New Guinea's population is projected to grow by 70.9% from its current level to 18.8M people.
Natural change and net migration by year
| Year | Population change | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Natural | Net migration | |
| 2025 | - | - | -284 |
| 2024 | - | - | -707 |
| 2023 | 186,850 | 187,637 | -787 |
| 2022 | 186,074 | 186,861 | -787 |
| 2021 | 194,469 | 183,766 | 10,703 |
| 2020 | 199,833 | 189,130 | 10,703 |
| 2019 | 213,640 | 190,662 | 22,978 |
| 2018 | 215,346 | 190,662 | 24,684 |
| 2017 | 216,228 | 189,715 | 26,513 |
| 2016 | 217,754 | 189,281 | 28,473 |
| 2015 | 219,180 | 188,600 | 30,580 |
| 2014 | 220,432 | 187,592 | 32,840 |
| 2013 | 221,070 | 185,790 | 35,280 |
| 2012 | 221,551 | 183,658 | 37,893 |
| 2011 | 222,532 | 181,842 | 40,690 |
| 2010 | 229,104 | 178,998 | 50,106 |
| 2009 | 225,068 | 175,421 | 49,647 |
| 2008 | 221,808 | 172,823 | 48,985 |
| 2007 | 217,509 | 169,306 | 48,203 |
| 2006 | 213,731 | 166,540 | 47,191 |
| 2005 | 209,902 | 163,888 | 46,014 |
| 2004 | 205,834 | 161,023 | 44,811 |
| 2003 | 202,250 | 158,611 | 43,639 |
| 2002 | 197,748 | 155,091 | 42,657 |
| 2001 | 193,393 | 151,431 | 41,962 |
| 2000 | 189,351 | 147,496 | 41,855 |
| 1999 | 186,111 | 143,592 | 42,519 |
| 1998 | 179,768 | 136,677 | 43,091 |
| 1997 | 177,245 | 134,458 | 42,787 |
| 1996 | 171,796 | 129,802 | 41,994 |
| 1995 | 166,372 | 125,410 | 40,962 |
| 1994 | 161,782 | 122,113 | 39,669 |
| 1993 | 156,888 | 118,668 | 38,220 |
| 1992 | 151,440 | 114,818 | 36,622 |
| 1991 | 138,283 | 111,453 | 26,830 |
| 1990 | 112,431 | 110,033 | 2,398 |
| 1989 | 88,375 | 108,199 | -19,824 |
| 1988 | 80,024 | 106,256 | -26,232 |
| 1987 | 78,647 | 104,367 | -25,720 |
| 1986 | 76,851 | 102,346 | -25,495 |
| 1985 | 74,863 | 100,333 | -25,470 |
| 1984 | 72,616 | 98,103 | -25,487 |
| 1983 | 70,517 | 95,982 | -25,465 |
| 1982 | 68,167 | 93,522 | -25,355 |
| 1981 | 66,384 | 91,767 | -25,383 |
| 1980 | 64,628 | 90,266 | -25,638 |
| 1979 | 63,712 | 89,330 | -25,618 |
| 1978 | 63,539 | 88,747 | -25,208 |
| 1977 | 63,232 | 87,954 | -24,722 |
| 1976 | 62,767 | 86,965 | -24,198 |
| 1975 | 62,247 | 85,809 | -23,562 |
| 1974 | 62,058 | 84,829 | -22,771 |
| 1973 | 62,018 | 83,821 | -21,803 |
| 1972 | 62,369 | 82,672 | -20,303 |
| 1971 | 61,654 | 80,599 | -18,945 |
| 1970 | 59,939 | 78,712 | -18,773 |
| 1969 | 57,460 | 76,454 | -18,994 |
| 1968 | 54,795 | 73,983 | -19,188 |
| 1967 | 51,752 | 71,519 | -19,767 |
| 1966 | 51,752 | 69,206 | -17,454 |
| 1965 | 48,161 | 66,693 | -18,532 |
| 1964 | 46,828 | 64,558 | -17,730 |
| 1963 | 47,071 | 62,260 | -15,189 |
| 1962 | 47,833 | 59,974 | -12,141 |
| 1961 | 47,742 | 58,151 | -10,409 |
| 1960 | 54,292 | 56,326 | -2,034 |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population/papua-new-guinea | CC BY
Over the last 10 years, 91% of the population change in Papua New Guinea is from natural causes (a gain of 1,883,906 people) and 8.98% is from migration (a gain of 185,900 people).
As of 2024, 31,171 residents or 0.3% of the population were not native-born in Papua New Guinea, compared to 30,425 and 0.4% in 2010.
Papua New Guinea population clock
Papua New Guinea
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Current population |
11002753
|
89/197 |
| Percent of world population | 0.13% | 89/197 |
| One net population change |
2.81 minutes
|
66/197 |
| One birth every |
2.06 minutes
|
78/196 |
| One death every |
7.76 minutes
|
98/196 |
| Daily growth/decline | +512 | 66/197 |
| Annual growth/decline | +186,867 | 66/197 |
| Annual growth/decline rate | +1.8% | 59/197 |
| One migration net change every |
1.29 days
|
87/196 |
| Annual migration change | -284 | 87/196 |
| Foreign-born residents | 31,171 | 163/195 |
| Foreign-born share of population | 0.3% | 183/195 |
Largest cities by population
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Port Moresby | 317K |
| Lae | 101K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Papua New Guinea population statistics
|
Papua New Guinea
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy | 66.5 years | 73.8 years |
| Average age | 26.7 years | 33.8 years |
| Median age | 23.6 years | 31.6 years |
| Male:Female ratio | 51.4:48.6 | 50.3:49.7 |
| Fertility rate | 3.1 births per woman | 2.2 births per woman |
| Population density | 62.6 ppl/mi² | 144 ppl/mi² |
Population map with other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population/papua-new-guinea | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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