Papua New Guinea Population Pyramid (2026)
Papua New Guinea has a population of 10,947,848 in 2026, according to the UN World Population Prospects 2024 (projection for 1 July). That is the 88th-largest population in the world and 0.13% of the global total of 8.30 billion. Children under 15 make up 32.8% of the population and people aged 65 and over 3.7%, with 105.5 males for every 100 females.
Papua New Guinea Demographics
Papua New Guinea has 10.9 million people in 2026, up 336.9% from 2.5 million in 1970.
Births outnumber deaths by 184,835 (UN projection for 2026).
65+ share 3.7% — the 44th-lowest of 194 countries.
Median age 23.0 — the 57th-lowest of 194 countries.
Largest generation: Gen Z — 29.6% (3,243,521)
All generations in Papua New Guinea →Compare Papua New Guinea Demographics
Population pyramid, 1950 to 2026
Watch how Papua New Guinea's population structure evolved from 1950 to 2026
Page Navigation(Quick jump to sections)
Sex Ratio & Gender Distribution
Papua New Guinea has 105.5 males per 100 females (sex ratio)
Men outnumber women by 293,034 (2.7% of the population).
Male Statistics
- Population:5,620,441
- Percentage:51.3%
Female Statistics
- Population:5,327,407
- Percentage:48.7%
- Ratio Format:1:0.948
Sex Ratio Analysis
The sex ratio of Papua New Guinea indicates more males than females.
Birth Statistics & Natality Data
Estimated births today
Simulated from the UN WPP 2024 projection of 257,492 births in 2026.
Current Birth Metrics (2026)
Temporal Distribution
Averages from the UN annual births, 2026 projection
Historical Birth Rate Trends, 1950 to 2026
Birth Statistics, 2021 to 2026
| Year | Births | Birth Rate (per 1,000) | TFR (children/woman) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 256,149 | 25.6 | 3.22 | estimate |
| 2022 | 256,716 | 25.2 | 3.17 | estimate |
| 2023 | 255,331 | 24.6 | 3.10 | estimate |
| 2024 | 256,911 | 24.3 | 3.07 | projection |
| 2025 | 256,974 | 23.9 | 3.03 | projection |
| 2026 | 257,492 | 23.5 | 2.99 | projection |
Historical Analysis
Global Context (2026)
Source: UN WPP 2024: births, birth rate and fertility for 2024 and later are medium-variant projections; 1950–2023 are estimates. The live counter is a uniform simulation of the 2026 projection (257,492 births), not a real-time feed.
Median Age Analysis
Papua New Guinea's median age is 23.0 years
Half the population is younger than 23.0 years, half is older — indicating a very young society
Complete Age Distribution & Youth Demographics
| Age Group | Population | % | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 1,238,459 | 11.3% | Youth |
| 5-9 | 1,203,834 | 11.0% | Youth |
| 10-14 | 1,148,517 | 10.5% | Youth |
| 15-19 | 1,074,346 | 9.8% | Young Adult |
| 20-24 | 1,000,177 | 9.1% | Young Adult |
| 25-29 | 919,471 | 8.4% | Working Age |
| 30-34 | 844,027 | 7.7% | Working Age |
| 35-39 | 766,930 | 7.0% | Working Age |
| 40-44 | 658,945 | 6.0% | Working Age |
| 45-49 | 560,915 | 5.1% | Working Age |
| 50-54 | 468,164 | 4.3% | Working Age |
| 55-59 | 372,306 | 3.4% | Working Age |
| 60-64 | 284,628 | 2.6% | Working Age |
| 65-69 | 192,261 | 1.8% | Senior |
| 70-74 | 114,228 | 1.0% | Senior |
| 75-79 | 61,208 | 0.6% | Senior |
| 80-84 | 27,626 | 0.3% | Senior |
| 85-89 | 9,353 | 0.1% | Senior |
| 90-94 | 2,110 | 0.0% | Senior |
| 95-99 | 315 | 0.0% | Senior |
| 100+ | 33 | 0.0% | Senior |
Demographic Transition Model (DTM) Stage
Stage 3 (falling birth rate): 2.99 children per woman and 23.5 births per 1,000, with a low death rate (6.6). Read more about Stage 3 of the Demographic Transition Model.
Fertility Rate & Birth Statistics
Papua New Guinea Total Fertility Rate: 2.99 children per woman
Above the replacement level of 2.1
Fertility Rate Trends
Historical data (solid line) and future projections (dashed line)
Historical Fertility Trends
| Year | Total Fertility Rate | Birth Rate | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3.22 | 25.6 | |
| 2022 | 3.17 | 25.2 | ↓0.05 |
| 2023 | 3.10 | 24.6 | ↓0.07 |
| 2024 | 3.07 | 24.3 | ↓0.03 |
| 2025 | 3.03 | 23.9 | ↓0.04 |
| 2026 | 2.99 | 23.5 | ↓0.04 |
Global Context
- • World Average: 2.23 children per woman
- • Comparison: Above global average
- • UN projection for 2030: 2.84
Papua New Guinea's total fertility rate is 2.99 children per woman in 2026 (above replacement), above the replacement level of 2.1. Papua New Guinea ranks 55 of 194 for fertility rate (1 = highest), in the highest third of countries. The fertility rate has changed by −47.6% since 1950.
Historical Demographic Changes
Between 1950 and 2026, Papua New Guinea's population has increased by 609.3%.
The median age has increased from 17.3 in 1950 to 23.0 in 2026, indicating population aging.
Understanding Papua New Guinea's Demographics
Papua New Guinea has an expansive population pyramid — a broad base of children that narrows steadily toward older ages.
Children under 15 make up 32.8% of the population and people aged 65 and over 3.7%.
The largest five-year age band is 0–4, at 11.3% of the population.
Demographic Analysis: Papua New Guinea's Population Structure
Demographic Dividend Window
The working-age share is still rising, from 61.2% in 2016 to 63.5% in 2026 (dependency ratio 57.5).
Fertility Transition Stage
Papua New Guinea is in a period of above replacement, with a total fertility rate of 2.99 children per woman (2026, UN WPP 2024).
Population Aging Speed
Papua New Guinea's median age changed by +2.0 years from 2016 to 2026, slower than the world average (+2.6 years).
Key Demographics
| Total Population | 10,947,848 |
| Male Population | 5,620,441(51.3%) |
| Female Population | 5,327,407(48.7%) |
| Median Age | 23.0 years |
| Sex Ratio | 105.5 males per 100 females |
| Youth (0-14) | 3,590,810(32.8%) |
| Working Age (15-64) | 6,949,904(63.5%) |
| Elderly (65+) | 407,134(3.7%) |
| Total Dependency Ratio | 57.5 |
| Youth Dependency Ratio | 51.7 |
| Old Age Dependency Ratio | 5.9 |
| Pyramid Type | Expansive |
Dependency Ratios: Number of dependents per 100 working-age individuals.
Demographic Data Visualizations
Total population, 1950–2026 (UN WPP 2024; 2024 onward are projections).
Median age, 1950–2026 (UN WPP 2024; 2024 onward are projections).
Youth, working-age and elderly shares, 1950 vs 2026 (UN WPP 2024).
Age distribution in 2026: youth, working-age and elderly shares (UN WPP 2024; projection).
Life Expectancy in Papua New Guinea
How long the average person in Papua New Guinea is expected to live · sourced from UN WPP 2024
Historical Trend, 1950 → 2026 (plus UN projection to 2100)
Solid: actual · Dashed: medium-variant projectionFuture Demographic Trends
Papua New Guinea is projected to grow to 14.9 million people by 2050 (+36.2% from 2026).
The median age rises from 23.0 in 2026 to 28.5 by 2050.
Papua New Guinea's Demographic Evolution by Decade
The population increased by 25.0%, growing from 2.5 million in 1970 to 3.1 million by 1980
The median age increased by 0.7 years, indicating population aging during this period
The youth population share contracted by 2.2 percentage points.
Key Demographic Highlights
- • Population changed from 2.5M to 3.1M
- • Growth rate of 25% over the decade
- • Median age shifted from 16.2 to 16.9 years (+0.7y)
- • 65+ share changed by +0.3 points; under-15 share by −2.2 points
How Does Papua New Guinea Compare to Its Neighbors?
Papua New Guinea has a younger population than Australia, New Zealand, Fiji. Papua New Guinea has a smaller population than Australia.
Papua New Guinea
Australia
New Zealand
Fiji
| Country | Population | Median Age | Youth % | Elderly % | Pyramid Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea (Current) | 10,947,848 | 23.0 | 32.8% | 3.7% | expansive |
| Australia | 27,227,096 | 38.5 | 17.5% | 18.5% | constrictive |
| New Zealand | 5,287,479 | 38.0 | 17.6% | 18.0% | constrictive |
| Fiji | 937,281 | 28.3 | 26.6% | 6.8% | stationary |
Frequently Asked Questions About Papua New Guinea
How does Papua New Guinea rank globally by population?
Papua New Guinea ranks 88th in the world by population with 10.9 million people as of 2026, representing 0.13% of the global total of 8.30 billion.
What does Papua New Guinea's age structure reveal about its development?
Papua New Guinea's age structure — 32.8% under 15, 63.5% working-age (15–64) and 3.7% aged 65+ — is that of a country in Stage 3 of the demographic transition, with an expansive population pyramid. The median age is 23.0 years.
What is the dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea has 57.5 people under 15 or aged 65+ per 100 people aged 15–64 in 2026.
Is Papua New Guinea experiencing a demographic dividend?
Papua New Guinea is in its demographic-dividend window. The working-age share is still rising, from 61.2% in 2016 to 63.5% in 2026 (dependency ratio 57.5). The demographic dividend occurs when falling fertility creates a bulge in the working-age population while dependency ratios stay manageable.
What are the gender dynamics in Papua New Guinea's population?
Papua New Guinea has more males than females, with 105.5 males per 100 females.
Compare with Other Countries
Data Sources & Methodology
All population data is sourced from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. The data represents UN medium-variant projections.
Cite this page: Population Pyramids. (2026). Papua New Guinea Population Pyramid and Demographic Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.populationpyramids.org/papua-new-guinea
View UN World Population Prospects Data →