Papua New Guinea
Median age in Papua New Guinea
Median age in Papua New Guinea: 17.3 years in 1950 and 22.3 years in 2023, by UN estimates.
- Latest, 2023
- 22.3 years
- Since 1950
- +5 years
- Rank, 2023
- 172 of 229
- counting from the highest
- World, 2023
- 30.4 years
- Projected, 2100
- 37.2 years
- UN projection (medium variant)
years · UN
What the numbers say
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts it at 37.2 years in 2100, between 32.5 years and 38.8 years (95% prediction interval).
- The highest was 22.3 years in 2023, the lowest 16 years in 1972.
Every year
years · UN
| Year | Papua New Guinea | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 22.3 | 30.4 |
| 2022 | 22.1 | 30.1 |
| 2021 | 21.9 | 29.8 |
| 2020 | 21.7 | 29.6 |
| 2019 | 21.5 | 29.3 |
| 2018 | 21.4 | 29 |
| 2017 | 21.2 | 28.8 |
| 2016 | 21 | 28.5 |
| 2015 | 20.8 | 28.3 |
| 2014 | 20.6 | 28.1 |
| 2013 | 20.5 | 27.8 |
| 2012 | 20.3 | 27.6 |
| 2011 | 20.1 | 27.4 |
| 2010 | 20 | 27.2 |
| 2009 | 19.8 | 27 |
| 2008 | 19.7 | 26.7 |
| 2007 | 19.5 | 26.5 |
| 2006 | 19.4 | 26.3 |
| 2005 | 19.3 | 26.1 |
| 2004 | 19.2 | 25.9 |
| 2003 | 19 | 25.7 |
| 2002 | 18.9 | 25.5 |
| 2001 | 18.9 | 25.3 |
| 2000 | 18.8 | 25.1 |
| 1999 | 18.7 | 24.9 |
| 1998 | 18.6 | 24.7 |
| 1997 | 18.4 | 24.4 |
| 1996 | 18.3 | 24.2 |
| 1995 | 18.2 | 24 |
| 1994 | 18.1 | 23.8 |
| 1993 | 18 | 23.5 |
| 1992 | 17.9 | 23.3 |
| 1991 | 17.7 | 23.1 |
| 1990 | 17.6 | 22.9 |
| 1989 | 17.6 | 22.8 |
| 1988 | 17.5 | 22.6 |
| 1987 | 17.5 | 22.4 |
| 1986 | 17.4 | 22.2 |
| 1985 | 17.3 | 22 |
| 1984 | 17.3 | 21.9 |
| 1983 | 17.2 | 21.8 |
| 1982 | 17.1 | 21.7 |
| 1981 | 17 | 21.6 |
| 1980 | 16.9 | 21.5 |
| 1979 | 16.7 | 21.3 |
| 1978 | 16.5 | 21.1 |
| 1977 | 16.4 | 21 |
| 1976 | 16.2 | 20.8 |
| 1975 | 16.1 | 20.7 |
| 1974 | 16.1 | 20.5 |
| 1973 | 16 | 20.4 |
| 1972 | 16 | 20.4 |
| 1971 | 16.1 | 20.3 |
| 1970 | 16.2 | 20.3 |
| 1969 | 16.3 | 20.3 |
| 1968 | 16.4 | 20.4 |
| 1967 | 16.6 | 20.5 |
| 1966 | 16.7 | 20.6 |
| 1965 | 16.8 | 20.8 |
| 1964 | 17 | 21 |
| 1963 | 17.1 | 21.2 |
| 1962 | 17.2 | 21.4 |
| 1961 | 17.3 | 21.4 |
| 1960 | 17.5 | 21.5 |
| 1959 | 17.6 | 21.5 |
| 1958 | 17.7 | 21.5 |
| 1957 | 17.8 | 21.6 |
| 1956 | 17.8 | 21.7 |
| 1955 | 17.8 | 21.8 |
| 1954 | 17.8 | 21.9 |
| 1953 | 17.7 | 22 |
| 1952 | 17.6 | 22.1 |
| 1951 | 17.5 | 22.1 |
| 1950 | 17.3 | 22.2 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Papua New Guinea | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22.622.5–22.7 | 30.6 |
| 2025 | 22.822.5–23 | 30.9 |
| 2026 | 2322.6–23.4 | 31.1 |
| 2027 | 23.222.6–23.8 | 31.3 |
| 2028 | 23.522.7–24.2 | 31.6 |
| 2029 | 23.722.7–24.6 | 31.8 |
| 2030 | 23.922.8–25 | 32 |
| 2031 | 24.222.9–25.4 | 32.2 |
| 2032 | 24.423–25.8 | 32.4 |
| 2033 | 24.623.1–26.1 | 32.6 |
| 2034 | 24.923.2–26.5 | 32.8 |
| 2035 | 25.123.4–26.9 | 33 |
| 2036 | 25.323.5–27.3 | 33.2 |
| 2037 | 25.623.6–27.7 | 33.4 |
| 2038 | 25.823.7–28.1 | 33.6 |
| 2039 | 2623.8–28.4 | 33.8 |
| 2040 | 26.323.9–28.8 | 34 |
| 2041 | 26.524.1–29.2 | 34.2 |
| 2042 | 26.724.2–29.5 | 34.4 |
| 2043 | 2724.3–29.9 | 34.6 |
| 2044 | 27.224.4–30.3 | 34.8 |
| 2045 | 27.424.5–30.6 | 35 |
| 2046 | 27.624.6–31 | 35.2 |
| 2047 | 27.924.8–31.3 | 35.4 |
| 2048 | 28.124.9–31.7 | 35.6 |
| 2049 | 28.325–32 | 35.9 |
| 2050 | 28.525.1–32.3 | 36.1 |
| 2051 | 28.825.3–32.6 | 36.3 |
| 2052 | 2925.5–32.9 | 36.5 |
| 2053 | 29.225.7–33.2 | 36.7 |
| 2054 | 29.425.8–33.5 | 36.9 |
| 2055 | 29.626–33.8 | 37.1 |
| 2056 | 29.826.1–34.2 | 37.3 |
| 2057 | 3026.3–34.5 | 37.5 |
| 2058 | 30.226.4–34.8 | 37.6 |
| 2059 | 30.426.5–35.1 | 37.8 |
| 2060 | 30.626.6–35.4 | 37.9 |
| 2061 | 30.826.7–35.6 | 38 |
| 2062 | 30.926.8–35.8 | 38.1 |
| 2063 | 31.127–36 | 38.3 |
| 2064 | 31.327.1–36.2 | 38.4 |
| 2065 | 31.527.2–36.4 | 38.5 |
| 2066 | 31.727.3–36.6 | 38.6 |
| 2067 | 31.827.4–36.8 | 38.7 |
| 2068 | 3227.5–36.9 | 38.8 |
| 2069 | 32.227.6–37.1 | 38.9 |
| 2070 | 32.427.7–37.2 | 39 |
| 2071 | 32.527.9–37.4 | 39.1 |
| 2072 | 32.728–37.5 | 39.2 |
| 2073 | 32.928.1–37.6 | 39.3 |
| 2074 | 3328.3–37.7 | 39.4 |
| 2075 | 33.228.4–37.8 | 39.5 |
| 2076 | 33.428.6–37.8 | 39.6 |
| 2077 | 33.628.7–37.9 | 39.7 |
| 2078 | 33.728.9–38 | 39.8 |
| 2079 | 33.929.1–38.1 | 40 |
| 2080 | 34.129.2–38.2 | 40.1 |
| 2081 | 34.229.4–38.3 | 40.2 |
| 2082 | 34.429.5–38.4 | 40.3 |
| 2083 | 34.529.7–38.5 | 40.4 |
| 2084 | 34.729.9–38.6 | 40.5 |
| 2085 | 34.930–38.7 | 40.6 |
| 2086 | 3530.2–38.7 | 40.7 |
| 2087 | 35.230.4–38.8 | 40.9 |
| 2088 | 35.330.6–38.9 | 41 |
| 2089 | 35.530.8–38.9 | 41.1 |
| 2090 | 35.730.9–39 | 41.2 |
| 2091 | 35.831.1–39 | 41.3 |
| 2092 | 3631.3–39 | 41.4 |
| 2093 | 36.131.4–39.1 | 41.5 |
| 2094 | 36.331.6–39.2 | 41.6 |
| 2095 | 36.431.8–39.2 | 41.7 |
| 2096 | 36.631.9–39.2 | 41.8 |
| 2097 | 36.732.1–39.1 | 41.9 |
| 2098 | 36.932.2–39 | 42 |
| 2099 | 3732.4–38.9 | 42 |
| 2100 | 37.232.5–38.8 | 42.1 |
Good to know
- Half the people are older than this age and half are younger.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Papua New Guinea in numbers
Every measure for Papua New Guinea on one page
Health
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Military
- Military spending0.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollars$110M in 2025
- Military spending per person$10 in 2025
- Military share of state spending1.6% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnel4,000 people in 2020
- National power0.03% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workers0.12% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms imports9 million TIV in 2023