Birth rates and death rates in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Birth rates and death rates was 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
6.52 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 4.8%
World rank
154th
of 236 countries
All-time high
25.02 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1951
All-time low
6.52 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Birth rates and death rates in Papua New Guinea, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for birth rates and death rates in Papua New Guinea is 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.8% on the previous year and down 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, birth rates and death rates in Papua New Guinea peaked at 25.02 deaths per 1,000 people in 1951 and was at its lowest, 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2023.
That places Papua New Guinea 154th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Birth rates and death rates in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 21.44 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 25.02 deaths per 1,000 people | +16.7% |
| 1952 | 20.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -17.2% |
| 1953 | 20.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1954 | 19.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1955 | 19.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1956 | 18.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1957 | 18.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1958 | 17.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1959 | 17.4 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1960 | 16.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1961 | 16.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1962 | 16.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 15.6 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 1964 | 15.18 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1965 | 14.74 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1966 | 14.31 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1967 | 13.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1968 | 13.42 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 13 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1970 | 12.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1971 | 12.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1972 | 11.81 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1973 | 11.4 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1974 | 11 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1975 | 10.65 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 10.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1977 | 10.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1978 | 9.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 9.53 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 9.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1981 | 9.16 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 9.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 8.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 8.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 8.83 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 8.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 8.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 8.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 8.55 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 8.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 8.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 8.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 8.16 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 8.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 7.98 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 7.95 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 7.88 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 8.3 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1999 | 7.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2000 | 7.79 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 7.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 7.8 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 7.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 7.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 7.74 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 7.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 7.61 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 7.49 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 7.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 7.29 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 7.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 7.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 6.98 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 6.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 6.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 6.74 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 6.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 6.66 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 6.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 6.82 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 7.23 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.9% |
| 2022 | 6.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.3% |
| 2023 | 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6.87 deaths per 1,000 people, 95% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 19.92 deaths per 1,000 people | 17.4 deaths per 1,000 people | 25.02 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 14.97 deaths per 1,000 people | 13 deaths per 1,000 people | 16.9 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.93 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.53 deaths per 1,000 people | 12.58 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.89 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.55 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.32 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.82 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.46 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.68 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.39 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.8 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.89 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.62 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.29 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.85 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.23 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
More health data for Papua New Guinea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.77 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3741 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 2,501 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.27 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0555 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.2621 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0594 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is birth rates and death rates in Papua New Guinea?
- Birth rates and death rates in Papua New Guinea was 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest birth rates and death rates recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 25.02 deaths per 1,000 people in 1951.
- What is the lowest birth rates and death rates recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for birth rates and death rates?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 154th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is birth rates and death rates rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Birth rates and death rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a year per 1,000 people in the population.