Annual growth rate of urban population share in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Annual growth rate of urban population share was 2.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2.4%
Change on year
up 4.5%
World rank
3rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
16.0%
in 1968
All-time low
-2.2%
in 1995
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Papua New Guinea, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual growth rate of urban population share in Papua New Guinea is 2.4%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.5% on the previous year and up 177.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth rate of urban population share in Papua New Guinea peaked at 16.0% in 1968 and was at its lowest, -2.2%, in 1995.
Papua New Guinea ranks 3rd of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.9% | — |
| 1951 | 1.9% | -51.2% |
| 1952 | 4.3% | +129.0% |
| 1953 | 6.0% | +39.4% |
| 1954 | 7.4% | +22.4% |
| 1955 | 8.4% | +13.4% |
| 1956 | 9.0% | +8.0% |
| 1957 | 9.4% | +4.4% |
| 1958 | 9.6% | +1.9% |
| 1959 | 9.6% | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 9.5% | -1.0% |
| 1961 | 9.4% | -1.9% |
| 1962 | 9.1% | -2.6% |
| 1963 | 8.8% | -3.0% |
| 1964 | 8.5% | -3.4% |
| 1965 | 8.0% | -6.2% |
| 1966 | 9.8% | +22.6% |
| 1967 | 14.2% | +44.8% |
| 1968 | 16.0% | +12.9% |
| 1969 | 14.1% | -12.4% |
| 1970 | 10.0% | -28.6% |
| 1971 | 6.3% | -36.9% |
| 1972 | 4.8% | -23.4% |
| 1973 | 4.3% | -12.3% |
| 1974 | 3.2% | -25.0% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | -47.7% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | -84.4% |
| 1977 | -0.2% | -157.7% |
| 1978 | -0.2% | +50.1% |
| 1979 | -0.2% | -24.4% |
| 1980 | -0.0% | -96.7% |
| 1981 | 0.8% | -13564.3% |
| 1982 | 1.6% | +109.1% |
| 1983 | 2.1% | +34.7% |
| 1984 | 2.4% | +14.0% |
| 1985 | 2.5% | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | -5.4% |
| 1987 | 2.0% | -13.7% |
| 1988 | 1.5% | -24.1% |
| 1989 | 0.8% | -46.9% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -93.7% |
| 1991 | -0.7% | -1380.8% |
| 1992 | -1.3% | +94.1% |
| 1993 | -1.7% | +34.2% |
| 1994 | -2.0% | +17.6% |
| 1995 | -2.2% | +7.7% |
| 1996 | -2.2% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | -2.0% | -8.2% |
| 1998 | -1.6% | -18.2% |
| 1999 | -1.0% | -37.7% |
| 2000 | -0.4% | -56.6% |
| 2001 | -0.2% | -43.4% |
| 2002 | -0.2% | -2.8% |
| 2003 | -0.2% | -9.0% |
| 2004 | -0.2% | -10.5% |
| 2005 | -0.2% | -12.4% |
| 2006 | -0.1% | -14.8% |
| 2007 | -0.1% | -18.2% |
| 2008 | -0.1% | -23.3% |
| 2009 | -0.1% | -31.5% |
| 2010 | -0.0% | -51.3% |
| 2011 | 0.0% | -187.4% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | +687.8% |
| 2013 | 0.5% | +112.7% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | +48.3% |
| 2015 | 0.9% | +31.7% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | +23.2% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | +18.0% |
| 2018 | 1.5% | +14.4% |
| 2019 | 1.6% | +11.9% |
| 2020 | 1.8% | +9.9% |
| 2021 | 2.0% | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 2.1% | +7.1% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | +6.1% |
| 2024 | 2.3% | +5.2% |
| 2025 | 2.4% | +4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.0% | 1.9% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 10.8% | 8.0% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.0% | -0.2% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.6% | -0.0% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.5% | -2.2% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.2% | -0.4% | -0.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8% | -0.0% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.1% | 1.8% | 2.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
More population data for Papua New Guinea
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0669 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0564 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.3478 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0564 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.15 million people (2100)
- Population density 41.16 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.0% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5424 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.58 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth rate of urban population share in Papua New Guinea?
- Annual growth rate of urban population share in Papua New Guinea was 2.4% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 16.0% in 1968.
- What is the lowest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.2% in 1995.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for annual growth rate of urban population share?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 3rd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth rate of urban population share rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 177.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth rate of urban population share. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average annual rate of change of the share of the population living in urban areas.