Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 46.3% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Papua New Guinea, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban and rural areas in Papua New Guinea is 46.3%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 24.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Papua New Guinea peaked at 46.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 9.3%, in 1950.
Papua New Guinea ranks 212th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 9.3% | — |
| 1955 | 10.5% | +13.0% |
| 1960 | 12.0% | +14.7% |
| 1965 | 13.5% | +12.6% |
| 1970 | 15.2% | +12.0% |
| 1975 | 17.0% | +12.1% |
| 1980 | 18.2% | +7.2% |
| 1985 | 20.8% | +14.4% |
| 1990 | 23.1% | +11.0% |
| 1995 | 25.7% | +11.2% |
| 2000 | 28.1% | +9.5% |
| 2005 | 32.3% | +15.0% |
| 2010 | 37.1% | +14.7% |
| 2015 | 41.8% | +12.7% |
| 2020 | 46.3% | +10.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 9.9% | 9.3% | 10.5% | 2 |
| 1960s | 12.8% | 12.0% | 13.5% | 2 |
| 1970s | 16.1% | 15.2% | 17.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 19.5% | 18.2% | 20.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 24.4% | 23.1% | 25.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 30.2% | 28.1% | 32.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 39.4% | 37.1% | 41.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 46.3% | 46.3% | 46.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 209 Burkina Faso 49.4% compare
- 210 Timor-Leste 49.4% compare
- 211 Mali 47.1% compare
- 213 Dominica 42.9% compare
- 214 Madagascar 42.9% compare
- 215 Greenland 42.5% compare
More reference data data for Papua New Guinea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2042 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0498 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.3515 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0007 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.3515 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6846 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.5295 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2811 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0038 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Papua New Guinea?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Papua New Guinea was 46.3% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 46.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.3% in 1950.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 212th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.