Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 2.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
2.3%
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
40th
of 215 countries
All-time high
3.1%
in 1978
All-time low
2.1%
in 1999
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Population growth in Vanuatu, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Vanuatu recorded 2.3% for population growth in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.2% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Vanuatu peaked at 3.1% in 1978 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 1999.
That places Vanuatu 40th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.0% | — |
| 1971 | 3.0% | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 3.0% | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 3.0% | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 3.0% | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 3.0% | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 3.1% | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 3.1% | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 3.1% | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 2.8% | -10.7% |
| 1980 | 2.3% | -17.0% |
| 1981 | 2.2% | -3.4% |
| 1982 | 2.3% | +5.2% |
| 1983 | 2.4% | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 2.5% | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 2.5% | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 2.5% | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 2.6% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 2.6% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 2.6% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 2.5% | -1.6% |
| 1991 | 2.5% | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 2.5% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 2.4% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 2.4% | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 2.3% | -3.0% |
| 1996 | 2.2% | -3.5% |
| 1997 | 2.2% | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 2.1% | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 2.1% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 2.3% | +10.9% |
| 2001 | 2.5% | +9.5% |
| 2002 | 2.5% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 2.5% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 2.4% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 2.4% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 2.4% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 2.4% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 2.5% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 2.3% | -7.7% |
| 2011 | 2.2% | -7.4% |
| 2012 | 2.2% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 2.3% | +4.8% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 2.3% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2.3% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 2.3% | -2.2% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 2.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.8%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 2.3% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7%, 3.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
More population data for Vanuatu
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.5164 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.7815 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.5164 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.6576 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 578.57 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.2 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2172 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.504 (2100)
- Population density 71.82 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 59,723 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Vanuatu?
- Population growth in Vanuatu was 2.3% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 3.1% in 1978.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 1999.
- How does Vanuatu rank for population growth?
- Vanuatu ranks 40th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Vanuatu data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release