What is population density in Papua New Guinea?

Population density in Papua New Guinea was 41.16 people per km² in 2100, according to HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024); UN FAO (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest population density recorded in Papua New Guinea?

The highest recorded value was 41.16 people per km² in 2100.

What is the lowest population density recorded in Papua New Guinea?

The lowest recorded value was 1.2 people per km² in 1922.

How does Papua New Guinea rank for population density?

Papua New Guinea ranks 177th out of 234 countries with data for 2100.

Is population density rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?

Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?

The figures come from HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024); UN FAO (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Population density. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Population density in Papua New Guinea

Name: Population density in Papua New Guinea
Creator: HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024); UN FAO (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Papua New Guinea: Population density was 41.16 people per km² in 2100. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2100)

41.16 people per km²

Change on year

up 0.1%

World rank

177th

of 234 countries

All-time high

41.16 people per km²

in 2100

All-time low

1.2 people per km²

in 1922

Years of data

318

1000–2100

Population density in Papua New Guinea, 1000–2100

Source: HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024); UN FAO (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people per km².

Analysis

The most recent figure for population density in Papua New Guinea is 41.16 people per km², measured in 2100. That is the highest value across all 318 years on record.

The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population density in Papua New Guinea peaked at 41.16 people per km² in 2100 and was at its lowest, 1.2 people per km², in 1922.

Papua New Guinea ranks 177th of 234 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1000s	1.97 people per km²	1.97 people per km²	1.97 people per km²	1
1100s	2.06 people per km²	2.06 people per km²	2.06 people per km²	1
1200s	2.16 people per km²	2.16 people per km²	2.16 people per km²	1
1300s	2.26 people per km²	2.26 people per km²	2.26 people per km²	1
1400s	2.37 people per km²	2.37 people per km²	2.37 people per km²	1
1500s	2.48 people per km²	2.48 people per km²	2.48 people per km²	1
1600s	2.6 people per km²	2.6 people per km²	2.6 people per km²	1
1700s	2.72 people per km²	2.72 people per km²	2.72 people per km²	1
1710s	2.73 people per km²	2.73 people per km²	2.73 people per km²	1
1720s	2.74 people per km²	2.74 people per km²	2.74 people per km²	1
1730s	2.75 people per km²	2.75 people per km²	2.75 people per km²	1
1740s	2.76 people per km²	2.76 people per km²	2.76 people per km²	1
1750s	2.77 people per km²	2.77 people per km²	2.77 people per km²	1
1760s	2.78 people per km²	2.78 people per km²	2.78 people per km²	1
1770s	2.79 people per km²	2.79 people per km²	2.79 people per km²	1
1780s	2.8 people per km²	2.8 people per km²	2.8 people per km²	1
1790s	2.81 people per km²	2.81 people per km²	2.81 people per km²	1
1800s	1.67 people per km²	1.67 people per km²	1.67 people per km²	10
1810s	1.67 people per km²	1.67 people per km²	1.67 people per km²	10
1820s	1.67 people per km²	1.67 people per km²	1.67 people per km²	10
1830s	1.68 people per km²	1.67 people per km²	1.68 people per km²	10
1840s	1.68 people per km²	1.68 people per km²	1.69 people per km²	10
1850s	1.7 people per km²	1.69 people per km²	1.72 people per km²	10
1860s	1.74 people per km²	1.72 people per km²	1.75 people per km²	10
1870s	1.77 people per km²	1.75 people per km²	1.79 people per km²	10
1880s	1.8 people per km²	1.79 people per km²	1.82 people per km²	10
1890s	1.84 people per km²	1.82 people per km²	1.86 people per km²	10
1900s	1.87 people per km²	1.86 people per km²	1.89 people per km²	10
1910s	1.55 people per km²	1.26 people per km²	1.84 people per km²	10
1920s	1.23 people per km²	1.2 people per km²	1.28 people per km²	10
1930s	1.62 people per km²	1.31 people per km²	2 people per km²	10
1940s	2.66 people per km²	2.11 people per km²	3.28 people per km²	10
1950s	3.81 people per km²	3.41 people per km²	4.29 people per km²	10
1960s	4.89 people per km²	4.41 people per km²	5.4 people per km²	10
1970s	6.15 people per km²	5.53 people per km²	6.77 people per km²	10
1980s	7.62 people per km²	6.91 people per km²	8.38 people per km²	10
1990s	10.12 people per km²	8.6 people per km²	11.81 people per km²	10
2000s	14.24 people per km²	12.23 people per km²	16.35 people per km²	10
2010s	19.05 people per km²	16.86 people per km²	21.22 people per km²	10
2020s	23.55 people per km²	21.68 people per km²	25.38 people per km²	10
2030s	27.49 people per km²	25.77 people per km²	29.18 people per km²	10
2040s	31.09 people per km²	29.54 people per km²	32.6 people per km²	10
2050s	34.24 people per km²	32.92 people per km²	35.48 people per km²	10
2060s	36.78 people per km²	35.74 people per km²	37.76 people per km²	10
2070s	38.71 people per km²	37.95 people per km²	39.41 people per km²	10
2080s	40.09 people per km²	39.55 people per km²	40.56 people per km²	10
2090s	40.93 people per km²	40.64 people per km²	41.14 people per km²	10
2100s	41.16 people per km²	41.16 people per km²	41.16 people per km²	1

Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea

174 Albania 43.25 people per km² compare
175 Georgia 42.73 people per km² compare
176 Colombia 42.43 people per km² compare
178 Turks and Caicos Islands 40.72 people per km² compare
179 Laos 40.11 people per km² compare
180 Oman 39.08 people per km² compare

See the full ranking of 235 places →

More population data for Papua New Guinea

Population growth rate, by level of development 0.0% (2100)
Number of children under 5, by world region 1.15 million people (2100)
World population growth 0.0% (2100)
Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 3.07 births per woman (2024)
Refugees by country of asylum 7,732 people (2024)
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 3.07 births per woman (2024)
Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 3.07 births per woman (2024)
Natural population growth rate 1.8% (2023)
Fertility rate: births per woman 3.1 live births per woman (2023)
Fertility rate vs. GDP per capita 3.1 live births per woman (2023)

All data for Papua New Guinea →

Frequently asked questions

What is population density in Papua New Guinea?: Population density in Papua New Guinea was 41.16 people per km² in 2100, according to HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024); UN FAO (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest population density recorded in Papua New Guinea?: The highest recorded value was 41.16 people per km² in 2100.
What is the lowest population density recorded in Papua New Guinea?: The lowest recorded value was 1.2 people per km² in 1922.
How does Papua New Guinea rank for population density?: Papua New Guinea ranks 177th out of 234 countries with data for 2100.
Is population density rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?: Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?: The figures come from HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024); UN FAO (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Population density. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 318 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Population density
Unit: people per km²
Source: HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024); UN FAO (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 235 places, 68,610 data points, 1000–2100
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Population per square kilometer by country, available from 10,000 BCE to 2100, based on data and estimates from different sources.