Demographics of Papua New Guinea

The indigenous population of Papua New Guinea is one of the most heterogeneous in the world. Papua New Guinea has several thousand separate communities, most with only a few hundred people. Divided by language, customs, and tradition, some of these communities have engaged in endemic warfare with their neighbors for centuries. It is the second most populous nation in Oceania, with a total population estimated variously as being between 9.5 and 10.1 million inhabitants.

Huli Wigman from the Southern Highlands Province

Demographics of Papua New Guinea
Population pyramid of Papua New Guinea in 2020
Population	9,593,498 (2022 est.)
Growth rate	2.35% (2022 est.)
Birth rate	29.03 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate	5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Life expectancy	69.43 years
Fertility rate	3.92 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate	33.59 deaths/1,000 live births
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Nationality
Nationality	Papua New Guinean

The isolation created by the mountainous terrain is so great that some groups, until recently, were unaware of the existence of neighboring groups only a few kilometers away. The diversity, reflected in a folk saying, "For each village, a different culture", is perhaps best shown in the local languages. The island of New Guinea contains about 850 languages. The languages that are neither Austronesian nor Australian are considered Papuan languages; this is a geographical rather than linguistic demarcation.^[1] Of the Papuan languages, the largest linguistic grouping is considered to be Trans-New Guinean, with between 300 and 500 languages likely belonging to the group in addition to a huge variety of dialects.^[2] The remainder of the Papuan languages belong to smaller, unrelated groupings as well as to isolates. Native languages are spoken by a few hundred to a few thousand, although Enga language, used in Enga Province, is spoken by some 130,000 people.

Tok Pisin serves as the lingua franca. English is the language of business and government, and all schooling from Grade 2 Primary is in English.

The overall population density is low, although pockets of overpopulation exist. Papua New Guinea's Western Province averages one person per square kilometer (3 per sq. mi.). The Simbu Province in the New Guinea highlands averages 20 persons per square kilometer (52 persons/sq mi) and has areas containing up to 200 people farming a square kilometer of land. The highlands have 40% of the population.

A considerable urban drift towards Port Moresby and other major centers has occurred in recent years. Between 1978 and 1988, Port Moresby grew nearly 8% per year, Lae 6%, Mount Hagen 6.5%, Goroka 4%, and Madang 3%. The trend toward urbanization accelerated in the 1990s, bringing in its wake squatter settlements, unemployment, and attendant social problems. Almost two-thirds of the population is Christian. Of these, more than 700,000 are Roman Catholic, more than 500,000 Lutheran, and the balance are members of other Protestant denominations. Although the major churches are under indigenous leadership, a large number of missionaries remain in the country. The non-Christian portion of the indigenous population practices a wide variety of indigenous religions that are an integral part of traditional culture. These religions are mainly types of animism and veneration of the dead.

The World Bank estimates the number of international migrants in Papua New Guinea to be about 0.3% of the population.^[3] According to the 2000 and 2011 census, the most common places of origin for international migrants were the United States, Australia, the Philippines, and Indonesia.^[4] Since independence, about 900 foreigners have become naturalized citizens as of August 1999.^[5] An estimated 20,000 Chinese people live in Papua New Guinea.^[6]

The traditional Papua New Guinea social structure includes the following characteristics:

• The practice of subsistence economy;
• Recognition of bonds of kinship with obligations extending beyond the immediate family group;
• Generally egalitarian relationships with an emphasis on acquired, rather than inherited, status; and
• A strong attachment of the people to land.

Most Papua New Guineans still adhere strongly to this traditional social structure, which has its roots in village life.

Fertility and births

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):^[7]

Year	Total		Urban		Rural
	CBR	TFR	CBR	TFR	CBR	TFR
2016-18	29	4.2 (3.0)	28	3.5 (2.6)	29	4.3 (3.1)

Structure of the population

Age group	Total	Percent
Total	8 151 300	100
0–14	2 970 800	36.45
15–24	1 641 400	20.14
25-59	3 177 700	38.98
60+	361 400	4.43

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2016) (Estimates are prepared by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community based on the last population and housing census.): ^[8]

Vital statistics

Registration of vital events in Papua New Guinea is not complete. The website Our World in Data prepared the following estimates based on statistics from the Population Department of the United Nations.^[9]

	Mid-year population (thousands)	Live births (thousands)	Deaths (thousands)	Natural change (thousands)	Crude birth rate (per 1000)	Crude death rate (per 1000)	Natural change (per 1000)	Total fertility rate (TFR)	Infant mortality (per 1000 live births)	Life expectancy (in years)
1950	1 543 000	70 000	33 000	37 000	45.3	21.6	23.7	5.71	169.7	39.13
1951	1 574 000	72 000	38 000	35 000	45.9	24.0	21.9	5.74	170.3	36.49
1952	1 608 000	74 000	33 000	41 000	46.2	20.8	25.4	5.76	161.5	40.43
1953	1 648 000	77 000	34 000	43 000	46.5	20.4	26.1	5.79	157.5	41.12
1954	1 690 000	78 000	34 000	45 000	46.3	19.8	26.4	5.78	153.6	41.83
1955	1 735 000	80 000	34 000	47 000	46.2	19.4	26.9	5.82	149.9	42.46
1956	1 782 000	82 000	34 000	48 000	46.0	18.9	27.1	5.84	146.2	43.09
1957	1 831 000	84 000	34 000	50 000	45.7	18.3	27.4	5.89	142.5	43.83
1958	1 882 000	86 000	34 000	52 000	45.4	17.8	27.6	5.93	138.9	44.50
1959	1 933 000	87 000	34 000	53 000	44.9	17.4	27.6	5.96	135.3	45.08
1960	1 986 000	89 000	34 000	55 000	44.7	16.9	27.8	6.02	131.7	45.68
1961	2 036 000	91 000	34 000	57 000	44.4	16.4	28.0	6.07	128.2	46.29
1962	2 083 000	93 000	34 000	59 000	44.5	16.2	28.3	6.14	125.2	46.66
1963	2 129 000	95 000	33 000	61 000	44.3	15.5	28.8	6.15	121.4	47.60
1964	2 175 000	97 000	33 000	64 000	44.3	15.1	29.2	6.19	118.1	48.20
1965	2 222 000	99 000	33 000	66 000	44.2	14.7	29.6	6.20	114.8	48.82
1966	2 271 000	101 000	32 000	69 000	44.3	14.2	30.1	6.23	111.6	49.51
1967	2 323 000	103 000	32 000	71 000	44.1	13.7	30.4	6.24	108.5	50.14
1968	2 375 000	105 000	32 000	73 000	44.1	13.3	30.8	6.25	105.4	50.84
1969	2 431 000	107 000	31 000	76 000	43.9	12.8	31.1	6.26	102.4	51.41
1970	2 489 000	109 000	31 000	78 000	43.7	12.4	31.3	6.25	99.5	52.13
1971	2 549 000	111 000	31 000	80 000	43.3	12.0	31.3	6.23	96.8	52.58
1972	2 611 000	112 000	30 000	82 000	42.8	11.6	31.3	6.20	94.0	53.22
1973	2 672 000	113 000	30 000	83 000	42.0	11.1	30.9	6.16	91.4	53.87
1974	2 733 000	113 000	29 000	84 000	41.2	10.7	30.6	6.11	89.0	54.48
1975	2 794 000	114 000	29 000	85 000	40.5	10.3	30.2	6.07	86.6	55.04
1976	2 856 000	114 000	29 000	86 000	39.9	10.0	29.9	6.02	84.4	55.57
1977	2 918 000	115 000	28 000	87 000	39.2	9.7	29.6	5.96	82.2	56.04
1978	2 980 000	116 000	28 000	87 000	38.6	9.4	29.2	5.88	80.2	56.55
1979	3 042 000	116 000	28 000	88 000	38.0	9.2	28.8	5.79	78.3	57.00
1980	3 105 000	117 000	28 000	89 000	37.5	9.0	28.5	5.71	76.5	57.44
1981	3 169 000	119 000	28 000	91 000	37.3	8.8	28.5	5.65	74.8	57.83
1982	3 235 000	121 000	28 000	93 000	37.2	8.7	28.5	5.59	73.1	58.11
1983	3 304 000	124 000	29 000	95 000	37.3	8.6	28.7	5.56	71.8	58.37
1984	3 374 000	126 000	29 000	97 000	37.3	8.5	28.8	5.51	70.2	58.59
1985	3 448 000	129 000	29 000	100 000	37.3	8.4	28.8	5.47	68.9	58.87
1986	3 523 000	132 000	30 000	102 000	37.2	8.4	28.8	5.42	67.7	58.96
1987	3 600 000	134 000	30 000	104 000	37.2	8.3	28.8	5.36	66.5	59.21
1988	3 680 000	137 000	31 000	106 000	37.1	8.3	28.8	5.30	65.3	59.34
1989	3 764 000	139 000	31 000	109 000	37.0	8.2	28.8	5.24	64.1	59.58
1990	3 865 000	142 000	31 000	111 000	36.7	8.1	28.6	5.18	63.0	59.72
1991	3 991 000	144 000	32 000	112 000	36.3	8.0	28.2	5.11	62.1	59.91
1992	4 137 000	148 000	33 000	116 000	36.0	7.9	28.0	5.03	60.9	60.22
1993	4 292 000	153 000	33 000	120 000	35.8	7.8	28.0	4.96	60.0	60.51
1994	4 452 000	157 000	34 000	123 000	35.4	7.7	27.7	4.87	59.0	60.76
1995	4 616 000	161 000	35 000	126 000	35.0	7.6	27.4	4.78	58.1	61.05
1996	4 786 000	166 000	36 000	130 000	34.9	7.6	27.3	4.73	57.2	61.11
1997	4 960 000	172 000	37 000	134 000	34.7	7.5	27.2	4.68	56.4	61.38
1998	5 139 000	177 000	41 000	137 000	34.6	7.9	26.7	4.63	56.7	60.63
1999	5 321 000	183 000	40 000	143 000	34.4	7.5	27.0	4.59	54.7	61.67
2000	5 508 000	187 000	41 000	146 000	34.2	7.5	26.7	4.53	53.9	61.72
2001	5 698 000	193 000	42 000	150 000	33.9	7.5	26.4	4.47	53.1	61.77
2002	5 893 000	198 000	44 000	153 000	33.7	7.5	26.1	4.42	52.4	61.70
2003	6 091 000	203 000	46 000	157 000	33.4	7.5	25.9	4.36	51.5	61.80
2004	6 293 000	206 000	47 000	159 000	32.9	7.6	25.3	4.28	50.6	61.76
2005	6 499 000	211 000	49 000	162 000	32.5	7.6	24.9	4.22	49.7	61.80
2006	6 708 000	214 000	50 000	164 000	32.1	7.5	24.5	4.15	48.8	61.92
2007	6 921 000	218 000	52 000	166 000	31.6	7.5	24.1	4.08	47.9	62.03
2008	7 138 000	222 000	52 000	170 000	31.2	7.3	23.9	4.02	46.8	62.57
2009	7 359 000	226 000	53 000	173 000	30.8	7.2	23.6	3.94	45.9	62.79
2010	7 583 000	230 000	54 000	176 000	30.4	7.1	23.3	3.88	44.9	63.04
2011	7 807 000	234 000	54 000	180 000	30.0	7.0	23.1	3.82	43.9	63.53
2012	8 027 000	237 000	55 000	182 000	29.6	6.9	22.7	3.75	43.0	63.73
2013	8 246 000	240 000	56 000	183 000	29.1	6.8	22.3	3.68	42.0	63.96
2014	8 464 000	242 000	57 000	185 000	28.7	6.7	22.0	3.63	41.0	64.26
2015	8 682 000	244 000	57 000	187 000	28.2	6.6	21.6	3.56	40.0	64.70
2016	8 899 000	246 000	58 000	188 000	27.7	6.6	21.1	3.50	39.0	64.84
2017	9 115 000	248 000	59 000	188 000	27.2	6.5	20.7	3.43	38.0	65.10
2018	9 329 000	250 000	61 000	189 000	26.8	6.5	20.3	3.38	37.0	65.18
2019	9 542 000	251 000	62 000	190 000	26.4	6.5	19.9	3.32	35.9	65.47
2020	9 750 000	253 000	62 000	191 000	26.0	6.4	19.6	3.27	34.9	65.79
2021	9 949 000	254 000	66 000	187 000	25.5	6.7	18.8	3.22	33.9	65.35

CIA demographic statistics

Demographics of Papua New Guinea, Data of FAO, year 2005; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook 2022^[10]

Population

• 9,593,498 (2022 estimate)

Age structure

• 0–14 years: 31,98% (male 1,182,539/female 1,139,358)
• 15–24 years: 19.87% (male 731,453/female 711,164)
• 25–54 years: 37.68% (male 1,397,903/female 1,337,143)
• 55–64 years: 5.83% (male 218,529/female 204,717)
• 65 years and over: 4.64% (male 164,734/female 171,916) (2022 est.)

Population growth rate

• 2.35% (2022)

Birth rate

• 29.03 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Death rate

• 5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Net migration rate

• 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

• At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
• 0–14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
• 15–24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
• 25–54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
• 55–64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
• 65 years and over: 1.0 male(s)/female
• Total Population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

• 145 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate

• Total: 33.59 deaths/1,000 live births
• Male: 36.91 deaths/1,000 live births
• Female: 30.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

Total fertility rate

• 3.92 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Nationality

• Papua New Guineans (noun)
• Papua New Guinean (adjective)

Ethnic groups

• Melanesians
• Papuans
• Micronesians
• Polynesians

Religions

See also: Religion in Papua New Guinea

2020 figures from the Association of Religion Data Archives (relying on the World Christian Encyclopedia)^[11]

• Roman Catholic 25.7%
• Protestant 47.8%
• Other Christian 21.5%
• Indigenous beliefs 3.4%
• Baháʼí 0.9%
• No religious beliefs 0.7%
• Buddhist 0.15%

Languages

Main article: Languages of Papua New Guinea

• Tok Pisin (official)
• English (official)
• Hiri Motu (official)

Literacy

• Total population: 64.2%
• Male: 65.6%
• Female: 62.8%

See also

• Papua New Guinea
• Port Moresby

References

1. "Papua New Guinea | Ethnologue Free". Ethnologue (Free All).
2. Pawley, Andrew; Hammarström, Harald (2018). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area (1st ed.). Berlin, Germany: De Gruyter Mouton. ISBN 9783110286427.
3. "International migrant stock (% of population) - Papua New Guinea". worldbank.org. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
4. PAPUA NEW GUINEA 2011 NATIONAL REPORT, 2012, p. 36, retrieved 10 February 2023
5. "Background Notes: Papua New Guinea, August 1999". U.S. Department of State Archive. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
6. "Syndicate spending $414m on Chinatown in Port Moresby as battle for PNG influence escalates". ABC. 2019-04-16.
7. Papua New Guinea Demographic and Health Survey 2016-18 (PDF), 2019, retrieved 10 February 2023
8. "UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics". unstats.un.org. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
9. "Population & Demography Data Explorer". Our World in Data. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
10. "Papua New Guinea". CIA The World Factbook. 10 April 2023.
11. World Religions Database at the ARDA website, retrieved 2023-08-08