Population in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Population was 10.39 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Population in Papua New Guinea, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, population in Papua New Guinea stood at 10.39 million people. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Papua New Guinea peaked at 10.39 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.54 million people, in 1950.
That places Papua New Guinea 93rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.73 million people | 1.54 million people | 1.94 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.22 million people | 2.00 million people | 2.45 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.78 million people | 2.51 million people | 3.07 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.45 million people | 3.13 million people | 3.80 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.58 million people | 3.90 million people | 5.35 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.45 million people | 5.54 million people | 7.41 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.63 million people | 7.63 million people | 9.61 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.11 million people | 9.82 million people | 10.39 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
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)
- Population density 41.16 people per km² (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in Papua New Guinea?
- Population in Papua New Guinea was 10.39 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 10.39 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.54 million people in 1950.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for population?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 93rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.