Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita was 46.3% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita in Papua New Guinea, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Papua New Guinea recorded 46.3% for share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 24.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Papua New Guinea peaked at 46.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 9.3%, in 1950.
Papua New Guinea ranks 212th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 9.3% | — |
| 1955 | 10.5% | +13.0% |
| 1960 | 12.0% | +14.7% |
| 1965 | 13.5% | +12.6% |
| 1970 | 15.2% | +12.0% |
| 1975 | 17.0% | +12.1% |
| 1980 | 18.2% | +7.2% |
| 1985 | 20.8% | +14.4% |
| 1990 | 23.1% | +11.0% |
| 1995 | 25.7% | +11.2% |
| 2000 | 28.1% | +9.5% |
| 2005 | 32.3% | +15.0% |
| 2010 | 37.1% | +14.7% |
| 2015 | 41.8% | +12.7% |
| 2020 | 46.3% | +10.7% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 46.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 71.3%, 65% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 46.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 70.5%, 66% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 9.9% | 9.3% | 10.5% | 2 |
| 1960s | 12.8% | 12.0% | 13.5% | 2 |
| 1970s | 16.1% | 15.2% | 17.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 19.5% | 18.2% | 20.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 24.4% | 23.1% | 25.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 30.2% | 28.1% | 32.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 39.4% | 37.1% | 41.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 46.3% | 46.3% | 46.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 209 Burkina Faso 49.4% compare
- 210 Timor-Leste 49.4% compare
- 211 Mali 47.1% compare
- 213 Dominica 42.9% compare
- 214 Madagascar 42.9% compare
- 215 Greenland 42.5% compare
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)
- World population growth 0.0% (2100)
- Population density 41.16 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.15 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Papua New Guinea?
- Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Papua New Guinea was 46.3% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 46.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.3% in 1950.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 212th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.