In a report labelled a ticking time bomb, Papua New Guinea is quickly losing control of soaring population growth which threatens to outrun its ability to sustainably provide for its people within five years.

Recent research shows PNG could have a population of 15 million by 2030, with a distinct rise of a further four million people in just as many years.

The result of a near 27 per cent growth from an estimated 11 million residents predicts current infrastructure, health systems and labour markets will be unable to absorb the high population growth.

The report, titled Unwanted births and fertility in Papua New Guinea, was tabled by University of Papua New Guinea economics lecturer, Kingtau Mambon.

"Population growth is clearly out of control," he said.

"To sum up, PNG is already struggling to take care of its population.

"Yet, every year it adds over 60,000 unplanned citizens to that population."

The Department of Health Services shows women want fewer children than they are having now.

"Not helping them to close this gap would be a missed opportunity," Mr Mambon said.

Despite its growing gas, timber and mineral export industries, research say PNG will need to lean heavily on donor support in the next few decades.

The country's terrain has also prevented the extension of the road network, which has been deemed necessary to make land accessible for agricultural ventues.

That roadblock has so far failed to provide a boost to remote villages to provide greater education, deliver better health services, and improve law and order.

Mr Mambon narrowed down key issues to limited access of family planning, teen pregnancies combined with early marriages, gaps in education, and cultural norms and demands in Papuan society.

Statistics revealed just 37 per cent of women in PNG have access to contraception, a figure which reduces further in rural communities.

That lack of family planning has contributed to 65 out of every 1000 women in the country falling pregnant before the age 20.

Researchers also found women with higher education marry more than five years later than women with basic primary-school education.

Studies show completion of secondary schooling — which many females do not attend — is the optimal level of education to delay women both marrying and falling pregnant.

But breaking cultural norms among rural families is difficult as they frequently need increased labour to earn livelihoods, with having more children is seen as a source of security.

Research shows PNG faces overcrowding in crucial services, including a lack of doctors in hospitals, teachers in schools and police officers outside of Port Moresby, its national capital.

Mr Mambon suggested for future population growth to be placed towards a sustainable path, the birth rate should reflect the optimal choices of households given their constraints.

Unplanned fertility — according to Mr Mambon's extensive research — is not spread across the country evenly, varying sharply according to wealth, region and education factors.

Poorer households want larger families but overshoot those targets, with the Highlands region having the highest fertility preference.

The research showed women with little or no schooling preferred about three children, while those with higher education levels prefer less children.

"Without decisive policy intervention, annual births would reach over 370,000 by 2050, under a conservative two per cent growth rate," Mr Mambon said.

"Family planning on its own is not enough to alter this trajectory in a meaningful way."

Mr Mambon said a combined approach of family planning, with investments in greater education and marriage at a later stage of life, would have strong impacts to contain yearly birth rates below 350,000 until at least midway through this century.