{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/papua-new-guinea/mt-hagen","updatedAt":"2026-07-29T18:21:13.078Z","place":{"city":"Mt Hagen","country":"Papua New Guinea","countryCode":"PG","lat":-5.85746,"lon":144.23058},"safety":{"score":35,"level":"CAUTION","answer":"Caution advised","saferThanPctOfCountries":20,"confidence":0.85,"caps":[{"max":44,"reason":"Level 3 advisory — reconsider travel"}],"databaseScore":36,"travellerSentiment":{"score":32,"label":"Very Negative","summary":"There is very little recent traveler sentiment available, but older reports and the current official advisories indicate a strong perception of danger and a need for extreme caution.","weightInScore":0.18,"components":[{"label":"Reported feel","score":15,"weight":0.35},{"label":"Robbery risk","score":34,"weight":0.45},{"label":"Pickpocket risk","score":58,"weight":0.2}]},"categories":[{"key":"crime","label":"Crime","score":39,"tier":1},{"key":"sentiment","label":"Traveller Sentiment","score":32,"tier":1},{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":30,"tier":2},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":59,"tier":2},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":66,"tier":2}]},"advisories":[{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":3,"label":"Advises against all-but-essential travel to parts","updated":"2026-05-29T15:27:29Z","url":"https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/papua-new-guinea"},{"source":"Government of Canada","level":3,"label":"Avoid non-essential travel","updated":"2026-07-29T14:31:46.2003107-04:00","url":"https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/papua-new-guinea"}],"indicators":[{"key":"homicide","label":"Homicide rate","value":9.34037927179888,"display":"9.3 / 100k","year":"2010","score":48,"source":"World Bank Open Data"},{"key":"crime_major_constraint","label":"Crime seen as a major business constraint","value":12.5,"display":"12.5%","year":"2015","score":69,"source":"World Bank Enterprise Surveys"},{"key":"terrorism_deaths_pm","label":"Terrorism deaths (latest year)","value":0,"display":"0 recorded","year":"2021","score":100,"source":"Global Terrorism Database"},{"key":"road_deaths","label":"Road traffic deaths","value":14.9,"display":"14.9 / 100k","year":"2021","score":53,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"stability","label":"Political stability & no terrorism","value":54.7251618,"display":"55/100","year":"2024","score":55,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"rule_of_law","label":"Rule of law","value":47.1316693,"display":"47/100","year":"2024","score":47,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"corruption","label":"Control of corruption","value":31.7152136,"display":"32/100","year":"2024","score":32,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"gov_effectiveness","label":"Government effectiveness","value":33.8321749,"display":"34/100","year":"2024","score":34,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"regulatory","label":"Regulatory quality","value":45.3936104,"display":"45/100","year":"2024","score":45,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"voice","label":"Voice & accountability","value":51.1357339,"display":"51/100","year":"2024","score":51,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"city_population_scale","label":"Urban scale factor","value":33623,"display":"34k residents","year":null,"score":91,"source":"City Geocoding"},{"key":"human_trafficking_victims","label":"Detected human-trafficking victims","value":0,"display":"0.00 / 100k","year":"2022","score":92,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"bribery_contact_rate","label":"Bribery during public-official contact","value":54,"display":"54.0%","year":"2021","score":11,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"air_quality","label":"Air quality","value":56,"display":"US AQI 56 · Moderate","year":null,"score":87,"source":"Open-Meteo Air Quality"},{"key":"health","label":"Travel health notices","value":null,"display":"3 global notices","year":null,"score":92,"source":"CDC Travelers' Health"},{"key":"hospitals","label":"Hospitals nearby","value":6.186932963,"display":"6 beds / 10k · country avg","year":"2023","score":30,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":23,"display":"July: highs ~23°C · no weather extremes","year":null,"score":100,"source":"Open-Meteo"},{"key":"natural_hazards","label":"Natural hazards","value":0,"display":"No active alerts · 45 quakes ≥M4.5 past yr","year":null,"score":65,"source":"GDACS / USGS"},{"key":"advisory","label":"Government travel advisory","value":3,"display":"Level 3 — Avoid non-essential travel","year":null,"score":30,"source":"Government of Canada"},{"key":"research_robbery_risk","label":"Mugging & robbery risk","value":2,"display":"High risk","year":null,"score":45,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_pickpocket_risk","label":"Pickpocketing & theft risk","value":2,"display":"High risk","year":null,"score":45,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_sentiment_score","label":"Visitor safety sentiment","value":15,"display":"15 / 100 (Very Negative)","year":null,"score":15,"source":"City Web Research"}],"healthNotices":[{"level":"Alert","title":"Global Polio","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level2/global-polio"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Dengue","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/dengue-global"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Measles","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/measles-globe"}],"hazardAlerts":[],"fieldResearch":{"verdict":"No, Mt Hagen is not safe for travelers, and travel is strongly discouraged.","summary":"Official government advisories from Canada and the UK recommend avoiding non-essential travel to Papua New Guinea, including Mt Hagen, due to significant safety concerns. High crime rates, potential for civil unrest, and limited access to essential services contribute to a high-risk environment for visitors.","robberyRisk":{"level":"High","note":"High risk of mugging and armed robbery, particularly in and around Kagamuga Airport and on roads leading into and out of Mt Hagen. Reports indicate firearms are a concern in the region."},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"High","note":"High risk of pickpocketing and bag-snatching in crowded areas, markets, and public transport hubs."},"safeAreas":[],"avoidAreas":["City Center: High crime rates and potential for civil unrest.","Mount Hagen Town: Significant crime and reports of unrest.","Jiwaka Province: Linked to firearms trafficking."],"scams":["Scams involving demands for money or 'gifts' from individuals claiming to be local officials or guides.","Requests for payment to 'ensure safe passage' through certain areas."],"zones":[{"name":"Kagamuga Airport Area","level":"caution","note":"Airport upgrades may increase activity, but general safety concerns for PNG apply."},{"name":"City Center","level":"avoid","note":"High crime rates and reports of unrest make this area particularly risky."},{"name":"Mount Hagen Town","level":"avoid","note":"Significant crime and potential for civil unrest necessitate extreme caution."},{"name":"Wabag District (nearby)","level":"caution","note":"While Wabag itself is advised as safer than other areas in Enga, caution is still advised due to proximity to higher-risk regions."},{"name":"Jiwaka Province (nearby)","level":"avoid","note":"Linked to firearms trafficking, indicating a high-risk environment."}]}}