Explore how urbanization has developed in Papua New Guinea through data on urban population, population share and annual urban growth.
The urban population of Papua New Guinea reached 1,698,345 in 2025, representing 15.4% of the country’s total population. Urban population changed by +22.1% over five years and +46.8% over ten years. Annual urban population growth was 4.1% in 2025.
In the common comparison year 2024, Papua New Guinea ranked 216th of 217 economies by urban population share and 18th of 217 by annual urban population growth.
Papua New Guinea Urban Population and Growth by Year
Data source: World Bank, World Development Indicators — Urban population (SP.URB.TOTL); Urban population, % of total population (SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS); Urban population growth, annual % (SP.URB.GROW); Population, total (population).
License: CC BY-4.0. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
About the Indicators
Urban population. The number of people living in areas classified as urban under each country’s own national statistical definition, which varies from country to country.
Urban population, % of total population. The share of a country’s population living in urban areas, based on national definitions of what counts as urban.
Urban population growth, annual %. The annual growth rate of the urban population, reflecting both natural increase and migration from rural to urban areas.