Papua New Guinea Urban Population
Urban population as % of total SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Papua New Guinea's urban population was 15.69% in 2025, ranked 215th globally. This represents a 1.8% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1960–2025.
Overview
Papua New Guinea's urban population stood at 15.69% in 2025, a rise of +0.28% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 15.69% by 2025. Papua New Guinea ranked 215th globally.
Papua New Guinea's urban population has been steadily increasing over the 66 years of recorded data, with the latest figure standing at 15.69 in 2025, ranking 215th globally. This is also the all-time peak, indicating a continuous growth trend since the all-time trough of 3.46 in 1960. In comparison to its peer countries, Papua New Guinea's urban population percentage is lower than that of Samoa, which has 17.28, and Malawi, with 17.48, but higher than Liechtenstein's 14.67. The consistent rise in urban population suggests a shift towards urbanization, likely driven by economic and social factors. As the country continues to develop, the urban population is expected to increase further, unless significant investments are made in rural development to alter the trajectory of this trend.
Data & projection
| Year | Urban Population | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 16.31% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 16.00% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 15.69% | - | - |
| 2025 | 15.69% | +0.28% | #215 |
| 2024 | 15.41% | +0.35% | #2 |
| 2023 | 15.06% | +0.32% | #2 |
| 2022 | 14.74% | +0.30% | #2 |
| 2021 | 14.44% | +0.27% | #1 |
| 2020 | 14.17% | +0.24% | #1 |
| 2019 | 13.93% | +0.22% | #1 |
| 2018 | 13.71% | +0.19% | #1 |
| 2017 | 13.52% | +0.16% | #1 |
| 2016 | 13.37% | +0.13% | #1 |
| 2015 | 13.23% | +0.10% | #1 |
| 2014 | 13.13% | +0.07% | #1 |
| 2013 | 13.06% | +0.04% | #2 |
| 2012 | 13.01% | +0.01% | #2 |
| 2011 | 13.00% | −0.00% | #2 |
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 urban population improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Papua New Guinea's urban population was 15.69% in 2025. Ranked 215th globally. This represents a 1.8% increase from the previous year.
Papua New Guinea's urban population peaked at 15.69% in 2025.
The lowest urban population in Papua New Guinea was 3.46% in 1960.
Papua New Guinea ranks 215th globally in urban population as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Papua New Guinea's urban population is projected to reach 15.69% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The urban population of Papua New Guinea in 2025 was 15.69%. This ranks 215th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_papua-new-guinea_urban-population,
title = {Papua New Guinea Urban Population},
url = {https://historysaid.com/papua-new-guinea/urban-population/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}