Vanuatu — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Vanuatu, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Vanuatu was 2.23% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 3.09% in 1978. The lowest was 2.07% in 1999 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.36% per year.
Vanuatu ranks 36 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 17%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 0.64%, so Vanuatu sits above it. It peaked in 1978 and has fallen 28% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 0%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 2 of 37 economies; Papua New Guinea (1.75%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 17% in 1980. That is 3% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 68th of 216 in 1961 → 49th of 216 in 1970 → 99th of 216 in 1980 → 76th of 216 in 1990 → 57th of 217 in 2000 → 53rd of 217 in 2010 → 37th of 217 in 2020 → 36th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 2.27% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 2.32% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 2.32% | +0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 2.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 2.33% | -0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 2.33% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 2.4% | +0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 2.33% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 2.22% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 2.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 2.24% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 2.22% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 2.2% | +0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 2.17% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 2.34% | -0.2 pp |
| 2009 | 2.54% | +0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 2.51% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 2.45% | +0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 2.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 2.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 2.44% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 2.46% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 2.5% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 2.52% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 2.3% | +0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 2.07% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 2.09% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 2.15% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 2.23% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 2.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 2.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 2.45% | -0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 2.48% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 2.49% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 2.51% | -0.0 pp |
| 1989 | 2.55% | -0.0 pp |
| 1988 | 2.57% | +0.0 pp |
| 1987 | 2.56% | +0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 2.55% | +0.0 pp |
| 1985 | 2.52% | +0.0 pp |
| 1984 | 2.48% | +0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 2.42% | +0.1 pp |
| 1982 | 2.33% | +0.1 pp |
| 1981 | 2.21% | -0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 2.29% | -0.5 pp |
| 1979 | 2.76% | -0.3 pp |
| 1978 | 3.09% | +0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 3.08% | +0.0 pp |
| 1976 | 3.06% | +0.0 pp |
| 1975 | 3.05% | +0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 3.02% | +0.0 pp |
| 1973 | 3.01% | +0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 2.99% | +0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 2.96% | +0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 2.95% | -0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 2.96% | -0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 2.99% | -0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 3% | +0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 2.96% | +0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 2.92% | +0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 2.89% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 2.87% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 2.84% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 2.81% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Vanuatu’s Population growth in 1962?
2.84% (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 Vanuatu’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -20.5% in total — about 0.4% 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: 2.23%; 2024: 2.27%; 2023: 2.32%; 2022: 2.32%; 2021: 2.32%. 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.