Papua New Guinea Population Density
People per sq. km of land area EN.POP.DNST
Papua New Guinea's population density was 23.8 in 2025, ranked 180th globally. This represents a 3.8% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1961–2025.
Overview
Papua New Guinea's population density stood at 23.8 in 2025, a rise of +0.9 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 23.8 by 2025. Papua New Guinea ranked 180th globally.
Papua New Guinea's population density has experienced a significant increase over the past six decades, with a notable surge in recent years. At 23.82 people per square kilometer in 2025, the country ranks 180 globally, far from the highest ranks held by countries like Sweden with 26.21 people per square kilometer. However, Papua New Guinea's population density has more than quintupled since its 1961 trough of 4.52 people per square kilometer. This steady growth has been consistent with trends in other densely populated countries such as Brazil, which also experienced a significant increase in population density over the past few decades. The country's population density has grown rapidly since the 1970s, coinciding with the country's transition to independence. Looking ahead, any significant changes in government policies related to urban planning and resource allocation could potentially alter the trajectory of population density growth in Papua New Guinea.
Data & projection
| Year | Population Density | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 24.2 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 23.8 | - | - |
| 2025 | 23.8 | +0.9 | #180 |
| 2023 | 22.9 | +0.4 | #35 |
| 2022 | 22.5 | +0.4 | #35 |
| 2021 | 22.1 | +0.4 | #35 |
| 2020 | 21.7 | +0.5 | #35 |
| 2019 | 21.2 | +0.5 | #35 |
| 2018 | 20.7 | +0.5 | #35 |
| 2017 | 20.3 | +0.5 | #35 |
| 2016 | 19.8 | +0.5 | #35 |
| 2015 | 19.3 | +0.5 | #34 |
| 2014 | 18.8 | +0.5 | #33 |
| 2013 | 18.3 | +0.5 | #33 |
| 2012 | 17.8 | +0.5 | #33 |
| 2011 | 17.4 | +0.5 | #31 |
| 2010 | 16.9 | +0.5 | #31 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Papua New Guinea matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2022. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw population density improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Papua New Guinea's population density was 23.8 in 2025. Ranked 180th globally. This represents a 3.8% increase from the previous year.
Papua New Guinea's population density peaked at 23.8 in 2025.
The lowest population density in Papua New Guinea was 4.5 in 1961.
Papua New Guinea ranks 180th globally in population density as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is EN.POP.DNST. Data sourced from World Bank.
Papua New Guinea's population density is projected to reach 23.8 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The population density of Papua New Guinea in 2025 was 23.8. This ranks 180th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_papua-new-guinea_population-density,
title = {Papua New Guinea Population Density},
url = {https://historysaid.com/papua-new-guinea/population-density/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}