Number of significant earthquakes in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Number of significant earthquakes was 1 events in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1 events
Change on year
down 50.0%
World rank
21st
of 97 countries
All-time high
5 events
in 2018
All-time low
1 events
in 1768
Years of data
75
1768–2024
Number of significant earthquakes in Papua New Guinea, 1768–2024
Source: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in events.
Analysis
In 2024, number of significant earthquakes in Papua New Guinea stood at 1 events. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 50.0% on the previous year and down 50.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of significant earthquakes in Papua New Guinea peaked at 5 events in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1 events, in 1768.
That places Papua New Guinea 21st out of 97 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of significant earthquakes in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | events | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1768 | 1 events | — |
| 1857 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1900 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1905 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1907 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1911 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1916 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1918 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1930 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1933 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1939 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1941 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1953 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1955 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1969 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1970 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1975 | 2 events | -33.3% |
| 1977 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1979 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1984 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1985 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1986 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1987 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1988 | 2 events | -33.3% |
| 1989 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1990 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 2002 | 3 events | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 2009 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 2015 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 2017 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 2018 | 5 events | +150.0% |
| 2019 | 2 events | -60.0% |
| 2020 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 2022 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 2024 | 1 events | -50.0% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 1 events is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1 events, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 1 events is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1 events, 1.0× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1760s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1850s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1870s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1890s | 2 events | 2 events | 2 events | 1 |
| 1900s | 1.6 events | 1 events | 2 events | 5 |
| 1910s | 1.29 events | 1 events | 2 events | 7 |
| 1920s | 1.33 events | 1 events | 2 events | 3 |
| 1930s | 1.25 events | 1 events | 2 events | 8 |
| 1940s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 6 |
| 1950s | 1.33 events | 1 events | 2 events | 3 |
| 1960s | 1.2 events | 1 events | 2 events | 5 |
| 1970s | 1.6 events | 1 events | 3 events | 5 |
| 1980s | 1.71 events | 1 events | 3 events | 7 |
| 1990s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 5 |
| 2000s | 2 events | 1 events | 3 events | 4 |
| 2010s | 2.14 events | 1 events | 5 events | 7 |
| 2020s | 1.25 events | 1 events | 2 events | 4 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 21 Albania 1 events compare
- 21 Algeria 1 events compare
- 21 Antarctica 1 events compare
- 21 Argentina 1 events compare
- 21 Armenia 1 events compare
- 21 Australia 1 events compare
- 21 Austria 1 events compare
- 21 Azerbaijan 1 events compare
- 21 Bangladesh 1 events compare
- 21 Bolivia 1 events compare
- 21 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 events compare
- 21 Brazil 1 events compare
- 21 Bulgaria 1 events compare
- 21 Canada 1 events compare
- 21 Chile 1 events compare
- 21 China 1 events compare
- 21 Colombia 1 events compare
- 21 Congo 1 events compare
- 21 Costa Rica 1 events compare
- 21 Cuba 1 events compare
- 21 Ecuador 1 events compare
- 21 Egypt 1 events compare
- 21 El Salvador 1 events compare
- 21 Eritrea 1 events compare
- 21 Ethiopia 1 events compare
- 21 France 1 events compare
- 21 Georgia 1 events compare
- 21 Germany 1 events compare
- 21 Ghana 1 events compare
- 21 Guadeloupe 1 events compare
- 21 Guatemala 1 events compare
- 21 Haiti 1 events compare
- 21 Honduras 1 events compare
- 21 Iceland 1 events compare
- 21 Iraq 1 events compare
- 21 Israel 1 events compare
- 21 Jamaica 1 events compare
- 21 Kazakhstan 1 events compare
- 21 Kyrgyzstan 1 events compare
- 21 Lebanon 1 events compare
- 21 Martinique 1 events compare
- 21 Mongolia 1 events compare
- 21 Montenegro 1 events compare
- 21 Morocco 1 events compare
- 21 Myanmar 1 events compare
- 21 Nepal 1 events compare
- 21 North Korea 1 events
- 21 North Macedonia 1 events compare
- 21 Pakistan 1 events compare
- 21 Panama 1 events compare
- 21 Poland 1 events compare
- 21 Portugal 1 events compare
- 21 Romania 1 events compare
- 21 Russia 1 events compare
- 21 Rwanda 1 events compare
- 21 Samoa 1 events compare
- 21 Serbia 1 events compare
- 21 Slovenia 1 events compare
- 21 Solomon Islands 1 events compare
- 21 South Africa 1 events compare
- 21 South Korea 1 events compare
- 21 Spain 1 events compare
- 21 Switzerland 1 events compare
- 21 Syria 1 events compare
- 21 Taiwan 1 events compare
- 21 Tajikistan 1 events compare
- 21 Tanzania 1 events compare
- 21 Tonga 1 events compare
- 21 Tunisia 1 events compare
- 21 Turkmenistan 1 events compare
- 21 United Kingdom 1 events compare
- 21 United States 1 events compare
- 21 Uzbekistan 1 events compare
- 21 Vanuatu 1 events compare
- 21 Vietnam 1 events compare
- 21 Yemen 1 events compare
More reference data data for Papua New Guinea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2042 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0498 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.3515 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0007 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.3515 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6846 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.5295 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2811 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0038 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of significant earthquakes in Papua New Guinea?
- Number of significant earthquakes in Papua New Guinea was 1 events in 2024, according to National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of significant earthquakes recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 5 events in 2018.
- What is the lowest number of significant earthquakes recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 events in 1768.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for number of significant earthquakes?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 21st out of 97 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of significant earthquakes rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of significant earthquakes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
A significant earthquake meets at least one of the following: caused deaths, moderate damage ($1 million or more), a magnitude 7.5 or greater, Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) X or greater, or generated a tsunami. Due to data availability, recent data will be more complete than older historical estimates.