Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Refugee population by country or territory of asylum was 7,727 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Papua New Guinea, 1978–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Papua New Guinea recorded 7,727 for refugee population by country or territory of asylum in 2025.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 18.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Papua New Guinea peaked at 11,839 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 150, in 1981.
Papua New Guinea ranks 96th of 183 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 1,000 | — |
| 1979 | 1,000 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1,000 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 150 | -85.0% |
| 1982 | 2,200 | +1366.7% |
| 1983 | 1,230 | -44.1% |
| 1984 | 10,950 | +790.2% |
| 1985 | 11,750 | +7.3% |
| 1986 | 11,290 | -3.9% |
| 1987 | 9,620 | -14.8% |
| 1988 | 9,241 | -3.9% |
| 1989 | 7,732 | -16.3% |
| 1990 | 7,099 | -8.2% |
| 1991 | 6,098 | -14.1% |
| 1992 | 6,686 | +9.6% |
| 1993 | 7,670 | +14.7% |
| 1994 | 8,461 | +10.3% |
| 1995 | 9,600 | +13.5% |
| 1996 | 10,175 | +6.0% |
| 1997 | 8,198 | -19.4% |
| 1998 | 8,198 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 6,664 | -18.7% |
| 2000 | 5,862 | -12.0% |
| 2001 | 4,941 | -15.7% |
| 2002 | 4,941 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 7,491 | +51.6% |
| 2004 | 7,626 | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 10,001 | +31.1% |
| 2006 | 10,182 | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 10,000 | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 10,005 | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 9,704 | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 9,699 | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 9,378 | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 9,378 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 9,373 | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 9,503 | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 9,503 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 9,529 | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 10,018 | +5.1% |
| 2018 | 10,022 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 9,698 | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 10,781 | +11.2% |
| 2021 | 11,839 | +9.8% |
| 2022 | 10,524 | -11.1% |
| 2023 | 10,523 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 7,732 | -26.5% |
| 2025 | 7,727 | -0.1% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 7,727 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8,620, 90% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 7,727 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 51.5, 150.0× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Papua New Guinea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +1366.7% | 150 | 2,200 |
| 1984 | +790.2% | 1,230 | 10,950 |
| 1981 | -85.0% | 1,000 | 150 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 2 |
| 1980s | 6,516 | 150 | 11,750 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7,885 | 6,098 | 10,175 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8,075 | 4,941 | 10,182 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9,610 | 9,373 | 10,022 | 10 |
| 2020s | 9,854 | 7,727 | 11,839 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
More population data for Papua New Guinea
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0564 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0669 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 14,910 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.58 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5424 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.048 (2100)
- Population density 41.16 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 1.15 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Papua New Guinea?
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Papua New Guinea was 7,727 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugee population by country or territory of asylum recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 11,839 in 2021.
- What is the lowest refugee population by country or territory of asylum recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 150 in 1981.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for refugee population by country or territory of asylum?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 96th out of 183 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugee population by country or territory of asylum rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Refugee population by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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