World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Health · East Asia & Pacific · Lower-middle income

Papua New Guinea: health in numbers

Life expectancy is 66.3 yrs (2024), 185th of 217 in the world and 36th of 37 in East Asia & Pacific. Life expectancy, women is 69.2 yrs (2024), 181st of 217 in the world and 35th of 37 in East Asia & Pacific. Life expectancy, men is 63.8 yrs (2024), 183rd of 217 in the world and 35th of 37 in East Asia & Pacific.

Life expectancy66.3 yrs2024 · world 185/217 · region 36/37Life expectancy, women69.2 yrs2024 · world 181/217 · region 35/37Life expectancy, men63.8 yrs2024 · world 183/217 · region 35/37Infant mortality31.32024 · world 44/196 · region 4/30
Life expectancy
Papua New GuineaEast Asia & PacificLower-middle incomeWorld
556065707580199520002005201020152020Papua New Guinea66.3 yrsEast Asia & PacificLower-middle incomeWorld
Life expectancy, women
Papua New GuineaEast Asia & PacificLower-middle incomeWorld
6065707580199520002005201020152020Papua New Guinea69.2 yrsEast Asia & PacificLower-middle incomeWorld
18 indicators

Health: Papua New Guinea in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within East Asia & Pacific; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Life expectancyLife expectancy at birth, years66.3 yrs2024185/21736/3761.6 yrs63.1 yrs65.1 yrs+3.2%since 201476.7 yrs69.5 yrs73.5 yrs
Life expectancy, womenLife expectancy at birth, women, years69.2 yrs2024181/21735/3763.8 yrs65.5 yrs68.4 yrs+3.1%since 201479.7 yrs71.3 yrs76.0 yrs
Life expectancy, menLife expectancy at birth, men, years63.8 yrs2024183/21735/3759.8 yrs61.2 yrs62.6 yrs+3.1%since 201473.9 yrs67.8 yrs71.1 yrs
Infant mortalityInfant mortality, per 1,000 live births31.3202444/1964/3056.246.135.2−25%since 201410.733.127.7
Under-5 mortalityUnder-5 mortality, per 1,000 live births39.4202439/1963/3072.058.944.7−26%since 201413.243.837.4
Neonatal mortalityNeonatal mortality, per 1,000 live births20.1202445/1963/3030.526.521.8−18%since 20146.721.617.2
Maternal mortalityMaternal mortality, per 100,000 live births189202339/1943/30323289194−22%since 201366235197
Measles vaccinationMeasles immunisation, % of children 12–23 months44%2024190/19330/3069%63%44%−21.0 ppsince 201490%86%84%
HIV prevalenceHIV prevalence, % of people 15–491.5%202426/1531/180.7%1.0%1.3%+0.4 ppsince 2014—0.7%0.7%
TuberculosisTuberculosis incidence, per 100,000 people66420242/2082/361,060528616+8.7%since 2014144208131
Health spendingCurrent health expenditure, % of GDP2.9%2023181/19326/292.0%2.1%2.3%−0.1 ppsince 20136.8%3.7%10.1%
Out-of-pocket spendingOut-of-pocket health spending, % of health expenditure8.6%2023174/19318/299.4%12.3%10.4%+2.0 ppsince 201326.0%47.0%17.3%
PhysiciansPhysicians per 1,000 people0.062023177/18025/250.050.050.062021+24%since 20102.400.711.86
Hospital bedsHospital beds per 1,000 people0.62023166/18226/27··0.22019—4.71.53.3
Basic waterBasic drinking water, % of population53.3%2024201/20637/3729.8%38.1%49.3%+10.5 ppsince 201495.3%90.8%91.5%
Basic sanitationBasic sanitation, % of population23.6%2024193/20337/3716.2%18.6%22.2%+3.5 ppsince 201494.8%73.9%82.2%
Tobacco useTobacco use, % of adults39.3%20246/1663/2953.8%47.2%41.4%−7.9 ppsince 201023.1%20.4%20.3%
Road deathsRoad traffic deaths, per 100,000 people12.62019112/18615/2617.417.112.62019−28%since 200916.517.416.7
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Papua New Guinea and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Papua New Guinea. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorPapua New GuineaIndonesiaAustraliaSolomon IslandsMicronesia
Life expectancy66.3 yrs202471.3 yrs202483.1 yrs202470.7 yrs202467.4 yrs2024
Life expectancy, women69.2 yrs202473.4 yrs202485.1 yrs202472.2 yrs202471.3 yrs2024
Life expectancy, men63.8 yrs202469.2 yrs202481.1 yrs202469.4 yrs202463.6 yrs2024
Infant mortality31.3202415.220243.1202416.4202420.32024
Under-5 mortality39.4202417.720243.6202420.0202422.42024
Neonatal mortality20.120249.220242.320248.0202411.62024
Maternal mortality189202314020232202312320231292023
Measles vaccination44%202485%202491%202478%202481%2024
HIV prevalence1.5%20240.4%20240.1%20240.1%2024—
Indonesia: healthAustralia: healthSolomon Islands: healthMicronesia: health
Health in East Asia & Pacificall 37 economies rankedHealth: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedHealth: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesPapua New Guinea: all key statisticscountry profile