Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 84.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Papua New Guinea, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population in Papua New Guinea stood at 84.2%. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Papua New Guinea peaked at 96.5% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 84.2%, in 2025.
That places Papua New Guinea 2nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 96.5% | — |
| 1961 | 96.2% | -0.4% |
| 1962 | 95.8% | -0.4% |
| 1963 | 95.4% | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 95.0% | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 94.6% | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 94.1% | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 93.4% | -0.8% |
| 1968 | 92.2% | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 90.9% | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 89.8% | -1.3% |
| 1971 | 88.9% | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 88.3% | -0.7% |
| 1973 | 87.8% | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 87.3% | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 87.0% | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 86.9% | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 86.9% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 86.9% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 86.9% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 86.9% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 86.9% | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 86.7% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 86.5% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 86.2% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 85.8% | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 85.5% | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 85.2% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 84.9% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 84.7% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 84.6% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 84.7% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 84.8% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 85.1% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 85.3% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 85.6% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 86.0% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 86.3% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 86.5% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 86.7% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 86.8% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 86.8% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 86.8% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 86.9% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 86.9% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 86.9% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 87.0% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 87.0% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 87.0% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 87.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 87.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 87.0% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 87.0% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 86.9% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 86.9% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 86.8% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 86.6% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 86.5% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 86.3% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 86.1% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 85.8% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 85.6% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 85.3% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 84.9% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 84.6% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 84.2% | -0.4% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 84.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.1%, 1.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 84.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 34.6%, 2.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 94.4% | 90.9% | 96.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 87.7% | 86.9% | 89.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 85.9% | 84.7% | 86.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 85.6% | 84.6% | 86.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 86.9% | 86.8% | 87.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 86.7% | 86.1% | 87.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 85.1% | 84.2% | 85.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
More agriculture & rural data for Papua New Guinea
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1129 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.1305 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 0.3264 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1702 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 495.76 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Papua New Guinea?
- Rural population in Papua New Guinea was 84.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 96.5% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 84.2% in 2025.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for rural population?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 2nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.