# 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.
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. 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. 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 the 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. 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. Since independence, about 900 foreigners have become naturalized citizens as of August 1999. An estimated 20,000 Chinese people live in Papua New Guinea.
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.

## Population
### 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 |

## Demographic and Health Surveys

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
| Year | Total | Total | Urban | Urban | Rural | Rural |
| Year | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR |
| 2016-18 | 29 | 4.2 (3.0) | 28 | 3.5 (2.6) | 29 | 4.3 (3.1) |

### UN estimates

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.
| | 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 |

## Ethnic groups

* Melanesians
* Papuans
* Micronesians
* Polynesians

## Religion

2020 figures from the Association of Religion Data Archives (relying on the World Christian Encyclopedia)
* 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

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