Languages spoken in Papua New Guinea
Oceania · Capital: Port Moresby · Population 11.8 million
In Papua New Guinea, three languages have official status: Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu. Tok Pisin is the most widely spoken language, with an estimated 71% of the population speaking it as a first or additional language, or roughly 8.4 million people. After Tok Pisin, the most widely spoken are English at 50% and Hiri Motu at 2.1%. Tok Pisin is not recorded in any of Papua New Guinea's one neighbour. In total, three languages are recorded in Papua New Guinea, and their shares add up to 123.1% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.2 of them.
What languages are spoken in Papua New Guinea?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tok Pisin | 71% | Official | 8.4 million |
| EnglishIndo-European | 50% | Official | 5.9 million |
| Hiri Motu | 2.1% | Official | 247,413 |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Papua New Guinea?
In Papua New Guinea, three languages have official status: Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu. Tok Pisin is spoken by an estimated 71% of the population, or roughly 8.4 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Tok Pisin in Papua New Guinea?
An estimated 71% of Papua New Guinea's 11.8 million people speak Tok Pisin, which works out at roughly 8.4 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Papua New Guinea
- Capital
- Port Moresby
- Population
- 11.8 million
- Continent
- Oceania
- Area
- 462,840 km²
- Currency
- PGK
- Languages recorded
- 3
- Land borders
- 1
- ISO codes
- PG / PNG / 598
Which countries border Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea shares a land border with one country: Indonesia. None of them records Tok Pisin, the most widely spoken language in Papua New Guinea, so the land borders here are also language borders.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.