PNG Population and Demography in Graphs

John Mayers
Apr 8
2 min read

The population and demography of Papua New Guinea (PNG) reflect a nation experiencing steady growth and a relatively young age structure. Based on the data from Our World in Data, here is a summary of the key indicators as of 2023:

Population Size and Growth

Total Population: Estimated at 10.39 million in 2023.
Growth Rate: The population is growing at a rate of 1.8% annually. While significant, this is a slight decrease from higher historical growth rates.
Future Projections: Under medium-fertility scenarios, the population is projected to nearly double to 18.64 million by the year 2100.

Births, Deaths, and Health

Fertility Rate: The average woman in PNG is expected to have 3.1 children in her lifetime.
Life Expectancy: Life expectancy at birth stands at 66.1 years, which has seen a gradual increase over the last several decades.
Child Mortality: There has been progress in child survival, though 4% of children still die before the age of five.
Annual Vital Stats: In 2023, there were approximately 255,000 births compared to 67,700 deaths, driving "natural" population growth.

Age Structure

Median Age: PNG has a very young population with a median age of 22.3 years.
Dependency Ratio: There are 59.1 dependents (children under 15 and seniors over 65) for every 100 working-age people. The majority of this dependency comes from the large youth population.

Distribution and Migration

Urban vs. Rural: PNG remains one of the most rural nations in the world. As of 2020, 53.7% lived in rural areas, 35.3% in towns, and only 11% in cities.
Density: The population density is relatively low at 22.94 people per km².
Migration: Net migration is a negligible factor in PNG’s population change, with a net loss of only 787 people in 2023.

Overall, the data paints a picture of a country in the midst of a demographic transition, characterized by declining but still high fertility and a steadily improving life expectancy.

Original article here: https://ourworldindata.org/profile/population-demography/papua-new-guinea