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Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea ranks 4th of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

15,636
M4+ events (since 2005)
985
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M8.0
Strongest
~745
M4+ per year

The verdict

Papua New Guinea has logged 15,636 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 985 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 8.0.

#4
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
15,636
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M8.0
strongest earthquake on record
985
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.6 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

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 2025

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 985 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Papua New Guinea.

M7.0-7.9

90

9.1%

M6.0-6.9

895

90.9%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 985 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 51 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

858

87.1% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

101

10.3% 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 (985 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
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
7.1 143 km SW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 985 significant events.

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Papua New Guinea.

Philippines

14,179 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

United States

17,226 M4+ events · strongest M7.9

M7.9

Chile

13,817 M4+ events · strongest M8.3

M8.3

Russia

12,226 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Tonga

10,827 M4+ events · strongest M7.6

M7.6

Japan

21,476 M4+ events · strongest M9.1

M9.1

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Reading earthquake data

Interpreting magnitude, depth and frequency.

Earthquake preparedness

Before, during and after a quake.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Papua New Guinea? ▼
The USGS catalog records 15,636 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Papua New Guinea since 2005, an average of about 745 per year. Separately, 985 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 215 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 985 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 this data

Every figure on this page is computed directly from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), the public-domain record maintained by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Two series are combined: a worldwide catalog of magnitude-4.0-and-above events from 2005 onward, the period over which the global seismograph network reliably detects and locates earthquakes everywhere, and a historical series of significant magnitude-6.0-and-above events stretching back to 1900. Magnitudes use the moment-magnitude scale (Mw), the modern standard that supersedes the older Richter scale; because the scale is logarithmic, each whole step represents roughly thirty-two times more energy released. Depth is measured in kilometres from the surface, and shallow earthquakes generally produce stronger shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. Counts reflect what instruments recorded, not every tremor that occurred, and recent events can be revised as seismologists refine the catalog.

Source: USGS ComCat, verify with USGS → · See our methodology for the full pipeline.

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