Melanesia Population (LIVE)

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Melanesia Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

Countries in Melanesia

CountryPopulation (2024)
Papua New Guinea10,576,502
Fiji928,784
Solomon Islands819,198
Vanuatu327,777
New Caledonia292,639
  • The current population of Melanesia is 13,048,402 as of Saturday, December 21, 2024, based on the latest United Nations estimates.
  • Melanesia population is equivalent to 0.16% of the total world population.
  • Melanesia ranks number 2 in Oceania among subregions ranked by Population.
  • The population density in Melanesia is 24 per Km2 (63 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 529,590 Km2 (204,476 sq. miles)
  • 18.2 % of the population is urban (2,357,780 people in 2024).
  • The median age in Melanesia is 22.9years.

Population of Melanesia (2024 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationMelanesia's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationMelanesia
Rank within
Oceania
2024 12,944,900 1.74 % 220,836 -1,963.0 22.9 3.0 24 18.2 % 2,357,780 0.2 % 8,161,972,572 2
2020 12,058,242 1.95 % 230,595 4,869 21.4 3.43 23 17.7 % 2,137,864 0.2 % 7,887,001,292 2
2015 10,850,508 2.53 % 254,754 22,200 21.3 3.49 20 17.5 % 1,902,879 0.2 % 7,470,491,872 2
2010 9,576,739 2.76 % 244,047 45,300 20.5 3.75 18 17.8 % 1,706,095 0.1 % 7,021,732,148 2
2005 8,356,505 2.94 % 225,737 34,000 19.7 4.02 16 18.2 % 1,518,646 0.1 % 6,586,970,132 2
2000 7,227,820 3.13 % 206,509 32,500 19.1 4.27 14 18.8 % 1,361,543 0.1 % 6,171,702,993 2
1995 6,195,274 3.07 % 173,905 27,800 18.5 4.51 12 20.1 % 1,243,546 0.1 % 5,758,878,982 2
1990 5,325,750 2.2 % 110,001 -8,800 17.9 4.84 10 21.1 % 1,121,154 0.1 % 5,327,803,110 2
1985 4,775,743 2.23 % 99,729 -28,200 17.6 5.13 9 19.9 % 952,534 0.1 % 4,868,943,465 2
1980 4,277,100 2.24 % 89,580 -29,400 17.1 5.42 8 18.6 % 795,860 0.1 % 4,447,606,236 2
1975 3,829,201 2.35 % 84,040 -27,100 16.3 5.75 7 17.2 % 657,980 0.1 % 4,070,735,277 2
1970 3,408,999 2.37 % 75,280 -22,600 16.2 6.03 6 14.9 % 507,313 0.1 % 3,694,683,794 2
1965 3,032,598 2.47 % 69,733 -20,200 16.6 6.17 6 5.5 % 166,976 0.1 % 3,334,533,703 2
1960 2,683,934 2.81 % 69,533 -3,100 17.1 6.13 5 8.7 % 234,243 0.1 % 3,015,470,894 2
1955 2,336,271 2.38 % 51,873 -1,500 17.5 5.98 4 7.1 % 166,976 0.1 % 2,740,213,792 2

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Melanesia Population Forecast

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationMelanesia's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationMelanesia
Rank within
Oceania
2025 13,165,119 1.77 % 221,375 -1,600 23.1 2.99 25 18.4 % 2,418,045 0.2 % 8,231,613,070 2
2030 14,242,885 1.59 % 215,553 -2,600 24.2 2.82 27 19.4 % 2,757,285 0.2 % 8,569,124,911 2
2035 15,279,190 1.41 % 207,261 -5,300 25.3 2.68 29 20.8 % 3,172,470 0.2 % 8,885,210,181 2
2040 16,274,486 1.27 % 199,059 -6,700 26.5 2.56 31 22.6 % 3,676,832 0.2 % 9,177,190,203 2
2045 17,212,396 1.13 % 187,582 -4,300 27.6 2.46 33 24.7 % 4,246,884 0.2 % 9,439,639,668 2
2050 18,090,929 1 % 175,707 -6,000 28.7 2.37 34 27 % 4,877,843 0.2 % 9,664,378,587 2
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Notes

The Melanesia Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Melanesia delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Melanesia (1950 - 2024) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2024.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2024. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the sub-region as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division.World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2024: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2023 to June 30 2024). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2024: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2023 to June 30 2024). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period. A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the countries within Melanesia, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Melanesia's Share of World Pop: Total population as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Rank within Oceania: Position held by Melanesia in the list of all regions within Oceania ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.

See also