Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Papua New Guinea

See a list of abbreviations used in this list. See also our listing of current ecclesial jurisdictions.

1514: Funchal (established by the Portuguese, see footnote) - Portugal
1533: Goa (detached from Funchal) - India
1558: Malacca (detached from Goa) - Malaysia
1712: Islands of the Indian Ocean (AP, detached from Malacca) - Indian Ocean
1818: Bourbon (AP, new name, previously Islands of the Indian Ocean) - Reunion, Indian Ocean, etc.
1830: South Seas Islands / Oceania / Islands of the Great Ocean (AP, detached from AP Bourbon) - Various countries and territories in Oceania
1836: Western Oceania (AV, detached from AP South Seas Islands) - New Zealand and other territories in Oceania
1844: Melanesia (AV, detached from AV Western Oceania) - New Guinea and other islands in Melanesia
1844: Micronesia (AV, detached from AV Western Oceania) - Gilbert Islands and other islands in Micronesia
1889: New Britain (AV, and new name, previously Melanesia, incorporating part of Melanesia, and all of Micronesia) - (British Papua) New Britain and other parts of Melanesia and Micronesia
1889: New Guinea (AP, detached from the Melanesia) - (British Papua) Papua New Guinea
1890: New Pomerania / Neu-Pommern (AV, new name, previously New Britain AV) - (Bismarck Archipelago) Papua New Guinea
1896: Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land (AP, detached from New Pomerania ??) - (Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land) Papua New Guinea
1898: German Solomon Islands (AP, detached from AV New Pomerania / Neu-Pommern) - (Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land) Papua New Guinea
1904: Northern Solomon Islands (AP, new name, previously AP German Solomon Islands) - (Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land) Papua New Guinea
1913: Eastern Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land (AP, new name, previously Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land) - (Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land) Papua New Guinea
1913: Western Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land (AP, detached from Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land) - (Kaiser-Wilhems-Land) Papua New Guinea
1920: New Guinea (AV) - (Territory of Papua) Papua New Guinea
1922: Central New Guinea (AP, new name, previously Western Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land AP) - (Territory of New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1922: Eastern New Guinea (AV, new name, previously Eastern Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land AP) - (Territory of New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1922: Papua (AV, new name, previously [British] New Guinea AV) - (Territory of Papua) Papua New Guinea
1922: Rabaul (AV, new name, previously New Pomerania AV) - (Territory of New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1930: Northern Solomon Islands (AV) - (Territory of New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1931: Central New Guinea (AV) - (Territory of New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1946: Samarai (AP, detached from Papua AV) - (Territory of Papua) Papua New Guinea
1946: Port Moresby (AV, new name, previously Papua AV) - (Territory of Papua) Papua New Guinea
1952: Alexishafen (AV) new name, previously Eastern New Guinea, AV) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1952: Wewak (AV, new name, previously Central New Guinea AV) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1952: Aitape (AP, detached from Wewak AP) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1956: Aitape (AV) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1956: Samarai (AV) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1957: Kavieng (AV, detached from Rabaul) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1958: Mendi (AP, detached from Port Moresby) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1959: Daru (AP, detached from Port Moresby) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1959: Goroka (AV, detached from Alexishafen) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1959: Lae (AV, detached from Alexishafen) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1959: Mount Hagen (AV, detached from Alexishafen, and from Wewak) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1959: Yule Island (detached from Port Moresby) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1963: Vanimo (AP, detached from Aitape) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1965: Mendi (AV) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Aitape (D) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Bereina (new name, previously Yule Island) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Bougainville (D, and new name, previously AV Northern Solomon Islands) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Daru - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Goroka - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Kavieng - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Lae - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Madang (Metr., and new name, previously Alexishafen AV) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Mendi - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Mount Hagen - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Port Moresby (Metr.) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Rabaul (Metr.) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Sideia (D, and new name, previously Samarai AV) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Vanimo - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1966: Wewak - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1971: Kerema (detached from Bereina, and from Mendi) - (Territory of Papua and New Guinea) Papua New Guinea
1975: Alotau-Sideia (new name, previously Sideia) - Papua New Guinea
1982: Mount Hagen (Metr.) - Papua New Guinea
1982: Kundiawa (detached from Goroka) - Papua New Guinea
1982: Wabag (detached from Mount Hagen) - Papua New Guinea
1987: Daru-Kiunga (new name, previously Daru) - Papua New Guinea
2003: Kimbe (detached from Rabaul) - Papua New Guinea