Population growth in Pacific island small states
Pacific island small states: Population growth was 1.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population growth in Pacific island small states, 1961–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, population growth in Pacific island small states stood at 1.2%.
The figure is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Pacific island small states peaked at 2.9% in 1963 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 2009.
That places Pacific island small states 18th out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Population growth in Pacific island small states, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.8% | — |
| 1962 | 2.9% | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 2.9% | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 2.8% | -1.2% |
| 1965 | 2.8% | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 2.7% | -4.4% |
| 1967 | 2.4% | -10.5% |
| 1968 | 2.2% | -6.9% |
| 1969 | 2.2% | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 2.2% | -3.2% |
| 1971 | 2.0% | -5.4% |
| 1972 | 2.0% | -4.1% |
| 1973 | 1.9% | -3.3% |
| 1974 | 1.9% | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 2.0% | +4.4% |
| 1976 | 2.1% | +4.5% |
| 1977 | 2.2% | +3.3% |
| 1978 | 2.2% | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 2.2% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 2.2% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 2.2% | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 2.2% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 2.2% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 2.2% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 2.1% | -4.1% |
| 1987 | 1.9% | -10.9% |
| 1988 | 1.7% | -10.2% |
| 1989 | 1.6% | -6.0% |
| 1990 | 1.5% | -5.1% |
| 1991 | 1.4% | -4.4% |
| 1992 | 1.4% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 1.4% | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | -4.8% |
| 1995 | 1.3% | -5.6% |
| 1996 | 1.3% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 1.5% | +13.7% |
| 1998 | 1.5% | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 1.5% | -4.1% |
| 2000 | 1.4% | -6.3% |
| 2001 | 1.3% | -5.4% |
| 2002 | 1.3% | -3.7% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | -4.5% |
| 2004 | 1.2% | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 1.1% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 1.0% | -7.1% |
| 2009 | 1.0% | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | +22.7% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | +15.4% |
| 2012 | 1.3% | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 1.3% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.3% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 1.3% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.3% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 1.0% | -17.7% |
| 2020 | 1.0% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | +10.3% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | +7.3% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 1.2% | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 2.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.1% | 1.9% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.1% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Pacific island small states
- 15 Yemen 2.9% compare
- 16 Tanzania, United Republic of 2.9% compare
- 17 Mozambique 2.8% compare
- 18 Mauritania 2.8% compare
- 19 Zambia 2.8% compare
- 20 Afghanistan 2.8% compare
- 21 Uganda 2.7% compare
More climate change data for Pacific island small states
- Population, total 2.76 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 2.0% (2025)
- Urban population 1.13 million (2025)
- Urban population 40.9% (2025)
- Terrestrial protected areas 4.2% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 7.1% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 7.1% (2025)
- CPIA public sector management and institutions cluster average 3.2 1=low to 6=high (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Pacific island small states?
- Population growth in Pacific island small states was 1.2% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Pacific island small states?
- The highest recorded value was 2.9% in 1963.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Pacific island small states?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 2009.
- How does Pacific island small states rank for population growth?
- Pacific island small states ranks 18th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Pacific island small states?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Pacific island small states data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.