MigrantoImmigrants in Papua New Guinea
30K foreigners live in Papua New Guinea — 0% of the country's population
Immigrants in Papua New Guinea by country
The 3 largest groups make up 82% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Indonesia | 13638 |
| Australia | 9250 |
| New Zealand | 1789 |
| United Kingdom | 1626 |
| Philippines | 1468 |
| USA | 735 |
| Japan | 259 |
| Canada | 236 |
| Solomon Islands | 221 |
| India | 157 |
| Vanuatu | 98 |
| China | 87 |
| Fiji | 83 |
| Sri Lanka | 78 |
| Malaysia | 78 |
| South Korea | 63 |
| Singapore | 50 |
| Ireland | 41 |
| Tanzania | 27 |
| Tonga | 26 |
| Russia | 25 |
By region of origin
53% of immigrants come from Asia
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Key facts
Immigrants in Papua New Guinea in numbers
Indonesians are the largest group by a wide margin
45% of all immigrants were born in Indonesia, while the next group accounts for just 31%.
The share of immigrants from Asia has grown since 1990
34.8% of immigrants came from Asia in 1990, compared with 52.9% today.
Immigrant population in Papua New Guinea over time
Foreigners living in Papua New Guinea, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 32047 |
| 1995 | 31809 |
| 2000 | 25008 |
| 2005 | 28779 |
| 2010 | 29304 |
| 2015 | 29831 |
| 2020 | 29936 |
| 2024 | 30035 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Papua New Guinea, by year
| Year | Indonesians | Australians | New Zealanders | British | Filipinos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 8108 | 13916 | 2540 | 2192 | 2005 |
| 1995 | 7293 | 14258 | 2602 | 2245 | 2054 |
| 2000 | 6663 | 10675 | 1948 | 1680 | 1537 |
| 2005 | 9806 | 10675 | 2068 | 1880 | 1697 |
| 2010 | 13219 | 9056 | 1754 | 1594 | 1439 |
| 2015 | 13527 | 9183 | 1778 | 1616 | 1459 |
| 2020 | 13592 | 9219 | 1783 | 1621 | 1463 |
| 2024 | 13638 | 9250 | 1789 | 1626 | 1468 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Papua New Guinea
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Papua New Guinea
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Papua New Guinea?
Around 30K immigrants live in Papua New Guinea — the world's #173 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Papua New Guinea are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 0% of the population of Papua New Guinea — that's 30K out of a total population of 10.6M.
Where do most immigrants in Papua New Guinea come from?
Most immigrants in Papua New Guinea come from Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand — these three countries account for about 82% of all immigrants.
How many Indonesians live in Papua New Guinea?
Around 13.6K Indonesians live in Papua New Guinea — about 45% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Papua New Guinea growing?
Barely — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Papua New Guinea has changed from 29.8K to 30K, about 1%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Papua New Guinea come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Papua New Guinea. Their children born in Papua New Guinea are not included.
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Living in Papua New Guinea
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