Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Population 2024

Port Moresby's 2024 population is now estimated at 420,419In 1950, the population of Port Moresby was 15,700Port Moresby has grown by 10,588 in the last year, which represents a 2.58% annual change.These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects. These estimates represent the Urban agglomeration of Port Moresby, which typically includes Port Moresby's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas.

Port Moresby is a city located in Papua New Guinea. The city, which is also known as Moresby or Pom City, is the one of the largest in the South Pacific. It is an important center of trade, and in recent years has seen significant population growth. According to the most recent census, the population of the city is just over 400,000 people.

City Size and Population Density

The city of Port Moresby covers a surface area of 240 kilometers squared (90 square miles). This gives a rough population density of 1,500 residents per square kilometer (3,900 people living per square mile).

Port Moresby Demographics

There are a variety of ethnic groups that call Port Moresby home. These groups include Papuans, Negritos, Micronesians, Melanesians, and Polynesians.

The primary religion of the area is Protestant, making up approximately 70% of the population. This is broken down across groups including Evangelical Lutherans, United Church, Pentecostal, Anglican, Baptists, and more.

The languages of Tok Pisin, English and Hiri Motu are spoken in Port Moresby. There are a large group of children through age 14, as well as a large group of people in the 25 to 54 demographics.

Port Moresby History

Since its early days, Port Moresby has always been a spot designated for trade. The Motuan people would trade sago and pots for canoe logs and food.

John Moresby was the first European to arrive at Port Moresby. In the late 1800s, he claimed the land for the British. Later, Queensland tried to annex the southeastern corner of New Guinea Island, but this was not approved by the British. A protectorate over Papua as British New Guinea was established a few years later.

In the early 1900s, the Papua Act transferred Papua and Port Moresby to Australians. It was during this time that the city began to grow. Port facilities were improved, grocery stores and butcher shops were opened, and electricity was brought to the city.

During the 1940s, the city also became an important area for Allied bases during World War II. It was also during the 1940s that the Territory of Papua and New Guinea was combined and Port Moresby was named as capital.

It was during the 1970s that Papua New Guinea gained its independence. Government buildings, businesses, and cultural buildings were built as a result. Once the city gained its independence, the population grew significantly, climbing from 120,000 in 1980 to almost 200,000 during the 1990s.

Port Moresby Population Growth

In recent years, Port Moresby has seen impressive growth. Between 2000 and 2011, the city had an annual growth rate of 2.1%. Today, the growth rate averages about 1.78%, bringing steady growth to the city through the years ahead.

Growth Rate
2.58%

86 Rows

Year
Population
2035602,618
2034580,580
2033559,736
2032540,039
2031521,480
2030503,985
2029487,539
2028472,121
2027457,730
2026444,328
2025431,903
2024420,419
2023409,831
2022400,051
2021390,986
2020382,516
2019374,517
2018366,862
2017359,441
2016352,171
2015345,048
2014338,069
2013331,232
2012324,532
2011317,968
2010311,545
2009305,252
2008299,095
2007293,045
2006287,126
2005281,326
2004275,651
2003270,075
2002264,620
2001259,274
2000254,012
1999247,431
1998241,029
1997234,793
1996228,726
1995222,800
1994217,035
1993211,419
1992205,957
1991200,620
1990195,319
1989186,388
1988177,876
1987169,731
1986161,969
1985154,563
1984147,504
1983140,750
1982134,314
1981128,172
1980122,172
1979115,963
1978110,076
1977104,489
197699,192
197594,151
197489,372
197384,835
197280,535
197176,358
197067,801
196960,203
196853,465
196747,466
196642,147
196539,618
196437,251
196335,018
196232,923
196130,953
196029,103
195927,359
195825,722
195724,182
195622,737
195521,375
195420,095
195318,893
195217,764
195116,699
195015,700

86 Rows

Year
Population
Change
Growth
195015,7000%0
195116,6996.36%999
195217,7646.38%1,065
195318,8936.36%1,129
195420,0956.36%1,202
195521,3756.37%1,280
195622,7376.37%1,362
195724,1826.36%1,445
195825,7226.37%1,540
195927,3596.36%1,637
196029,1036.37%1,744
196130,9536.36%1,850
196232,9236.36%1,970
196335,0186.36%2,095
196437,2516.38%2,233
196539,6186.35%2,367
196642,1476.38%2,529
196747,46612.62%5,319
196853,46512.64%5,999
196960,20312.6%6,738
197067,80112.62%7,598
197176,35812.62%8,557
197280,5355.47%4,177
197384,8355.34%4,300
197489,3725.35%4,537
197594,1515.35%4,779
197699,1925.35%5,041
1977104,4895.34%5,297
1978110,0765.35%5,587
1979115,9635.35%5,887
1980122,1725.35%6,209
1981128,1724.91%6,000
1982134,3144.79%6,142
1983140,7504.79%6,436
1984147,5044.8%6,754
1985154,5634.79%7,059
1986161,9694.79%7,406
1987169,7314.79%7,762
1988177,8764.8%8,145
1989186,3884.79%8,512
1990195,3194.79%8,931
1991200,6202.71%5,301
1992205,9572.66%5,337
1993211,4192.65%5,462
1994217,0352.66%5,616
1995222,8002.66%5,765
1996228,7262.66%5,926
1997234,7932.65%6,067
1998241,0292.66%6,236
1999247,4312.66%6,402
2000254,0122.66%6,581
2001259,2742.07%5,262
2002264,6202.06%5,346
2003270,0752.06%5,455
2004275,6512.06%5,576
2005281,3262.06%5,675
2006287,1262.06%5,800
2007293,0452.06%5,919
2008299,0952.06%6,050
2009305,2522.06%6,157
2010311,5452.06%6,293
2011317,9682.06%6,423
2012324,5322.06%6,564
2013331,2322.06%6,700
2014338,0692.06%6,837
2015345,0482.06%6,979
2016352,1712.06%7,123
2017359,4412.06%7,270
2018366,8622.06%7,421
2019374,5172.09%7,655
2020382,5162.14%7,999
2021390,9862.21%8,470
2022400,0512.32%9,065
2023409,8312.44%9,780
2024420,4192.58%10,588
2025431,9032.73%11,484
2026444,3282.88%12,425
2027457,7303.02%13,402
2028472,1213.14%14,391
2029487,5393.27%15,418
2030503,9853.37%16,446
2031521,4803.47%17,495
2032540,0393.56%18,559
2033559,7363.65%19,697
2034580,5803.72%20,844
2035602,6183.8%22,038

Port Moresby Population Data (Urban Area)

Name
2024 Pop.
2024 Growth
Port Moresby420,4192.58%

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