Map of Papua New Guinea | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902 which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.


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Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 147 00 E

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 462,840 km²
Land: 452,860 km²
Water: 9,980 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries
Total: 820 km
Border countries: (1) Indonesia 820 km

Coastline: 5,152 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October; slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Natural resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries

Land use
Arable land: 0.1%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 92.9%
Other: 6% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Rim of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides

Geography
Note: shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast


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Population: 4,599,785 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 2.27% (1998 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
Adjective: Papua New Guinean

Ethnic groups: Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Languages: English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region
Note: 715 indigenous languages

Religions: Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant sects 10%, indigenous beliefs 34%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 40% (male 936,206; female 888,427)
15-64 years: 57% (male 1,374,471; female 1,263,750)
65 years and over: 3% (male 62,593; female 74,338) (July 1998 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.27% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 32.37 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 9.65 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought
International agreements party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 57.09 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 58.06 years
Male: 57.18 years
Female: 58.98 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.26 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 72.2%
Male: 81%
Female: 62.7% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
Conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
Abbreviation: PNG

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Port Moresby

Administrative divisions: 20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain

Dependent areas

Independence: 16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Constitution: 16 September 1975

Legal system: based on English common law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Silas ATOPARE (since 13 November 1997): ead of
Government: Prime Minister Bill SKATE (since 22 July 1997); Deputy Prime Minister Michael NALI (since 16 December 1997); note_NALI replaces Deputy Prime Minister Chris HAIVETA (since 7 September 1994) who Prime Minister SKATE fired on 12 December 1997 for his alleged role in trying to discredit SKATE
Cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
Elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the National Executive Council; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general for up to five years on the basis of majority support in National Parliament

Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament_sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats_89 elected from open electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 14-28 June 1997 (next to be held NA June 2002)
Election results: percent of vote by party_PPP 15%, Pangu Pati 14%, NA 14%, PDM 8%, PNC 6%, PAP 5%, UP 3%, NP 1%, PUP 1%, independents 33%; seats by party_PPP 16, Pangu Pati 15, NA 15, PDM 9, PNC 7, PAP 5, UP 3, NP 1, PUP 1, independents 37; note_association with political parties is very fluid

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice, other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, APEC, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Nagora Y. BOGAN
In the us chancery: 3rd floor, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 745-3,680
In the us fax: [1] (202) 745-3,679
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Arma Jane KARAER
From the us embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby
From the us telephone: [675] 321-1455
From the us fax: [675] 321-3,423

Flag description: divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five white five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by the rugged terrain and the high cost of developing an infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for the bulk of the population. Mineral deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings. Budgetary support from Australia and development aid under World Bank auspices have helped sustain the economy. In 1995, Port Moresby reached agreement with the IMF and World Bank on a structural adjustment program, of which the first phase was successfully completed in 1996. Droughts caused by the El Nino weather pattern wreaked havoc on Papua New Guinea's coffee, cocoa, and coconut production, the mainstays of the agricultural-based economy and major sources of export earnings. The coffee crop was slashed by up to 50% in 1997. Moreover, droughts could bite into growth in 1998.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 2.3% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $2,650 (1996 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 26.4%
Industry: 41%
Services: 32.6% (1996 est.)

Agriculture products: coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables; poultry, pork

Industries: copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production; construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force
Total: 1.941 million
By occupation: agriculture 64% (1993 est.)