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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea has catalogued 15,655 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 4th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M8.0.

Papua New Guinea ranks 4th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth, averaging about 745 M4+ events a year alongside 986 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Its M6+ record runs from 1902 to 2026, peaking in 1971.

15,655
M4+ events (since 2005)
986
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M8.0
Strongest
~745
M4+ per year

The verdict

Papua New Guinea is one of the world's most seismically active places, with 15,655 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 986 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 8.0.

1971
busiest year (29 major events)
51 km
average recorded event depth
87%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.6 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder United States sits immediately above at 17,280 events and Philippines sits immediately below at 14,262.

Where Papua New Guinea sits in the catalog

Rank 4th of 187 tracked countries (98th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder United States sits immediately above at 17,280 events and Philippines sits immediately below at 14,262.

Papua New Guinea's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

15,655 Top 2% higher than 98% of 187 countries

0–500: 143 countries (76%). Below this entry. 500–1,000: 11 countries (6%). Below this entry. 1,000–1,500: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 1,500–2,000: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 2,000–2,500: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 2,500–3,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,000–3,500: 2 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,500–4,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 4,000–4,500: 3 countries (2%). Below this entry. 4,500–5,000: 3 countries (2%). Below this entry. 5,000–5,500: 12 countries (6%). This entry sits in this band. Papua New Guinea 0 5,000+ every tracked country, bucketed by value

Each bar is a 500-wide band; taller bars hold more countries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) · 2005-present

How Papua New Guinea compares to its nearest peers

Papua New Guinea ranks in the 98th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 187 tracked countries. Plotted here against its 13 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Papua New Guinea vs. its 13 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 14 entities by M4+ events since 2005 (X) and Strongest recorded magnitude (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. Frequent and severeRare but severeFrequent, capped so farLower on both axes 010,00020,00030,00040,000 M6.5M7M7.5M8M8.5M9M9.5 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Papua New Guinea vs. its 13 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 14 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Indonesia 37,560 M8.6
Japan 27,851 M9.1
United States 17,280 M8.2
Papua New Guinea (this page) 15,655 M7.9
Philippines 14,262 M7.8
Chile 13,836 M8.8
Russia 12,525 M8.8
Tonga 10,847 M7.6
Mexico 8,356 M8.2
Vanuatu 7,572 M7.8
New Zealand 7,523 M8.1
Solomon Islands 6,129 M7.8
China 4,952 M7.9
Greece 4,606 M7.0

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Papua New Guinea by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Papua New Guinea's most active year for major earthquakes was 1971 (29 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2005–present
0%100%1.4%
Share of Papua New Guinea's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

213 of 15,655 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 986 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Papua New Guinea.

How the 986 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 90.9%

M7.0-7.9

90

9.1%

M6.0-6.9

896

90.9%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 986 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 51 km.

Papua New Guinea87.1%10.2%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Papua New Guinea's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

859

87.1% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

101

10.2% of events

Deep (>300 km)

26

2.6% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Papua New Guinea

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
8.0 60 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 35.0 km
7.9 35 km WNW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 135.0 km
7.9 140 km E of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 94.5 km
7.9 56 km WSW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 49.0 km
7.8 New Guinea, Papua New Guinea 30.0 km
7.8 85 km S of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 35.0 km
7.8 74 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 35.0 km
7.8 138 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 33.0 km
7.8 135 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 30.0 km
7.7 155 km WNW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 30.1 km

Significant earthquake record (986 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Papua New Guinea since 1900, most recent first.

Mag Location Depth
6.4 191 km SE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.5 45 km NNE of Goroka, Papua New Guinea 107.0 km
6.3 139 km SE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.6 17 km W of Lae, Papua New Guinea 98.0 km
6.0 208 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 31.0 km
6.5 89 km ENE of Angoram, Papua New Guinea 16.8 km
6.1 104 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 52.0 km
6.9 184 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 9.0 km
6.6 122 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 56.0 km
6.0 126 km N of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 509.0 km
6.3 168 km SW of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 8.0 km
6.2 59 km NNE of Angoram, Papua New Guinea 7.0 km
6.4 56 km S of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 39.0 km
6.5 111 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 49.0 km
6.9 36 km ENE of Ambunti, Papua New Guinea 41.5 km
6.0 68 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 44.0 km
6.5 44 km E of Wewak, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.1 126 km WNW of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.9 48 km SE of Madang, Papua New Guinea 52.0 km
6.7 54 km SE of Madang, Papua New Guinea 55.0 km
6.2 96 km ESE of Angoram, Papua New Guinea 23.8 km
6.3 30 km NNE of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea 40.0 km
7.0 40 km ESE of Ambunti, Papua New Guinea 70.0 km
6.3 118 km E of Madang, Papua New Guinea 213.0 km
6.6 106 km NW of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 600.9 km
6.2 33 km ENE of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea 34.0 km
6.4 155 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 72.0 km
7.6 70 km E of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea 116.0 km
6.1 110 km WNW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea 125.0 km
6.3 178 km SW of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.1 175 km NE of Madang, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.1 28 km WSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 149.0 km
6.1 74 km WSW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 379.0 km
6.1 110 km NW of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.3 113 km SSE of Kavieng, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.2 192 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 34.0 km
6.0 142 km SSW of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 8.4 km
6.1 176 km ENE of Angoram, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.0 196 km N of Madang, Papua New Guinea 9.0 km
6.3 189 km SW of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.3 40 km ENE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea 106.0 km
6.1 100 km WNW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea 74.0 km
6.2 141 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 22.0 km
6.0 141 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 23.0 km
6.1 199 km SE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
7.0 114 km NNW of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea 73.0 km
6.1 215 km NNW of Arawa, Papua New Guinea 471.2 km
6.1 140 km W of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 19.0 km
6.1 127 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 34.0 km
6.0 130 km ENE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 117.0 km
6.3 26 km NNW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea 42.0 km
6.0 179 km NNW of Arawa, Papua New Guinea 495.2 km
7.6 48 km NE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
7.1 32 km NW of Bulolo, Papua New Guinea 146.0 km
6.0 94 km WSW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea 30.0 km
6.2 108 km E of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 41.0 km
6.0 162 km ENE of Samarai, Papua New Guinea 9.0 km
6.4 95 km N of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea 368.1 km
6.2 116 km SE of Kieta, Papua New Guinea 355.0 km
6.2 164 km SW of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.2 91 km SW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 121.0 km
7.0 119 km E of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 39.0 km
6.1 136 km E of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 41.6 km
6.0 91 km W of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea 29.6 km
6.0 178 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 9.0 km
6.3 45 km W of Tari, Papua New Guinea 18.1 km
6.9 150 km E of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 35.0 km
6.7 140 km E of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 40.0 km
6.3 150 km E of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 33.0 km
6.8 103 km E of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 22.9 km
6.7 62 km SW of Tari, Papua New Guinea 20.5 km
6.0 66 km SW of Tari, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.1 63 km SW of Tari, Papua New Guinea 16.0 km
6.3 59 km SW of Mendi, Papua New Guinea 19.0 km
7.5 32 km SW of Tari, Papua New Guinea 25.2 km
6.3 188 km N of Madang, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.0 51 km NNW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea 34.0 km
6.0 109 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 54.0 km
6.5 67 km WSW of Angoram, Papua New Guinea 110.6 km
6.3 110 km NE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 8.0 km
6.4 115 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 34.0 km
6.2 40 km ENE of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.3 31 km NW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea 37.0 km
6.1 115 km SSE of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 17.0 km
7.9 35 km WNW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 135.0 km
6.0 175 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 35.0 km
6.3 178 km WNW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 8.4 km
7.9 140 km E of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 94.5 km
6.0 133 km WNW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 142.6 km
6.0 99 km W of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea 52.0 km
6.8 76 km WNW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea 42.0 km
6.3 143 km N of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 442.0 km
6.8 90 km NE of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea 476.0 km
6.4 133 km SE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 14.0 km
6.3 91 km NNW of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea 354.0 km
6.2 119 km NE of Angoram, Papua New Guinea 6.0 km
6.4 88 km WSW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 29.0 km
6.1 151 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 26.0 km
6.1 156 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea 6.0 km
6.0 146 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 43.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 986 significant events.

Other countries in this catalog sample

A Papua New Guinea-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.

United Arab Emirates

6 M4+ events · strongest M4.7

M4.7

French Guiana

3 M4+ events · strongest M5.0

M5.0

Romania

183 M4+ events · strongest M5.6

M5.6

Dominica

55 M4+ events · strongest M5.6

M5.6

Thailand

48 M4+ events · strongest M6.1

M6.1

Mongolia

196 M4+ events · strongest M6.7

M6.7

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

A second Papua New Guinea-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Cayman Islands

107 M4+ events

M7.6

Canada

1,026 M4+ events

M7.8

India

4,086 M4+ events

M7.5

Jamaica

39 M4+ events

M7.7

Turkey

2,249 M4+ events

M7.8

Ecuador

1,130 M4+ events

M7.8

Understand the data

United States

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Philippines

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Papua New Guinea? ▼
The USGS catalog records 15,655 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Papua New Guinea since 2005, an average of about 745 per year. Separately, 986 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Papua New Guinea? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Papua New Guinea measured magnitude 8.0. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.6 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Papua New Guinea? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Papua New Guinea ranks 4th of 187 countries worldwide - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1971, with 29.
How deep are earthquakes in Papua New Guinea? ▼
Across the 986 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 51 km. 87% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.
Where does this data come from? ▼
Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About Papua New Guinea's figures

15,655 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M8.0 · average M4.6 · 986 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Jul 17, 2026. Computed from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). See the methodology and USGS ComCat.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is informational only, not an emergency service or engineering advice. See our full disclaimer.

What Papua New Guinea's numbers mean

Papua New Guinea ranks 4th of 187 countries tracked - among the most seismically active nations on Earth.

  • About 745 M4+ earthquakes strike Papua New Guinea per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1971 was the busiest year on record with 29 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 87% of Papua New Guinea's catalogued major earthquakes are shallow (under 70km) - shallow events generally produce stronger surface shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. How depth affects shaking
  • The strongest catalogued event reached M8.0. Compare against neighboring or similarly-ranked countries before drawing conclusions from magnitude alone. Compare strongest earthquakes

Figures reflect the USGS ComCat catalog (M4+ since 2005, M6+ significant events since 1900) - not a real-time hazard assessment. For official guidance, see the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 315,341 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,428 significant M6+ events (USGS ComCat, 2005-present) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-07-19.