Share of the population using the Internet in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Share of the population using the Internet was 18.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population using the Internet in Papua New Guinea, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population using the internet in Papua New Guinea is 18.8%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 189.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population using the internet in Papua New Guinea peaked at 18.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
That places Papua New Guinea 194th out of 208 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population using the Internet in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1996 | 0.0% | — |
| 1997 | 0.1% | +4779.2% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | +132.7% |
| 1999 | 0.7% | +183.8% |
| 2000 | 0.8% | +25.2% |
| 2001 | 0.9% | +8.2% |
| 2002 | 1.3% | +46.2% |
| 2003 | 1.4% | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 1.5% | +9.7% |
| 2005 | 1.7% | +13.8% |
| 2006 | 1.8% | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 1.8% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 1.1% | -35.8% |
| 2009 | 1.6% | +40.0% |
| 2010 | 1.3% | -20.5% |
| 2011 | 2.0% | +56.2% |
| 2012 | 3.5% | +75.0% |
| 2013 | 5.1% | +45.7% |
| 2014 | 6.5% | +27.5% |
| 2015 | 7.9% | +21.5% |
| 2016 | 9.6% | +21.5% |
| 2017 | 11.2% | +16.7% |
| 2018 | 12.4% | +10.2% |
| 2019 | 13.6% | +10.2% |
| 2020 | 15.0% | +10.2% |
| 2021 | 16.6% | +10.2% |
| 2022 | 18.3% | +10.2% |
| 2023 | 18.6% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 18.8% | +1.3% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 18.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 55.8%, 34% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 18.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 80.5%, 23% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population using the Internet in Papua New Guinea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +4779.2% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1999 | +183.8% | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| 1998 | +132.7% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 5 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 0.8% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.3% | 1.3% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.4% | 15.0% | 18.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 191 Mozambique 20.5% compare
- 192 Democratic Republic of Congo 19.7% compare
- 193 Malawi 19.0% compare
- 195 Madagascar 18.7% compare
- 196 Sudan 18.6% compare
- 197 Turkmenistan 18.0% compare
More science & technology data for Papua New Guinea
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 38.77 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.3877 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 4.10 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 7.81 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 13.82 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 15.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 69.76 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population using the internet in Papua New Guinea?
- Share of the population using the internet in Papua New Guinea was 18.8% in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population using the internet recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 18.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the population using the internet recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for share of the population using the internet?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 194th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population using the internet rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 189.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population who used the Internet in the last three months.