What is the population of Papua New Guinea in 2026?
Papua New Guinea has a population of 10,762,817 people (2025 estimate), which is 92nd in the world and about 0.13% of the global total.
Country profile · Oceania · Rank #92 by population
Papua New Guinea
Officially Independent State of Papua New Guinea
Population 2025
10,762,817
#92
in the world
0.13%
of world population
+1.75%
annual growth
About Papua New Guinea
With a population of 10,762,817, Papua New Guinea ranks 92nd globally and spans 452,860 km² across Oceania at a low density of 23 people per km². The nation's median age of 22.8 years reflects a young demographic, supported by a fertility rate of 3.1 births per woman and annual growth of 1.7%. Life expectancy stands at 66.3 years.
The country gained independence in 1975 and borders Indonesia. Port Moresby serves as the capital. English, Hiri Motu, and Tok Pisin are the official languages, while the Papua New Guinean kina is the currency. Urban areas account for 16% of the population, with the remainder distributed across rural regions. GDP per capita is $3,020.
This summary is AI-generated from the indicators on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Country Facts
- Capital
- Port Moresby
- Continent
- Oceania
- ISO codes
- PG · PNG
- Demonym
- Papua New Guinean
- Currency
- Papua New Guinean kina (PGK K)
- State inception
- 1975
- Time zone
- UTC+10:00
- Driving side
- Left
- Calling code
- +675
- Internet TLD
- .pg
- Land neighbours
- 1
Languages
- English
- Hiri Motu
- Tok Pisin
Demographics
Economy
Health
Education
Environment
Infrastructure
Quality of Life
Not published for Papua New Guinea: Happiness Index.
Geography
Military
Age & Gender Distribution
Population by five-year age band, UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Male Female
- Age 0–14
- 33.5%
- Age 15–64
- 63.1%
- Age 65+
- 3.5%
| Age band | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 100+ | 18 | 19 |
| 95-99 | 154 | 177 |
| 90-94 | 887 | 1,091 |
| 85-89 | 3,941 | 4,684 |
| 80-84 | 12,011 | 13,272 |
| 75-79 | 28,084 | 27,538 |
| 70-74 | 52,572 | 50,672 |
| 65-69 | 90,597 | 80,719 |
| 60-64 | 137,798 | 123,186 |
| 55-59 | 179,062 | 170,190 |
| 50-54 | 219,291 | 219,474 |
| 45-49 | 263,158 | 269,599 |
| 40-44 | 307,049 | 316,557 |
| 35-39 | 365,384 | 367,031 |
| 30-34 | 419,524 | 400,652 |
| 25-29 | 463,974 | 429,308 |
| 20-24 | 509,805 | 462,463 |
| 15-19 | 549,005 | 496,599 |
| 10-14 | 586,067 | 537,768 |
| 5-9 | 613,417 | 570,654 |
| 0-4 | 637,428 | 595,626 |
Population History & Projection (1950–2100)
Observed population to 2024, then the UN medium-variant projection.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,543,429 |
| 1960 | 1,995,110 |
| 1970 | 2,505,628 |
| 1980 | 3,131,512 |
| 1990 | 3,896,481 |
| 2000 | 5,537,064 |
| 2010 | 7,633,523 |
| 2020 | 9,815,746 |
| 2030 | 11,671,424 |
| 2040 | 13,376,160 |
| 2050 | 14,906,590 |
| 2060 | 16,184,460 |
| 2070 | 17,185,172 |
| 2080 | 17,911,988 |
| 2090 | 18,405,692 |
| 2100 | 18,640,541 |
How Papua New Guinea Compares
Population against the ten most populous countries.
- India1.46B
- China1.41B
- United States341.8M
- Indonesia285.7M
- Pakistan255.2M
- Nigeria237.5M
- Brazil212.8M
- Bangladesh175.7M
- Russia143.5M
- Ethiopia135.5M
- Papua New Guinea10.8M
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| India | 1.46B |
| China | 1.41B |
| United States | 341.8M |
| Indonesia | 285.7M |
| Pakistan | 255.2M |
| Nigeria | 237.5M |
| Brazil | 212.8M |
| Bangladesh | 175.7M |
| Russia | 143.5M |
| Ethiopia | 135.5M |
| Papua New Guinea | 10.8M |
Largest Cities in Papua New Guinea
All cities →13 cities of 15,000 or more in our roster.
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Port Moresby | National Capital | 283,733 |
| 2 | Lae | Morobe Province | 76,255 |
| 3 | Arawa | Bougainville | 40,266 |
| 4 | Mount Hagen | Western Highlands Province | 33,623 |
| 5 | Popondetta | Oro Province | 28,198 |
| 6 | Madang | Madang Province | 27,419 |
| 7 | Kokopo | East New Britain Province | 26,273 |
| 8 | Mendi | Southern Highlands Province | 26,252 |
Highest Peaks in Papua New Guinea
All peaks →40 notable summits in our mountain dataset. Subsidiary summits — named high points on a larger mountain — are omitted, so ranks may skip.
| # | Peak | Range | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Wilhelm | — | 4,509 m |
| 2 | Mount Giluwe | — | 4,368 m |
| 3 | Mount Bangeta | — | 4,121 m |
| 4 | Mount Victoria | — | 4,072 m |
| 5 | Mount Kabangama | — | 4,062 m |
| 6 | Mount Sarawaket | — | 3,993 m |
| 7 | Mount Albert Edward | — | 3,990 m |
| 8 | Mount Kubor | — | 3,969 m |
Countries Bordering Papua New Guinea
1 land border.
- Indonesia285.7M · +0.79%
Papua New Guinea Population FAQ
Is the population of Papua New Guinea growing or shrinking?
Papua New Guinea's population is growing at +1.75% per year, a change of roughly 187,919 people annually.
What is the capital of Papua New Guinea?
The capital of Papua New Guinea is Port Moresby.
How densely populated is Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea has 23/km² across 452,860 km² of land area.
What is life expectancy in Papua New Guinea?
Life expectancy at birth in Papua New Guinea is 66.3 years (2024).
What is the median age in Papua New Guinea?
The median age in Papua New Guinea is 22.8 years, meaning half the population is younger than that and half older.
Which continent is Papua New Guinea in?
Papua New Guinea is in Oceania.