Papua New Guinea

Level moderateupdated 5 min ago
Open alert types
Earthquake2
What governments advise19 states tracked
6 nothing to report7 increased caution6 advise against non-essential travel
Mira Safe's take

A country you can visit normally, with the usual precautions.

3alerts in progress6 / 19states advise against travel156events over 12 months
HighCritical

What are the main risks in Papua New Guinea?

Over the last 12 months, our sensors recorded 156 events there, including 25 severe. The most frequent: Wildfire, Earthquake, Armed conflict.

Is there a government travel advisory for Papua New Guinea?

Yes โ€” of the 19 governments we track, 6 advise against travel and 7 urge extra caution. The detail is in the security section below.

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Papua New Guinea: current alerts and safety news

The alerts open right now, all sources combined โ€” weather, seismic, satellite, health and state advisories.

New Britain Region, P.N.G.

34 hours ago ยท 2 sources

High

Bougainville Region, P.N.G.

9 days ago ยท 2 sources

High

US travel advisory โ€” Papua New Guinea - Level 3: Reconsider Travel

5 months ago ยท 15 sources

High

Last 90 days

  • Calm
  • Moderate / High
  • Critical
  • N/A
July 14October 11

Colour = the country level observed that day (highest of the day). N/A: before our records began.

Is it safe to travel to Papua New Guinea?

The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to some areas of Papua New Guinea. It targets certain areas only, not the whole country. Our own level here is 3 out of 4. Over the last 12 months we recorded 42 events, 10 of them severe. Fires make up most of the count, 22 events, 2 of them severe. Earthquakes come next, 12 events, 6 of them severe, and they weigh far more on people on the ground. Volcanoes account for 3 events, 1 of them severe. Conflict accounts for 4 events, none severe, and it is the item with the highest stakes for people here. All hazards combined, August is the heaviest month on record with 21 events, ahead of July with 11 and June with 5; February and April hold 1 each. Fire is the only hazard with a real season here. Earthquakes and volcanoes have none, so a busy month for them is chance, not a cycle.

What it changes for a nomad

Staying weeks changes the question. The advisory covers some areas only, so what matters is where exactly you live and move, not the country as a label. Read the FCDO page again before each trip out of your base, not once before you fly. Earthquakes run all year, so a flat you can hold out in for a few days without power or water is worth more than any calendar. Fire is the one hazard that follows a season, and it shows up in smoke and cut road links more than on your own street. If you can pick your months, the lightest records are February and April with 1 event each, then May with 3; August carries 21. Power and connection are the first things to drop after a strong shake, so keep an offline copy of the work you are paid for.

Written with the help of AI from Mira Safe's sourced data on August 23, 2026 ยท does not replace local guidance How this analysis is produced โ†’

1 earlier analysis

  1. August 21, 2026

    Papua New Guinea sees a mix of natural hazards. Wildfires are common, especially in the dry season, with some being severe. Earthquakes happen frequently, and some are quite strong, causing damage and disruptions. Volcanoes are also active, with occasional eruptions that can be serious. There is a travel advisory in place, mainly for certain areas, advising reconsideration of travel. Over the last 12 months, there have been 36 recorded events, including 17 wildfires, 11 earthquakes, 4 conflicts, 3 volcanoes, and 1 travel advisory. The busiest months for hazards are August, July, and June, while February, April, and May tend to be quieter. No armed conflict is reported, but natural events pose ongoing risks.

To watch right now

  • Three alerts are open at once right now, which is not the ordinary state here: a fire, a volcano episode and the travel advice, each at level 3.
  • The volcano episode is the one to follow before you move around the country, because conditions near it change faster than any page updates.

To watch as a rule

  • Earthquakes: 12 recorded over the last 12 months, 6 of them severe, with no season to plan around.
  • Fire: the most frequent record here, 22 events, and the only hazard that really has a season.
  • The areas named by the FCDO: its position applies to some areas only, and that list is what to check, never the country as a block.
  • Conflict: 4 events over the last 12 months, none severe, but it is what carries the heaviest stakes for people here.

Good reflexes

  • Re-read the FCDO page before each trip outside your base, since it names the areas concerned.
  • Keep a few days of water, some cash and a charged power bank at home.
  • Ask your host which areas people around you avoid; they follow it more closely than any feed.
  • Keep an offline copy of your current work, so a power cut costs you nothing.
  • Check road conditions before a long overland trip during the fire months.

Papua New Guinea: travel advisories and areas to avoid

What the 19 tracked governments officially advise for this country โ€” converging or not. The everyday reference.

Avoid some areas
Converging advisories fromAustraliaAustriaCanadaUnited Kingdom (FCDO)FinlandFrance (Quai d'Orsay)IrelandItalyJapanSouth KoreaNetherlandsNew ZealandPolandSwitzerlandUS State Department

the official notice lists the areas concerned

Zones cited by government advisories

Advised against (all travel)

  • Southern Highlands
  • Enga
  • Western Highlands
  • Western

Advised against unless essential

  • Southern Highlands
  • Enga
  • North Solomons
  • Eastern Highlands
  • Western Highlands
  • Morobe
  • Chimbu
  • Port Moresby

Flags show which of the tracked governments cite each zone. Red takes precedence over orange.

  • Advised against by 4+ states
  • Advised against by 1 state
  • Advised against unless essential

Papua New Guinea: quality of life and safety in figures

Everyday living conditions, on the few indicators published for every country in the world. Background for a stay โ€” not what is happening today.

Favourable vs the world median

  • Air quality (PM2.5): 14.1 ยตg/mยณ (median 17.3)
  • Road deaths: 12.6 per 100,000 people (median 15.2)
  • New displacements, conflict: 0.19 per 1,000 people (median 0.48)

Watch out vs the world median

  • Physicians: 0.06 per 1,000 people (median 1.7)
  • Hospital beds: 0.62 per 1,000 people (median 2.4)
  • Life expectancy at birth: 66.3 years (median 74.7)
  • New displacements, disasters: 1.2 per 1,000 people (median 0.73)
Air quality (PM2.5)
14.1ยตg/mยณ ยท 2023

Below the world median (17.3) ยท lower is better

WHO guideline: 5 ยตg/mยณ

Road deaths
12.6per 100,000 people ยท 2019

Below the world median (15.2) ยท lower is better

Physicians
0.06per 1,000 people ยท 2023

Below the world median (1.7) ยท higher is better

Hospital beds
0.62per 1,000 people ยท 2023

Below the world median (2.4) ยท higher is better

Life expectancy at birth
66.3years ยท 2024

Below the world median (74.7) ยท higher is better

New displacements, conflict
0.19per 1,000 people ยท 2023

Below the world median (0.48) ยท lower is better

2,000 people in total

New displacements, disasters
1.2per 1,000 people ยท 2023

Above the world median (0.73) ยท lower is better

13,000 people in total

Refugees hosted
0.72per 1,000 people ยท 2025

7,727 people in total

3,121 asylum seekers

People living in internal displacement
70,124people ยท 2025

Security and violence

Structural risk (INFORM) ยท 2026

6.6/10 โ€” very high

Composite index by the JRC (European Commission): hazards & exposure, vulnerability, coping capacity. Structural background โ€” not today's alerts.

29documented deaths from organized armed violence, last 12 months

Source: UCDP (Uppsala University), CC BY 4.0 โ€” academic records published 1โ€“3 months later, through 2026-06. Not a live indicator.

Homicides are the only crime figure that exists worldwide under an open licence. It says nothing about theft or scams โ€” no reliable worldwide data exists for those; official state advisories are the honest day-to-day reference.

National figures, published once a year and often a few years behind: an order of magnitude for daily life, never the situation right now. Sources: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) ยท UNHCR

Papua New Guinea: natural disasters and risks in figures

Last 30 days ยท 90 events

Eventsof which severe
  • Wildfire613 3 severe
  • Earthquake299 9 severe

Last 12 months ยท 156 events

Eventsof which severe
  • Wildfire945 5 severe
  • Earthquake5418 18 severe
  • Armed conflict4
  • Volcano31 1 severe
  • Travel advisory11 1 severe

By month

Eventsof which severe
11
12
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
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What travellers lived

What people who stayed there report. A feeling is not a risk level: these figures complement official data, they don't replace it.

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Mira informs you. Mira is not an emergency service โ€” in an emergency, call local emergency services. Some of this page's content is generated with the help of AI from sourced, quantified data.

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