Papua New Guinea at its true size

Papua New Guinea covers 462,840 km², number 55 of 235 by area. Home to 10,762,817 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.

Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
Area462,840 km² Wikidata
Population10,762,817 World Bank, 2025
Density23 per km²
CapitalPort Moresby
RegionMelanesia, Oceania
StatusIndependent state
CoastHas a coastline
CodesPG · PNG · 598

Countries of a similar size

How many times does Papua New Guinea fit into…

Neighbours

Questions about Papua New Guinea

How big is Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea covers 462,840 km², which makes it number 55 of 235 countries and territories by area. About 10,762,817 people live there (2025), 23 per km².
Is Papua New Guinea bigger than Yemen?
Papua New Guinea and Yemen are almost exactly the same size. Papua New Guinea: 462,840 km²; Yemen: 455,503 km².
How much does the Mercator map distort Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
Which countries border Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea shares a land border with Indonesia.