Papua New Guinea — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Papua New Guinea, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Papua New Guinea was 1.75% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 3.63% in 1993. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.57% per year.
Papua New Guinea ranks 60 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 28%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 0.64%, so Papua New Guinea sits above it. It peaked in 1993 and has fallen 52% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 31%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 3 of 37 economies; Australia (1.53%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 21% in 1991. That is 18% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 91st of 216 in 1961 → 93rd of 216 in 1970 → 109th of 216 in 1980 → 68th of 216 in 1990 → 14th of 217 in 2000 → 20th of 217 in 2010 → 47th of 217 in 2020 → 60th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.75% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 1.78% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 1.81% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 1.88% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 1.99% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 2.13% | -0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 2.26% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 2.32% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 2.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 2.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 2.55% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 2.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 2.7% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 2.79% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 2.92% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 3.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 3.06% | -0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 3.11% | -0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 3.15% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 3.19% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 3.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 3.28% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 3.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 3.36% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 3.4% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 3.45% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 3.48% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 3.52% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 3.56% | -0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 3.58% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 3.6% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 3.62% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 3.63% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 3.54% | +0.4 pp |
| 1991 | 3.17% | +0.6 pp |
| 1990 | 2.61% | +0.4 pp |
| 1989 | 2.24% | +0.1 pp |
| 1988 | 2.16% | -0.0 pp |
| 1987 | 2.16% | +0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 2.16% | +0.0 pp |
| 1985 | 2.14% | +0.0 pp |
| 1984 | 2.12% | +0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 2.1% | +0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 2.08% | +0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 2.07% | -0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 2.07% | -0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 2.1% | -0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 2.13% | -0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 2.17% | -0.0 pp |
| 1976 | 2.2% | -0.0 pp |
| 1975 | 2.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 2.28% | -0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 2.34% | -0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 2.39% | -0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 2.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 2.37% | +0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 2.32% | +0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 2.25% | +0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 2.24% | +0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 2.21% | +0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 2.15% | -0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 2.17% | -0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 2.24% | -0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 2.31% | -0.2 pp |
| 1961 | 2.52% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Papua New Guinea’s Population growth in 1962?
2.31% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Papua New Guinea’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -30.8% in total — about 0.6% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.75%; 2024: 1.78%; 2023: 1.81%; 2022: 1.88%; 2021: 1.99%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.