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Topic 05 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Papua New Guinea: Health & Wellbeing
How long, and how well fed, do people live?
Papua New Guinea is placed 171st of 200 countries on health & wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Life Expectancy at Birth 66.13 (2023); Under-Five Mortality Rate 39.38 (2024).
Share
Health & Wellbeing
171st
of 200 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 4 key statistics
- 66.13Life Expectancy at Birth, 2023Years a newborn would live at current death rates
- 39.38Under-Five Mortality Rate, 2024Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
- —Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, 2024No reading for this country
- —Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, 2024No reading for this country
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Papua New Guinea on health & wellbeing — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Life Expectancy at Birth
UN DESA Population Division
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
66.13
Years a newborn would live at current death rates
Higher is better
Papua New Guinea: 66.13. Across the 222 countries in this edition, values run from 54.46 (Nigeria) to 86.37 (Monaco); the world median is 74.63.
- World median
- 74.63
- Best in Melanesia
- 78.77 New Caledonia
- Land neighbours
- Indonesia 71.15
Key 2 of 4
Under-Five Mortality Rate
UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
39.38
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
Lower is better
Papua New Guinea: 39.38. Across the 200 countries in this edition, values run from 1.26 (San Marino) to 115.65 (Nigeria); the world median is 14.54.
- World median
- 14.54
- Best in Melanesia
- 17.14 Vanuatu
- Land neighbours
- Indonesia 17.69
Key 3 of 4
Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
No reading
Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
Lower is better
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) publishes no reading from 2014–2024 for Papua New Guinea, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 162 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0.518 (Latvia) to 52.8 (Burundi); the world median is 13.8.
- World median
- 13.8
- Best in Melanesia
- 7.197 Fiji
- Land neighbours
- Indonesia 22.01
Key 4 of 4
Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
No reading
Population in severe food insecurity (%)
Lower is better
FAO publishes no 2024 figure for Papua New Guinea, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 125 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Brazil) to 62.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 4.9.
- World median
- 4.9
02Over time
Which way Papua New Guinea is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Life Expectancy at Birth
Years a newborn would live at current death rates · higher is better
Papua New GuineaWorld median
Papua New Guinea rose from 61.61 in 2000 to 66.13 in 2023; the world median went from 70.68 to 74.63.
Every year’s figures
Year Papua New Guinea World median 2023 66.13 74.630 2022 65.27 74.313 2021 64.36 72.433 2020 65.08 73.063 2019 65.33 74.196 2018 65.11 74.081 2017 64.92 74.029 2016 64.70 74.013 2015 64.47 73.783 2014 64.20 73.330 2013 63.93 73.386 2012 63.64 73.210 2011 63.38 73.003 2010 63.06 72.827 2009 62.77 72.426 2008 62.51 72.264 2007 62.21 72.113 2006 62.02 72.027 2005 61.87 71.876 2004 61.80 71.477 2003 61.74 71.409 2002 61.64 71.173 2001 61.65 70.926 2000 61.61 70.678 Under-Five Mortality Rate
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) · lower is better
Papua New GuineaWorld median
Papua New Guinea fell from 71.95 in 2000 to 39.38 in 2024; the world median went from 30.43 to 14.54.
Every year’s figures
Year Papua New Guinea World median 2024 39.4 14.5 2023 40.6 15.2 2022 41.9 14.7 2021 43.2 15.1 2020 44.7 15.3 2019 46.1 15.7 2018 47.5 16.3 2017 48.9 16.8 2016 50.4 17.5 2015 57.3 17.9 2014 53.3 18.3 2013 54.7 18.7 2012 56.1 18.8 2011 57.5 19.0 2010 58.9 19.2 2009 60.3 20.8 2008 61.8 20.7 2007 63.2 21.8 2006 64.6 22.8 2005 65.9 24.0 2004 67.2 25.9 2003 68.4 26.9 2002 69.6 28.0 2001 70.8 29.1 2000 72.0 30.4 Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Population in severe food insecurity (%) · lower is better
Papua New GuineaWorld median
Papua New Guinea was at 27 in both 2017 and 2019; the world median went from 4 to 4.95.
Every year’s figures
Year Papua New Guinea World median 2024 — 4.9 2023 — 4.7 2022 — 5.4 2021 — 5.7 2020 — 5.6 2019 27 5.0 2018 27 4.2 2017 27 4.0 2016 — 3.4 2015 — 3.4
03In context
Papua New Guinea beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 200 countries on health & wellbeing, never a place within the region.
Papua New Guinea and the countries it borders
Standing among all 200; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Life Expectancy at BirthYears a newborn would live at current death rates | Under-Five Mortality RateDeaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) | Stunting Prevalence in Children Under FiveChildren under 5 who are stunted (%) | Prevalence of Severe Food InsecurityPopulation in severe food insecurity (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Indonesia | 137th | 71.15 | 17.69 | 22.01 | — |
| Papua New Guinea | 171st | 66.13 | 39.38 | 49.45 | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Melanesia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 200.
Fiji125th
Vanuatu129th
Solomon Islands145th- Papua New Guinea171st
New Caledonianot placed
Placed either side on health & wellbeing
The countries immediately above and below Papua New Guinea in the topic’s list.
Eswatini168th
Tanzania169th
Djibouti170th- Papua New Guinea171st
Yemen172nd
Ethiopia173rd
Zambia174th
04Context, no vote
Where Papua New Guinea is ahead of the world, and behind
46 more statistics filed under health & wellbeing, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median6
Statistics on which Papua New Guinea does better than the middle country measured.
Fruit Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 84.83211.784.83No real change since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 211.7 · world median 84.83 · Fruit available as food, excluding wine (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.27 to 379.63; higher is better.
INFORM Severity IndexACAPS · 2025 · world median 3.11.73.1▲ Improved since 2022
Papua New Guinea: 1.7 · world median 3.1 · INFORM Severity (1–5, most severe crisis). ACAPS, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.3 to 4.7; lower is better.
Position 74th of 81 · derived, 1st = worst.
Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 40.7459.6840.74No earlier reading
Papua New Guinea: 59.68 · world median 40.74 · Infants under 6 months exclusively breastfed (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 3.497 to 83.3; higher is better.
Position 23rd of 136 · derived.
PM2.5 Air Pollution ExposureAtmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis · 2023 · world median 14.4512.514.45▼ Worsened since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 12.5 · world median 14.45 · Population-weighted PM2.5 concentration (µg/m³). Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 68.2; lower is better.
Position 130th of 220 · derived, 1st = worst.
Days Above 35°CECMWF · 2025 · world median 3.481.073.48No real change since 2015
Papua New Guinea: 1.07 · world median 3.48 · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s land. World Bank Group (Climate Change Knowledge Portal), from Copernicus ERA5 (ECMWF), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 222.89; lower is better.
Early Initiation of BreastfeedingUNICEF · 2024 · world median 52.9554.8352.95No earlier reading
Papua New Guinea: 54.83 · world median 52.95 · Newborns put to the breast within one hour of birth (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 7.749 to 93.1; higher is better.
Position 61st of 136 · derived.
Behind the world median33
Statistics on which Papua New Guinea does worse than the middle country measured.
Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2025 · world median 37.5732.1837.57No earlier reading
Papua New Guinea: 32.18 · world median 37.57 · Children aged 6-23 months fed from at least 5 of 8 food groups (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 8.089 to 85.88; higher is better.
Position 64th of 115 · derived.
Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and TubersFAO · 2022 · world median 414541▼ Worsened since 2012
Papua New Guinea: 45 · world median 41 · Share of dietary energy supply from cereals, roots and tubers (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 21 to 82; lower is better.
Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of PneumoniaUNICEF · 2024 · world median 67.762.667.7No earlier reading
Papua New Guinea: 62.6 · world median 67.7 · Children under 5 with pneumonia symptoms taken to a health provider (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 14 to 99.1; higher is better.
Position 76th of 127 · derived.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.270.25▲ Improved since 2014
Papua New Guinea: 0.27 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum)MAP · 2025 · world median 52.47114.2552.47▼ Worsened since 2015
Papua New Guinea: 114.25 · world median 52.47 · New P. falciparum malaria cases per 1,000 people per year. Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 334.75; lower is better.
Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum)MAP · 2024 · world median 8.10623.718.106▲ Improved since 2014
Papua New Guinea: 23.71 · world median 8.106 · Deaths from P. falciparum malaria per 100,000 people per year. Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 133.27; lower is better.
Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 21.2625.9721.26No earlier reading
Papua New Guinea: 25.97 · world median 21.26 · Children aged 6-23 months fed from at most 2 of 8 food groups (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.169 to 63.08; lower is better.
Position 41st of 113 · derived, 1st = worst.
Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 27.4654.0727.46No real change since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 54.07 · world median 27.46 · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.465 to 163.09; lower is better.
Position 65th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Vegetable Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 102.6951.38102.69▼ Worsened since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 51.38 · world median 102.69 · Vegetables available as food (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.89 to 412.72; higher is better.
Human Capital IndexWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 0.5640.4290.564▲ Improved since 2017
Papua New Guinea: 0.429 · world median 0.564 · HCI score (0–1). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.292 to 0.879; higher is better.
Position 132nd of 172 · derived.
Neonatal Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 8.13420.078.134▲ Improved since 2014
Papua New Guinea: 20.07 · world median 8.134 · Deaths in the first 28 days (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.544 to 39.47; lower is better.
Position 45th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Infant Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 12.2631.2812.26No real change since 2014
Papua New Guinea: 31.28 · world median 12.26 · Deaths before age one (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.214 to 71.87; lower is better.
Position 44th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14UN IGME · 2024 · world median 2.8587.6192.858No real change since 2014
Papua New Guinea: 7.619 · world median 2.858 · Deaths between ages 5 and 14 (per 1,000 children aged 5). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.392 to 59.04; lower is better.
Position 42nd of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern MethodsUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 71.2551.271.25▼ Worsened since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 51.2 · world median 71.25 · Share of women aged 15–49 wanting to avoid pregnancy who use a modern method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 8.4 to 92.4; higher is better.
Position 156th of 196 · derived.
Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two DaysUNICEF · 2025 · world median 82.945.182.9No earlier reading
Papua New Guinea: 45.1 · world median 82.9 · Newborns with a health check within 2 days of birth (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 7.3 to 99.9; higher is better.
Position 87th of 109 · derived.
Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with DiarrhoeaUNICEF · 2024 · world median 41.53041.5No earlier reading
Papua New Guinea: 30 · world median 41.5 · Children under 5 with diarrhoea given oral rehydration salts (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 9.9 to 95.4; higher is better.
Position 101st of 127 · derived.
Maternal Mortality RatioMMEIG · 2023 · world median 46.65188.6546.65▼ Worsened since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 188.65 · world median 46.65 · Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.11 to 992.83; lower is better.
Position 40th of 195 · derived, 1st = worst.
Global Multidimensional Poverty IndexOPHI · 2025 · world median 0.0390.2630.039▼ Worsened since 2020
Papua New Guinea: 0.263 · world median 0.039 · MPI (0–1). Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.517; lower is better.
Position 20th of 109 · derived, 1st = worst.
Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.7620.5760.762No real change since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 0.576 · world median 0.762 · HDI score (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.388 to 0.972; higher is better.
Ranked 160th of 193 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Adult Mortality (Probability of Dying Between 15 and 60)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 133.7224.21133.7▼ Worsened since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 224.21 · world median 133.7 · Deaths before age 60 per 1,000 people alive at 15, at that year's death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 25.15 to 415.44; lower is better.
Position 37th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Stillbirth RateUN IGME · 2023 · world median 8.16319.218.163▼ Worsened since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 19.21 · world median 8.163 · Stillbirths (per 1,000 total births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.18 to 34.9; lower is better.
Position 28th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Institutional DeliveriesUNICEF · 2025 · world median 96.954.796.9No earlier reading
Papua New Guinea: 54.7 · world median 96.9 · Live births delivered in a health facility (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.5 to 100; higher is better.
Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four VisitsUNICEF · 2025 · world median 814981No earlier reading
Papua New Guinea: 49 · world median 81 · Women with a live birth who had 4+ antenatal visits (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 22.6 to 100; higher is better.
Position 139th of 153 · derived.
Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.3510.5840.351No real change since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 0.584 · world median 0.351 · GII (0 = full equality, 1 = maximum inequality). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.838; lower is better.
Ranked 156th of 172 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Prevalence of UndernourishmentFAO · 2023 · world median 5.228.75.2No real change since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 28.7 · world median 5.2 · Population undernourished (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 54.2; lower is better.
Position 11th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Dietary Energy SupplyFAO · 2024 · world median 2,9822,1622,982No real change since 2014
Papua New Guinea: 2,162 · world median 2,982 · Dietary energy supply (kcal per person per day). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1,757 to 3,962; higher is better.
Position 148th of 155 · derived.
Life Expectancy at Age 65UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 16.3912.8216.39No real change since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 12.82 · world median 16.39 · Further years a 65-year-old would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 12.13 to 23.21; higher is better.
Position 212th of 222 · derived.
Low Birthweight PrevalenceUNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates) · 2020 · world median 10.2119.3810.21▼ Worsened since 2010
Papua New Guinea: 19.38 · world median 10.21 · Live births weighing under 2,500 g (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates), 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 3.993 to 27.44; lower is better.
Position 8th of 158 · derived, 1st = worst.
Wasting Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 3.54614.063.546No earlier reading
Papua New Guinea: 14.06 · world median 3.546 · Children under 5 who are wasted (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.1 to 22.74; lower is better.
Position 8th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
Malaria Incidence (P. vivax)MAP · 2025 · world median 1.38293.211.382▲ Improved since 2015
Papua New Guinea: 93.21 · world median 1.382 · New P. vivax malaria cases per 1,000 people per year. Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.001 to 184.62; lower is better.
Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1)WUENIC · 2025 · world median 904590▼ Worsened since 2015
Papua New Guinea: 45 · world median 90 · Infants given a first dose of measles vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 13 to 99; higher is better.
Overweight Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 5.518.465.5▼ Worsened since 2014
Papua New Guinea: 18.46 · world median 5.5 · Children under 5 who are overweight (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.623 to 26.43; lower is better.
Position 2nd of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
Immunisation Coverage, DTP3WUENIC · 2025 · world median 914391▼ Worsened since 2015
Papua New Guinea: 43 · world median 91 · Infants given a third dose of DTP vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 39 to 99; higher is better.
No better end7
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8940.8438.89Moved since 2015
Papua New Guinea: 40.84 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 72nd of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Meat Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 57.8358.4757.83Moved since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 58.47 · world median 57.83 · Meat available as food (kg per person per year, carcass weight). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.49 to 156.95.
Pesticide Use per HectareFAO · 2024 · world median 1.730.981.73No real change since 2014
Papua New Guinea: 0.98 · world median 1.73 · Pesticide use (kg per hectare of cropland). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.72.
Position 115th of 178 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Modern Contraceptive PrevalenceUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 35.423.635.4No real change since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 23.6 · world median 35.4 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using a modern contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2 to 73.8.
Fish and Seafood Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 16.177.116.17Moved since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 7.1 · world median 16.17 · Fish and seafood available as food (kg per person per year, live-weight equivalent). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.38 to 83.81.
Contraceptive Prevalence (Any Method)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 41.2528.341.25No real change since 2013
Papua New Guinea: 28.3 · world median 41.25 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using any contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.6 to 78.7.
Caesarean Section RateUNICEF · 2025 · world median 20.65320.65No earlier reading
Papua New Guinea: 3 · world median 20.65 · Live births delivered by caesarean section (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 72.2.
No current reading for Papua New Guinea
Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry On, Agreement That Vaccines Are Safe, Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff (last 2018), Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Children with Functional Difficulties, Cost of a Healthy Diet, Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Report on Food Crises, HPV Vaccination Coverage, Girls, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity (last 2019), Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity (last 2019), Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet and Violent Discipline of Children. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Health & Wellbeing among Papua New Guinea’s 15 topics
Health & Wellbeing is Papua New Guinea’s 13th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainability14th of 1863/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade67th of 1773/4 keys
- Peace & Security81st of 1774/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties112th of 1984/4 keys
- Energyjoint 95th of 1652/3 keys
- Food & Agriculture117th of 1843/4 keys
- Digital & Technology142nd of 1984/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions142nd of 1944/4 keys
- Gender & Equality139th of 1833/4 keys
- Work & Labour150th of 1824/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation147th of 1763/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital164th of 1963/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeing171st of 2002/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge172nd of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 190th of 1933/4 keys
No standing on Poverty & Inequality: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on health & wellbeing
The three countries placed highest of 200, and the leaders Papua New Guinea can most readily be measured against.
1
San MarinoSouthern Europe
1st of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Matl derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
MonacoWestern Europe
2nd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
AndorraSouthern Europe
3rd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest placed on all 4 keys
South Korea5th4/4 keysHighest in Oceania
Australia38th3/4 keysHighest in Melanesia
Fiji125th3/4 keysThis page
Papua New Guinea171st2/4 keys
Positions out of 200 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Papua New Guinea and health & wellbeing
On health & wellbeing
Global Hunger Index 2025: Countries with the Most Alarming Hunger Crisis
Thirteen countries scored across four editions — 2000, 2008, 2016 and 2025 — and five the report could not score at all. DR Congo and South Sudan share 121st place on 37.5.
On health & wellbeing
World Happiness Report 2025: Finland Leads Again as the US and UK Face Major Declines
The ten highest life evaluations of 2025, drawn on a world map, and the six things the report uses to explain them. Costa Rica and Mexico are the only two outside Europe and the Middle East.
08Questions
Papua New Guinea on health & wellbeing: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Papua New Guinea rank on health & wellbeing?
Papua New Guinea is placed 171st of 200 countries on Health & Wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics (Life Expectancy at Birth and Under-Five Mortality Rate). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Life Expectancy at Birth figure for Papua New Guinea?
66.13 in 2023 (years a newborn would live at current death rates), according to UN DESA Population Division. The world median in the same edition was 74.63.
What is the latest Under-Five Mortality Rate figure for Papua New Guinea?
39.38 in 2024 (deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)), according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). The world median in the same edition was 14.54.
How does Papua New Guinea compare with Indonesia on health & wellbeing?
Indonesia is placed 137th of 200, and Papua New Guinea 171st. Life Expectancy at Birth: Indonesia 71.15, Papua New Guinea 66.13; Under-Five Mortality Rate: Indonesia 17.69, Papua New Guinea 39.38.
How have Papua New Guinea’s health & wellbeing figures changed?
Life Expectancy at Birth rose from 61.61 in 2000 to 66.13 in 2023; Under-Five Mortality Rate fell from 71.95 in 2000 to 39.38 in 2024; Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity was 27 in both 2017 and 2019.
Which health & wellbeing statistics are missing for Papua New Guinea?
No current reading is published for Papua New Guinea on Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry On, Agreement That Vaccines Are Safe, Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Children with Functional Difficulties, Cost of a Healthy Diet, Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Report on Food Crises, HPV Vaccination Coverage, Girls, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity, Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet and Violent Discipline of Children. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Health spending, hospital beds and doctors per person are not measured, because more of any of them does not guarantee better outcomes. Mental health and self-reported happiness are not part of this topic. Food supply per person is measured under Food & Agriculture. Maternal mortality and many other indicators are published here as context; maternal mortality is a key in Development & Human Capital instead.
How the Health & Wellbeing standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The health & wellbeing method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Life Expectancy at Birth — UN DESA Population Division, CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Under-Five Mortality Rate — UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five — UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 46 statistics on this page come from 16 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Papua New Guinea’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Papua New Guinea (banner) — eGuide Travel, CC BY 2.0
- San Marino — Matl derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Monaco — Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Andorra — Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Papua New Guinea: Health & Wellbeing — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/papua-new-guinea/health