Countries › Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea conflict statistics
Organized violence recorded by UCDP, data through 31 Jul 2026. Updated automatically as new monthly releases are published. Population 10,762,817 (World Bank, 2025).
Between 3 May 2026 and 31 Jul 2026, UCDP recorded 3 organized-violence events in Papua New Guinea, up +50% from 2 in the preceding 90 days. Estimated deaths in the period: 8.
The 12-month total for Papua New Guinea stands at 12 events and 61 estimated deaths. That is +300% on the previous 12 months. 75% of events were classed as non-state conflict. Civilian deaths in the same period: 12. Relative to population, that is 1.1 events per million people.
Violence in the last 90 days was concentrated in Enga province (1), which together account for 33% of recorded events.
The most active conflict pairing over the last 12 months was Yakuman tribe - Yangukim tribe (4 events, 31 estimated deaths).
Displacement from Papua New Guinea
Main host countries: Australia (1,812), Canada (36), New Zealand (10), United States of America (8), United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (5). Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder, 2025 figures.
Monthly reports:Jul 2026Jun 2026May 2026Apr 2026Mar 2026Feb 2026Jan 2026Oct 2025Aug 2025Sep 2024Jul 2024
Events in Papua New Guinea, last 90 days
Monthly trend
Most affected regions
| Region | Events, 90d | Change | Events, 12m | Deaths, 12m | Last event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enga province | 1 | 0% | 6 | 35 | 6 Jun 2026 |
7 further first-level administrative areas had fewer than 5 recorded events in the last 12 months and are not listed separately.
Deadliest recorded events, last 90 days
| Date | Where | Parties | Est. deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 May 2026 | Hela province | Unidentified armed group vs Unidentified armed group Non-state | 4 |
| 6 Jun 2026 | Lagaip-Porgera district Enga province | Unidentified armed group vs Unidentified armed group Non-state, 1 civilian | 3 |
| 16 Jul 2026 | Mount Hagen district Western Highlands province | Government of Papua New Guinea vs Civilians One-sided, 1 civilian, 2 sources | 1 |
Most recorded parties, last 12 months
| Party | Events | Est. deaths in those events |
|---|---|---|
| Yakuman tribe | 4 | 31 |
| Yangukim tribe | 4 | 31 |
| Unidentified armed group | 4 | 14 |
| Government of Papua New Guinea | 2 | 3 |
| Mirupa | 1 | 13 |
| Wambea | 1 | 13 |
Conflict pairings, last 12 months
| Pairing (UCDP dyad) | Events | Est. deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Yakuman tribe - Yangukim tribe | 4 | 31 |
| Unidentified armed group - Unidentified armed group | 2 | 7 |
| Government of Papua New Guinea - Civilians | 2 | 3 |
| Mirupa - Wambea | 1 | 13 |
| I don't care - Civilians | 1 | 5 |
| Yambalikin - Waipilini | 1 | 1 |
Type of violence, last 12 months
| Category | Events | Share |
|---|---|---|
| State-based armed conflict | 0 | 0% |
| Non-state conflict | 9 | 75% |
| One-sided violence against civilians | 3 | 25% |
Long-run view: events per year
| Year | Events | Est. deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 6 | 65 | |
| 2002 | 3 | 7 | |
| 2012 | 4 | 57 | |
| 2019 | 3 | 30 | |
| 2021 | 5 | 56 | |
| 2022 | 16 | 109 | |
| 2023 | 5 | 67 | |
| 2024 | 8 | 135 | |
| 2025 | 4 | 31 | |
| 2026 (to date) | 8 | 30 |
Annual figures from the UCDP GED main release (through the last full year) plus Candidate Events for the current year, which are provisional.
Recent reports and news
Humanitarian reports (ReliefWeb)
- Institutional Capacity Assessment: Provincial Disaster Centres (Papua New Guinea) - Synthesis Report (July 2026) ReliefWeb, 15 Sep 2026
- PNG: CARE International Emergency Situation Report # 1 - Pacific & Timor-Leste El Niño Drought 2026 ReliefWeb, 14 Sep 2026
- PNG: Pacific Humanitarian Monitor - Edition No. 02, 01 July - 31 July 2026 ReliefWeb, 1 Sep 2026
- Papua New Guinea: Humanitarian Snapshot (As of 27 August 2026) ReliefWeb, 31 Aug 2026
- Papua New Guinea Climate and Special Services: July 2026 Drought Update ReliefWeb, 31 Jul 2026
- Papua New Guinea: Humanitarian Snapshot (As of 31 July 2026) ReliefWeb, 31 Jul 2026
- PNG: Pacific Humanitarian Monitor - Edition No. 01, June 2026 ReliefWeb, 20 Jul 2026
- Papua New Guinea: Humanitarian Snapshot (As of 30 June 2026) ReliefWeb, 10 Jul 2026
Frequently asked questions
How many conflict events were recorded in Papua New Guinea in the last 12 months?
UCDP recorded 12 organized-violence events in Papua New Guinea between 1 Aug 2025 and 31 Jul 2026, with an estimated 61 deaths.
Is violence in Papua New Guinea increasing or decreasing?
Increasing. Events in the last 90 days (3) were up +50% on the preceding 90 days (2).
Which regions of Papua New Guinea are most affected?
Over the last 90 days the most events were recorded in Enga province (1).
Who are the main armed actors in Papua New Guinea?
The parties recorded in the most events over the last 12 months were Yakuman tribe (4 events), Yangukim tribe (4 events), Unidentified armed group (4 events), Government of Papua New Guinea (2 events).
What kind of violence is recorded in Papua New Guinea?
UCDP classes events as state-based armed conflict, non-state conflict, or one-sided violence against civilians. In Papua New Guinea, 75% of events over the last 12 months were non-state conflict.
Where does this data come from?
Event counts and death estimates come from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) Georeferenced Event Dataset and its monthly Candidate Events releases, published under CC BY 4.0. Figures use UCDP's "best" fatality estimate. Data on this page runs through 31 Jul 2026.
Compare: Papua New Guinea vs Bangladesh · Papua New Guinea vs Thailand
Counts use UCDP's "best" fatality estimate. Candidate Events for the current year are provisional and may be revised in the next annual GED release. See methodology.