Nonstop flight route between Niamtougou, Togo and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Niamtougou International Airport (LRL), Niamtougou, Togo and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,603 miles (or 17,064 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Niamtougou International Airport and Buka Island Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.

Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Niamtougou International Airport and Buka Island Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Niamtougou International Airport (LRL):

• Niamtougou International Airport (LRL) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Niamtougou International Airport (LRL) is Djougou Airport (DJA), which is located 37 miles (60 kilometers) E of LRL.
• The furthest airport from Niamtougou International Airport (LRL) is Funafuti International Airport (FUN), which is nearly antipodal to Niamtougou International Airport (meaning Niamtougou International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Funafuti International Airport), and is located 12,281 miles (19,765 kilometers) away in Funafuti, Tuvalu.

Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):

• On 26 July, an Imperial Japanese Navy special detachment was sent to inspect Buka Airfield, but considered it unacceptable as a prospect for a speedily constructed major airfield.
• Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 2004, the airport experienced some closures due to land disputes.
• The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.
• In January 1944, the Allies drove the Japanese out of Buka, and the airfield was used for operations against the Japanese over New Guinea.
• Because of Buka Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 11 feet, planes can take off or land at Buka Island Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• Today the airport is the primary air portal into Bougainville, and even 60 years after the war, wreckage from the military use of the airfield by the Japanese and Americans is easily found in the area.
• The furthest airport from Buka Island Airport (BUA) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,781 miles (18,959 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.