Life expectancy (Our World) in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Life expectancy (Our World) was 66.13 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
66.13
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
202nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
66.13
in 2023
All-time low
31.5
in 1946
Years of data
75
1946–2023
Life expectancy in Papua New Guinea, 1946–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, life expectancy in Papua New Guinea stood at 66.13. That is the highest value across all 75 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy in Papua New Guinea peaked at 66.13 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 31.5, in 1946.
That places Papua New Guinea 202nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 75 years of available data.
Life expectancy (Our World) in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 31.5 | — |
| 1950 | 39.36 | +24.9% |
| 1951 | 35.48 | -9.8% |
| 1952 | 40.68 | +14.6% |
| 1953 | 41.34 | +1.6% |
| 1954 | 41.95 | +1.5% |
| 1955 | 42.62 | +1.6% |
| 1956 | 43.26 | +1.5% |
| 1957 | 43.91 | +1.5% |
| 1958 | 44.56 | +1.5% |
| 1959 | 45.14 | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 45.8 | +1.5% |
| 1961 | 46.42 | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 46.71 | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 47.67 | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 48.29 | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 48.93 | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 49.57 | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 50.25 | +1.4% |
| 1968 | 50.88 | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 51.52 | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 52.14 | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 52.59 | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 53.25 | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 53.85 | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 54.44 | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 54.98 | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 55.53 | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 56.05 | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 56.52 | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 56.97 | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 57.39 | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 57.76 | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 58.07 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 58.29 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 58.58 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 58.8 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 59.02 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 59.23 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 59.38 | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 59.6 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 59.78 | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 59.94 | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 60.26 | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 60.47 | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 60.73 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 60.93 | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 61.07 | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 61.27 | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 60.43 | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 61.51 | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 61.61 | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 61.65 | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 61.64 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 61.74 | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 61.8 | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 61.87 | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 62.02 | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 62.21 | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 62.51 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 62.77 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 63.06 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 63.38 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 63.64 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 63.93 | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 64.2 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 64.47 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 64.7 | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 64.92 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 65.11 | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 65.33 | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 65.08 | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 64.36 | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 65.27 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 66.13 | +1.3% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 66.13 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 67.65, 98% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 66.13 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 72.85, 91% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 31.5 | 31.5 | 31.5 | 1 |
| 1950s | 41.83 | 35.48 | 45.14 | 10 |
| 1960s | 48.61 | 45.8 | 51.52 | 10 |
| 1970s | 54.63 | 52.14 | 56.97 | 10 |
| 1980s | 58.61 | 57.39 | 59.6 | 10 |
| 1990s | 60.64 | 59.78 | 61.51 | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.98 | 61.61 | 62.77 | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.27 | 63.06 | 65.33 | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.21 | 64.36 | 66.13 | 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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 2,501 (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 life expectancy in Papua New Guinea?
- Life expectancy in Papua New Guinea was 66.13 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 66.13 in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.5 in 1946.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for life expectancy?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 202nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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