Goroka
title: "Goroka" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["goroka", "populated-places-in-eastern-highlands-province", "provincial-capitals-in-papua-new-guinea"] topic_path: "general/goroka" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goroka" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Goroka |
| image_skyline | Goroka.JPG |
| image_caption | Goroka from Mount Sitani (Mt. Kiss) |
| pushpin_map | Papua New Guinea |
| coordinates | |
| pushpin_label_position | right |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location within Papua New Guinea |
| subdivision_type | Country |
| subdivision_name | Papua New Guinea |
| subdivision_type1 | Province |
| subdivision_name1 | Eastern Highlands |
| subdivision_type2 | District |
| subdivision_name2 | Goroka District |
| subdivision_type3 | LLG |
| subdivision_name3 | Goroka Urban LLG |
| population_total | 19523 |
| population_rank | 7th |
| population_density_km2 | auto |
| demographics1_title1 | Main languages |
| elevation_m | 1546 |
| postal_code_type | Postcode |
| postal_code | 441 |
| timezone1 | AEST |
| utc_offset1 | +10 |
| blank_name | Location |
| blank_info | 423 km from Port Moresby |
| blank1_name | Climate |
| blank1_info | Am/Cfb |
| :: |
| name = Goroka | other_name = | image_skyline = Goroka.JPG | image_alt = | image_caption = Goroka from Mount Sitani (Mt. Kiss) | image_map = | map_alt = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Papua New Guinea | pushpin_relief = | coordinates = | pushpin_label_position = right | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = Location within Papua New Guinea | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Papua New Guinea | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Eastern Highlands | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Goroka District | subdivision_type3 = LLG | subdivision_name3 = Goroka Urban LLG | area_total_km2 = | area_footnotes = | population_total = 19523 | population_as_of = | population_rank = 7th | population_footnotes = | population_density_km2 = auto | demographics_type1 = | demographics1_title1 = Main languages | demographics1_info1 = | established_title = | established_date = | leader_title = | leader_name = | elevation_m = 1546 | postal_code_type = Postcode | postal_code = 441 | timezone1 = AEST | utc_offset1 = +10 | website = | blank_name = Location | blank_info = 423 km from Port Moresby | blank1_name = Climate | blank1_info = Am/Cfb Goroka is the capital of the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. It is a town of approximately 23,000 people (2011), 1600 m above sea level. It has an airport (in the centre of town) and is on the "Highlands Highway", about 285 km from Lae in Morobe province and 90 km from the nearby town of Kainantu also in the Eastern Highlands. Other nearby towns include Kundiawa in Simbu Province and Mount Hagen in Western Highlands Province. It has a mild climate, known as a "perpetual Spring".
It is the home of several national institutions: CRMF Christian Radio Missionary Fellowship, the PNG Institute of Medical Research, the National Film Institute, the Liturgical Catechetical Institute, the Melanesian Institute, the Raun Raun Theatre Company and the University of Goroka. Several NGOs also have presences there, including Oxfam and Save the Children. The town's largest hotel is the Bird of Paradise, owned by the Coral Seas Hotels chain, with several mid-sized motels and numerous smaller accommodation providers also operating.
Coffee is a common cash crop in the area; smaller industries include trout farms, pigs, bee keeping and food gardens (broccoli, kau kau or sweet potato, carrots, ginger and peanuts are examples of produce that grow well here; nearby Bena Bena is known for its pineapples). Goroka is also widely known for its bilum market.
Events
In May, Goroka hosts the PNG Coffee Festival. The festival features coffee tastings, barista competitions, and cultural performances.
The Goroka Show event takes place annually around the time of the country's Independence Day (September 16). It continues for two or three days. The Goroka Show began in 1957 and is the oldest show in Papua New Guinea.
Climate
Goroka has a subtropical highland climate (Cfb). Due to altitude Goroka features warm to very warm afternoons and cool to mild mornings year-round, with heavy rainfall most of the year and low rainfall from June to September.
| width = auto | metric first = yes | single line = yes | location = Goroka (1999–2007) | Jan high C = 26.7 | Feb high C = 26.5 | Mar high C = 26.5 | Apr high C = 26.9 | May high C = 26.3 | Jun high C = 26.1 | Jul high C = 25.6 | Aug high C = 26.0 | Sep high C = 26.2 | Oct high C = 27.0 | Nov high C = 27.0 | Dec high C = 27.5 | Jan low C = 15.5 | Feb low C = 16.2 | Mar low C = 16.2 | Apr low C = 15.7 | May low C = 15.4 | Jun low C = 15.1 | Jul low C = 14.9 | Aug low C = 14.9 | Sep low C = 15.6 | Oct low C = 15.4 | Nov low C = 15.7 | Dec low C = 16.1 | rain colour = green | Jan rain mm = 153.4 | Feb rain mm = 214.5 | Mar rain mm = 272.2 | Apr rain mm = 175.7 | May rain mm = 151.9 | Jun rain mm = 43.8 | Jul rain mm = 70.4 | Aug rain mm = 49.2 | Sep rain mm = 150.1 | Oct rain mm = 132.1 | Nov rain mm = 145.4 | Dec rain mm = 163.8 | Jan rain days = 21 | Feb rain days = 21 | Mar rain days = 24 | Apr rain days = 17 | May rain days = 16 | Jun rain days = 10 | Jul rain days = 13 | Aug rain days = 12 | Sep rain days = 17 | Oct rain days = 17 | Nov rain days = 18 | Dec rain days = 17 | source 1 = World Meteorological Organization{{cite web |url = https://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=1427 |title = World Weather Information Service |publisher = World Meteorological Organization |access-date = 18 August 2024}}
Notable people
Goroka is the birthplace of ex-Premier of Tasmania Lara Giddings
- Rugby league players Stanley Gene and James Segeyaro.
- FIFA international soccer referee David Yareboinen.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/GorokaMarket.jpg" caption="Goroka market"] ::
References
References
- Nat. Statistics Office. (2013). "Final Figures - Papua New Guinea. Census 2011.". GoPNG.
- (August 2021). "Refereeing is call". Sports Tok Magazine.
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