Urban population, annual growth rate in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Urban population, annual growth rate was 4.23 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
4.23 % change on previous year
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
18th
of 218 countries
All-time high
19.86 % change on previous year
in 1968
All-time low
1.39 % change on previous year
in 1996
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Urban population, annual growth rate in Papua New Guinea, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population, annual growth rate in Papua New Guinea stood at 4.23 % change on previous year.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, annual growth rate in Papua New Guinea peaked at 19.86 % change on previous year in 1968 and was at its lowest, 1.39 % change on previous year, in 1996.
That places Papua New Guinea 18th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population, annual growth rate in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 12.73 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 12.24 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 1963 | 11.88 % change on previous year | -3.0% |
| 1964 | 11.47 % change on previous year | -3.4% |
| 1965 | 11.11 % change on previous year | -3.2% |
| 1966 | 10.89 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 15.35 % change on previous year | +41.0% |
| 1968 | 19.86 % change on previous year | +29.4% |
| 1969 | 19.26 % change on previous year | -3.0% |
| 1970 | 15.82 % change on previous year | -17.8% |
| 1971 | 10.89 % change on previous year | -31.1% |
| 1972 | 7.88 % change on previous year | -27.6% |
| 1973 | 7.25 % change on previous year | -8.1% |
| 1974 | 6.22 % change on previous year | -14.2% |
| 1975 | 4.85 % change on previous year | -22.0% |
| 1976 | 3.16 % change on previous year | -34.8% |
| 1977 | 2.1 % change on previous year | -33.6% |
| 1978 | 1.95 % change on previous year | -7.1% |
| 1979 | 1.9 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 1980 | 1.97 % change on previous year | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 2.4 % change on previous year | +22.2% |
| 1982 | 3.34 % change on previous year | +39.1% |
| 1983 | 4.06 % change on previous year | +21.5% |
| 1984 | 4.52 % change on previous year | +11.4% |
| 1985 | 4.73 % change on previous year | +4.7% |
| 1986 | 4.71 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 4.48 % change on previous year | -5.0% |
| 1988 | 4.05 % change on previous year | -9.7% |
| 1989 | 3.53 % change on previous year | -12.9% |
| 1990 | 3.12 % change on previous year | -11.4% |
| 1991 | 2.86 % change on previous year | -8.5% |
| 1992 | 2.57 % change on previous year | -10.1% |
| 1993 | 2.14 % change on previous year | -16.7% |
| 1994 | 1.75 % change on previous year | -18.4% |
| 1995 | 1.49 % change on previous year | -14.9% |
| 1996 | 1.39 % change on previous year | -6.7% |
| 1997 | 1.46 % change on previous year | +5.6% |
| 1998 | 1.7 % change on previous year | +15.8% |
| 1999 | 2.13 % change on previous year | +25.9% |
| 2000 | 2.79 % change on previous year | +30.6% |
| 2001 | 3.17 % change on previous year | +13.8% |
| 2002 | 3.15 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 3.14 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 3.12 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 3.09 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 3.08 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 3.06 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 3.04 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 3.03 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 3.02 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 2.94 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 2.94 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 3.09 % change on previous year | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 3.24 % change on previous year | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 3.38 % change on previous year | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 3.52 % change on previous year | +4.0% |
| 2017 | 3.64 % change on previous year | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 3.77 % change on previous year | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 3.89 % change on previous year | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 3.93 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 3.95 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 3.99 % change on previous year | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 4.05 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 4.15 % change on previous year | +2.4% |
| 2025 | 4.23 % change on previous year | +1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.87 % change on previous year | 10.89 % change on previous year | 19.86 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 6.2 % change on previous year | 1.9 % change on previous year | 15.82 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.78 % change on previous year | 1.97 % change on previous year | 4.73 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.06 % change on previous year | 1.39 % change on previous year | 3.12 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.07 % change on previous year | 2.79 % change on previous year | 3.17 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.34 % change on previous year | 2.94 % change on previous year | 3.89 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.05 % change on previous year | 3.93 % change on previous year | 4.23 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 15 Somalia 4.38 % change on previous year compare
- 16 Burkina Faso 4.35 % change on previous year compare
- 17 Mauritania 4.31 % change on previous year compare
- 19 Angola 4.22 % change on previous year compare
- 20 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4.1 % change on previous year compare
- 21 Oman 4.08 % change on previous year compare
More climate change data for Papua New Guinea
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 18.97 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,290 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 396.23 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,894 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1.5 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 67.64 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 108.7 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 105.81 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2.88 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.3993 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, annual growth rate in Papua New Guinea?
- Urban population, annual growth rate in Papua New Guinea was 4.23 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 19.86 % change on previous year in 1968.
- What is the lowest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.39 % change on previous year in 1996.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for urban population, annual growth rate?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 18th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.