Homelessness in Papua New Guinea Other instances of homelessness include families who have lost their homes due to natural disasters. In 2017, around 500 people became homeless following floods in the Eastern Highlands Province. In 2007, some 13,000 people became homeless following flooding in the Northern Province. Homelessness in Papua New Guinea Homelessness in Papua New Guinea is a significant issue in Port Moresby, the nation's capital city. It is estimated that the homeless population in the nation's capital includes over 5,000 homeless children. The government and charities working in the region state that migration from rural to urban areas are a leading cause for
Territory of Papua and New Guinea de Menezes came upon the principal island "Papua". In 1545, the Spaniard Iñigo Ortiz de Retes gave the island the name "New Guinea" because of what he saw as a resemblance between the islands' inhabitants and those found on the African Guinea coast. Knowledge of the interior of the island remained scant for several centuries after these initial European encounters. In 1884, Germany formally took possession of the northeast quarter of the island and it became known as German New Guinea. In 1884, a British protectorate was proclaimed over Papua – the southern coast of New Guinea. The protectorate, called