GeoRealityMatch

The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country. FCDO travel advice, read 29 October 2026.

A beautiful aerial view of Port Moresby at sunrise, showcasing coastal landscapes and urban areas.Aerial view of Port Moresby with its scenic coastline and urban landscape at sunrise.

Papua New Guinea

Oceania · Melanesia

High safetyAffordable cost of livingMedium development

The air is clean. Access to essential health services is patchy.

Safety

83rd most peaceful of 161

Global Peace Index
2.002lower is more peacefulHigh safety
#83 of 161
IEP GPI · 2026
Safety index
19.1Numbeo's safety index, higher is saferVery lowNumbeo · 2026
Money

Incomes below the median country

GNI per person
$2,890national income per person, US dollarsLow
World Bank · 2025
Rent index
29.0New York = 100Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026

Income and inflation over time

Income per person rose 144% in current dollars from 2006 to 2025, and rose 39% after inflation.

GDP per person, current US$At purchasing power parityInflation

$0$3.0K$6.0K$5,215 PPP$3,020Inflation, % a year12%0200620102015202020252006, $1,238 a person, $2,444 at PPP, inflation 2.4%2007, $1,371 a person, $2,622 at PPP, inflation 0.9%2008, $1,625 a person, $2,583 at PPP, inflation 10.8%2009, $1,569 a person, $2,692 at PPP, inflation 6.9%2010, $1,867 a person, $2,912 at PPP, inflation 6%2011, $2,288 a person, $2,919 at PPP, inflation 4.4%2012, $2,635 a person, $3,026 at PPP, inflation 4.5%2013, $2,561 a person, $3,110 at PPP, inflation 5%2014, $2,723 a person, $3,500 at PPP, inflation 5.2%2015, $2,485 a person, $3,670 at PPP, inflation 6%2016, $2,316 a person, $3,813 at PPP, inflation 6.7%2017, $2,478 a person, $3,923 at PPP, inflation 5.4%2018, $2,566 a person, $3,910 at PPP, inflation 4.4%2019, $2,576 a person, $4,060 at PPP, inflation 3.9%2020, $2,430 a person, $3,900 at PPP, inflation 4.9%2021, $2,608 a person, $3,977 at PPP, inflation 4.5%2022, $3,102 a person, $4,419 at PPP, inflation 5.3%2023, $2,966 a person, $4,672 at PPP, inflation 2.3%2024, $2,912 a person, $4,887 at PPP, inflation 0.6%2025, $3,020 a person, $5,215 at PPP, inflation 4.4%$0$3.0K$6.0KInflation, % a year12%0200620102015202020252006, $1,238 a person, $2,444 at PPP, inflation 2.4%2007, $1,371 a person, $2,622 at PPP, inflation 0.9%2008, $1,625 a person, $2,583 at PPP, inflation 10.8%2009, $1,569 a person, $2,692 at PPP, inflation 6.9%2010, $1,867 a person, $2,912 at PPP, inflation 6%2011, $2,288 a person, $2,919 at PPP, inflation 4.4%2012, $2,635 a person, $3,026 at PPP, inflation 4.5%2013, $2,561 a person, $3,110 at PPP, inflation 5%2014, $2,723 a person, $3,500 at PPP, inflation 5.2%2015, $2,485 a person, $3,670 at PPP, inflation 6%2016, $2,316 a person, $3,813 at PPP, inflation 6.7%2017, $2,478 a person, $3,923 at PPP, inflation 5.4%2018, $2,566 a person, $3,910 at PPP, inflation 4.4%2019, $2,576 a person, $4,060 at PPP, inflation 3.9%2020, $2,430 a person, $3,900 at PPP, inflation 4.9%2021, $2,608 a person, $3,977 at PPP, inflation 4.5%2022, $3,102 a person, $4,419 at PPP, inflation 5.3%2023, $2,966 a person, $4,672 at PPP, inflation 2.3%2024, $2,912 a person, $4,887 at PPP, inflation 0.6%2025, $3,020 a person, $5,215 at PPP, inflation 4.4%

World Bank: GDP per person in current US dollars and at PPP, real GDP per person, consumer price inflation. Observed years only.

Health

Among the shortest life expectancies

Life expectancy
66.3years, at birthLow
#162 of 195
World Bank · 2024
Health coverage
32WHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100Very lowWHO · 2023
Air pollution
6.2PM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national averageVery lowWHO · 2023
Work and internet
Unemployment rate
2.6%share of the labour force without a jobWorld Bank · 2025
Aerial view of Port Moresby with its scenic coastline and urban landscape at sunrise.
How it changed

Papua New Guinea's Human Development Index

0.576Medium human development

160th of 193 in UNDP's 2023 ranking, 15th of 15 in Oceania.

UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita. UNDP Human Development Report 2025.

Nearest countries by HDI

  1. #157Uganda0.582
  2. #159Rwanda0.578
  3. #160Papua New Guinea0.576
  4. #161Togo0.571
  5. #162Syria0.564
Full HDI ranking, all 193 countries

HDI since 1990

Year by year

Human development rose from 0.403 in 1990 to 0.576 in 2023.

0.350.470.600.57619902000201020231990: 0.4031991: 0.4111992: 0.4211993: 0.4321994: 0.4391995: 0.4421996: 0.4481997: 0.4491998: 0.4461999: 0.4542000: 0.4562001: 0.4582002: 0.4612003: 0.4642004: 0.4682005: 0.4732006: 0.4792007: 0.4852008: 0.4892009: 0.4952010: 0.5032011: 0.5082012: 0.5142013: 0.5222014: 0.5342015: 0.5432016: 0.5502017: 0.5552018: 0.5592019: 0.5662020: 0.5672021: 0.5672022: 0.5722023: 0.5760.350.470.6019902000201020231990: 0.4031991: 0.4111992: 0.4211993: 0.4321994: 0.4391995: 0.4421996: 0.4481997: 0.4491998: 0.4461999: 0.4542000: 0.4562001: 0.4582002: 0.4612003: 0.4642004: 0.4682005: 0.4732006: 0.4792007: 0.4852008: 0.4892009: 0.4952010: 0.5032011: 0.5082012: 0.5142013: 0.5222014: 0.5342015: 0.5432016: 0.5502017: 0.5552018: 0.5592019: 0.5662020: 0.5672021: 0.5672022: 0.5722023: 0.576

UNDP Human Development Report, 2025 edition. 34 annual values, none interpolated.

Twenty years here

Year by yearThe world report
Life expectancy at birth
66.3 years2024at birthUp 4.4 years from 61.9 years in 2005
Internet users
19%2024of people onlineUp 17 points from 2% in 2006
Urban population
16%2025of people in towns and citiesUp 3 points from 13% in 2006
Births per woman
3.072024births per womanDown 1.15 from 4.22 in 2005
Renewable share of energy
55%2022of energy usedDown 3 points from 58% in 2004
Access to electricity
43%2024of people with electricityUp 29 points from 14% in 2005
Infant mortality
312024deaths before age one, per 1,000 birthsDown 20 from 52 in 2005
CO2 emissions per person
0.5 t2024of CO2 per person a yearDown 0.3 t from 0.8 t in 2005
Forest area
79%2023of land under forestDown 1 point from 80% in 2004

World Bank, from the first to the last observed year of each indicator; each has its own window.

Our take

Extraordinary cultural diversity with 800+ languages; resource-rich, challenging for visitors. The case for living here is clean air. The case against is patchy access to essential health services, low incomes and short lives.

About Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is one of the world's most ecologically and culturally diverse countries, with over 800 languages spoken and a landscape of rainforest, volcanic mountains, and river systems that remains largely unexplored. The highland cultures have traditions of ceremony, body decoration, and communal life that are unlike anything elsewhere on earth. It is strictly for experienced travellers who embrace complexity and remoteness as part of the journey.

Practical facts

  • CapitalPort Moresby
  • LanguagesEnglish, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin
  • CurrencyPapua New Guinean kina (PGK)
  • Area452,860 km²
  • Plug typeType I
  • Drives on theleft
Weigh Papua New Guinea against your priorities
Every figure

Everything we hold on Papua New Guinea

Compare Papua New Guinea

Borders

Indonesia

Side by side

Compare any two countries

Quick answers

What is Papua New Guinea's Human Development Index?

Papua New Guinea's Human Development Index is 0.576 for 2023 (UNDP Human Development Report 2025), ranked #160 of 193 by UNDP.

Is Papua New Guinea safe?

Papua New Guinea scores 2.00 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #83 of 161 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.

How expensive is Papua New Guinea?

Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Papua New Guinea at 47.5 (New York = 100); that is #90 cheapest of 143 countries with data.

What is life expectancy in Papua New Guinea?

Life expectancy at birth in Papua New Guinea is 66.3 yrs (World Bank), ranked #162 of 195 countries.