Papua New Guinea Administrative Divisions

Name: Papua New Guinea Administrative Divisions Dataset
Creator: GeoPostcodes
License: https://www.geopostcodes.com/pricing/

What is the hierarchy of administrative divisions in Papua New Guinea?

Papua New Guinea operates on a 3‑level system starting with 22 autonomous provinces, then districts, and llgs as the smallest administrative units.

Here’s a breakdown of the hierarchy:

1. Autonomous provinces: Papua New Guinea is divided into 22 autonomous provinces.

2. Districts: Autonomous provinces are subdivided into districts.

3. LLGs: These are the smallest administrative units, often found within districts.

List of Papua New Guinea's administrative divisions with their counts and names

These are the summarized administrative divisions. The full dataset is available in the Download Center.

iso	country	admin level 1	admin level 2	admin level 3	admin level 4
PG	Papua New Guinea	Bougainville (Autonomous province)	3 Districts	12 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Central (Province)	4 Districts	13 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Chimbu (Province)	6 Districts	20 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Eastern Highlands (Province)	8 Districts	24 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	East New Britain (Province)	4 Districts	18 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	East Sepik (Province)	6 Districts	26 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Enga (Province)	5 Districts	15 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Gulf (Province)	2 Districts	10 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Hela (Province)	3 Districts	12 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Jiwaka (Province)	3 Districts	6 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Madang (Province)	6 Districts	19 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Manus (Province)	1 District	12 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Milne Bay (Province)	4 Districts	16 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Morobe (Province)	9 Districts	33 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	National Capital District (National Capital District)	1 District	1 LLG	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	New Ireland (Province)	2 Districts	9 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Northern (Oro) (Province)	2 Districts	9 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Southern Highlands (Province)	5 Districts	20 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Western (Fly River) (Province)	3 Districts	14 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	Western Highlands (Province)	4 Districts	9 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	West New Britain (Province)	2 Districts	11 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.
PG	Papua New Guinea	West Sepik (Sandaun) (Province)	4 Districts	17 LLGs	This level doesn’t exist for this country.

Why is building an Administrative Divisions Database complex?

The complexity arises from inconsistent global standards, frequent boundary changes, non-uniform naming conventions (e.g., “suburb” in Australia vs. “county” in the US), and variations in administrative levels across countries. Integrating and harmonizing data from multiple sources requires advanced normalization, versioning, and geospatial validation techniques.

How does GeoPostcodes solve the problem for you?

Our standardized database overcomes the complexity of different administrative division
systems worldwide. Our database follows a unified structure that you can integrate
seamlessly into your system or platform of choice without needing to become an expert in
each country’s unique administrative hierarchy.

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Updated: June 10, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the administrative divisions of Papua New Guinea?

Papua New Guinea is divided into 1 national capital district, 20 provinces, and 1 autonomous province, which form the top-level administrative units. These are further divided into 87 districts. Major national capital district include Bougainville, Central, and Chimbu.

How many administrative levels does Papua New Guinea have?

Papua New Guinea has 2 administrative levels. Level 1: 1 national capital district, 20 provinces, and 1 autonomous province. Level 2: 87 districts.

How is Papua New Guinea organized into provinces?

Papua New Guinea operates on a 3‑level system starting with 22 autonomous provinces, then districts, and llgs as the smallest administrative units.

What is the difference between national capital district and provinces in Papua New Guinea?

In Papua New Guinea, national capital district and provinces both sit at administrative level 1 but serve different functions. National capital district — there is 1 — is typically a larger city or urban area that governs itself independently. Provinces — there are 20 — group multiple smaller municipalities under a shared administration.

How often do administrative boundaries change in Papua New Guinea?

Administrative boundaries in Papua New Guinea change as governments reorganize regions, merge municipalities, or create new administrative units to reflect population shifts and political decisions. Changes most commonly affect the districts level, where Papua New Guinea currently has 87 units. Businesses that rely on Papua New Guinean administrative data should use a regularly updated reference dataset to avoid mismatches in geocoding, tax jurisdiction mapping, and compliance reporting.