Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Papua New Guinea's soaring youth population is expected to reach 21 million by 2050.
At independence in 1975 the PNG population was just over 3 million, the current population is about 12.9 million people.
This dramatic growth poses significant issues for PNG but the United Nations Population Fund believes it can bring a 'demographic dividend' to the country if the right investments are made in family planning, education and employment.
RNZ Pacific's Don Wiseman spoke with the country representative for the UNFPA, Saira Shameem.
