Papua New Guinea vs South Korea
Papua New Guinea vs South Korea: GDP growth
GDP growth: 3.9% a year in Papua New Guinea in 2024 and 1.1% a year in South Korea in 2025, by IMF estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Papua New Guinea, by 1.7 percentage points, or 1.77 times that in South Korea.
% a year · IMF
What the numbers say
- Papua New Guinea has been higher since 2022, when it overtook South Korea.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Papua New Guinea at 3.1% a year and South Korea at 1.9% a year in 2031.
Every year
% a year · IMF
| Year | Papua New Guinea | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6.2 | 1.1 |
| 2024 | 3.9 | 2.2 |
| 2023 | 3.8 | 1.5 |
| 2022 | 5.7 | 2.9 |
| 2021 | -0.5 | 4.7 |
| 2020 | -3.2 | -0.7 |
| 2019 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| 2018 | -0.3 | 3.2 |
| 2017 | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| 2016 | 5.5 | 3.2 |
| 2015 | 6.6 | 2.9 |
| 2014 | 13.5 | 3.2 |
| 2013 | 3.8 | 3.3 |
| 2012 | 4.7 | 2.5 |
| 2011 | 1.1 | 3.7 |
| 2010 | 10.1 | 7 |
| 2009 | 6.8 | 0.8 |
| 2008 | -0.3 | 3 |
| 2007 | 7.8 | 5.8 |
| 2006 | 2.5 | 5.2 |
| 2005 | 4.3 | 4.4 |
| 2004 | 0.6 | 5.2 |
| 2003 | 9 | 3.1 |
| 2002 | -0.2 | 7.7 |
| 2001 | -0.1 | 4.7 |
| 2000 | -2.5 | 9.2 |
| 1999 | 1.9 | 11.6 |
| 1998 | 4.7 | -4.9 |
| 1997 | -6.3 | 6.3 |
| 1996 | 6.6 | 8 |
| 1995 | -3.4 | 9.7 |
| 1994 | 10.5 | 9.4 |
| 1993 | 13.3 | 7 |
| 1992 | 13.8 | 6.4 |
| 1991 | 9.6 | 10.9 |
| 1990 | -3.1 | 10 |
| 1989 | -1.4 | 7.2 |
| 1988 | 2.9 | 12.1 |
| 1987 | 2.8 | 12.9 |
| 1986 | 5.7 | 11.5 |
| 1985 | 3.6 | 7.9 |
| 1984 | -1 | 10.6 |
| 1983 | 3.4 | 13.5 |
| 1982 | 0.8 | 8.5 |
| 1981 | 1.1 | 7.4 |
| 1980 | -2.3 | -1.5 |
- 12.3Projected
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | Papua New Guinea | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3.1 | 3.3 |
| 2027 | 4 | 2.8 |
| 2028 | 3.4 | 2.3 |
| 2029 | 3.1 | 2.1 |
| 2030 | 3.1 | 1.9 |
| 2031 | 3.1 | 1.9 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How much the economy grew or shrank in a year, after inflation.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 143 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Papua New Guinea vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyPapua New Guinea: 66.1 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityPapua New Guinea: 3.9 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityPapua New Guinea: 32.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionPapua New Guinea: 3.17% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide ratePapua New Guinea: 23.1 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationPapua New Guinea: 10.4 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthPapua New Guinea: 1.8% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility ratePapua New Guinea: 3.1 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationPapua New Guinea: 15.8% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median agePapua New Guinea: 22.3 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overPapua New Guinea: 3.3% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration ratePapua New Guinea: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingPapua New Guinea: 0.35% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsPapua New Guinea: $110M in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personPapua New Guinea: $10 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingPapua New Guinea: 1.6% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelPapua New Guinea: 4,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerPapua New Guinea: 0.03% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersPapua New Guinea: 0.12% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsPapua New Guinea: 9 million TIV in 2023South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
Climate
Technology and environment
- CO₂ per personPapua New Guinea: 0.52 tonnes in 2024South Korea: 11.36 tonnes in 2024
- Internet usersPapua New Guinea: 18.8% in 2024South Korea: 97.9% in 2024
- Access to electricityPapua New Guinea: 43.3% in 2024South Korea: 100% in 2024
- Forest areaPapua New Guinea: 75.2% in 2024South Korea: 64.4% in 2024