Map of Papua New Guinea | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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
Comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries

Coastline: 5,152 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

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

Natural resources: gold copper silver natural gas timber oil fisheries

Land use

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; tsunamis

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


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Population: 4,926,984 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 2.47% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: Melanesian Papuan Negrito Micronesian Polynesian

Languages: English spoken by 1%-2% pidgin English widespread Motu spoken in Papua region

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.47% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 32.68 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 8 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 59.89 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 4.38 children born/woman (2000 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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

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

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)

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: Black Action Party [Paul WANJIK]; Bougainville Unity Alliance or BUA [Samuel AKOITAI]; Christian Democratic Party [Dilu GOMA]; Hausman Party [Waim TOKAM]; League for National Advancement or LNA [leader NA]; Liberal Party [Rabbie SAMAI]; Melanesian Alliance or MA [Fr. John MOMIS]; Melanesian Labor Party [Paul MONDIA]; Milne Bay Party [Simon MUMURIK]; Movement for Greater Autonomy [Stephen POKAWIN]; National Alliance or NA [Michael SOMARE]; National Party or NP [Paul PORA]; Papua New Guinea First Party (includes People's National Congress or PNC [Simon KAUMI] and Christian Country Party [Avusi TANO]); Papua New Guinea United Party or Pangu Pati [Chris HAIVETA]; People's Action Party or PAP [Ted DIRO]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Iario LASARO]; People's National Alliance [leader NA]; People's Progress Party or PPP [Michael NALI]; People's Resources Awareness Party [leader NA]; People's Solidarity Party [Kala SWOKIM]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Alfred KAIABE]; United Party or UP [Rimbiuk PATO]; United Resource Party [Masket IANGALIO]

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 IOM (observer) ISO (correspondent) ITU NAM OPCW Sparteca SPC SPF UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTrO

Diplomatic representation

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 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. In 1997 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. Despite problems with drought the year 1998 saw a small recovery in GDP. Growth increased to 3.6% in 1999 and may be even higher in 2000 say 4.3%.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3.6% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1999 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products

Industries

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force: 1.941 million

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 16.5% (1999 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports

Imports

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs