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. Since 2001, Bougainville has experienced autonomy; a referendum asking the population if they would like independence or greater self rule is tentatively scheduled for June 2019.


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Location: Oceania, 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
Rank: 56
Comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries
Total: 824 km
Border countries: (1) Indonesia 824 km

Coastline: 5,152 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200
Note: nm: 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
Mean elevation: 667 m
Elevation extremes: 0 m
Note: lowest point: Pacific Ocean

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 2.6% (2011 est.)
Forest: 63.1% (2011 est.)
Other: 34.3% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: active volcanism; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamisvolcanism: severe volcanic activity; Ulawun (2,334 m), one of Papua New Guinea's potentially most dangerous volcanoes, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Rabaul (688 m) destroyed the city of Rabaul in 1937 and 1994; Lamington erupted in 1951 killing 3,000 people; Manam's 2004 eruption forced the island's abandonment; other historically active volcanoes include Bam, Bagana, Garbuna, Karkar, Langila, Lolobau, Long Island, Pago, St. Andrew Strait, Victory, and Waiowa; see note 2 under 'Geography - note'

Geography
Note: note 1: shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; generally east-west trending highlands break up New Guinea into diverse ecoregions; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast


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Population
Distribution: population concentrated in the highlands and eastern coastal areas on the island of New Guinea; predominantly a rural distribution with only about one-fifth of the population residing in urban areas: 7,027,332 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 105
Growth rate: 1.67% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 61
Below poverty line: 37% (2002 est.)

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

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

Languages:

Religions: Roman Catholic 27%, Protestant 69.4% (Evangelical Lutheran 19.5%, United Church 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%, Evangelical Alliance 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other Protestant 8.9%), Baha'i 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 32.94% (male 1,178,509 /female 1,136,069)
15-24 years: 19.94% (male 710,166 /female 690,848)
25-54 years: 37.13% (male 1,338,558 /female 1,271,008)
55-64 years: 5.59% (male 201,271 /female 191,833)
65 years and over: 4.4% (male 153,922 /female 155,148) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 67.4 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 61.3 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.1 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 16.4 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 23.4 years
Male: 23.5 years
Female: 23.4 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 171

Population growth rate: 1.67% (2018 est.)
Rank: 61

Birth rate: 23.3 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 60

Death rate: 6.6 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 141

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 95

Population distribution: population concentrated in the highlands and eastern coastal areas on the island of New Guinea; predominantly a rural distribution with only about one-fifth of the population residing in urban areas

Urbanization
Urban population: 13.2% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 2.51% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 367,000 PORT MORESBY (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: rain forest loss as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; unsustainable logging practices result in soil erosion, water quality degredation, and loss of habitat and biodiversity; large-scale mining projects cause adverse impacts on forests and water quality (discharge of heavy metals, cyanide, and acids into rivers); severe drought; inappropriate farming practices accelerate land degradion (soil erosion, siltation, loss of soil fertility); destructive fishing practices and coastal pollution due to run-off from land-based activities and oil spills
International agreements party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 35.3 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 38.6 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Female: 31.7 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Rank: 49

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 67.5 years (2018 est.)
Male: 65.3 years (2018 est.)
Female: 69.8 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 171

Total fertility rate: 2.97 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 54

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Urban: 12% of population
Rural: 67.2% of population
Total: 60% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.06 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 43.6% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 86.7% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 81.1% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.9% (2017 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 48
People living with hivaids: 48,000 (2017 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 61
Deaths: 1100 (2017 est.)
Deaths rank: 64

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high (2016)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2016): note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 21.3% (2016)
Rank: 91

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 27.9% (2010)
Rank: 12

Education expenditures
Note: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
Total population: 64.2% (2015 est.)
Male: 65.6% (2015 est.)
Female: 62.8% (2015 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
Local short form: Papuaniugini
Former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea
Abbreviation: PNG
Etymology: the word papua derives from the Malay papuah describing the frizzy hair of the Melanesians; Spanish explorer Ynigo ORTIZ de RETEZ applied the term Nueva Guinea to the island of New Guinea in 1545 after noting the resemblance of the locals to the peoples of the Guinea coast of Africa

Government type: parliamentary democracy (National Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital
Name: Port Moresby
Geographic coordinates: 9 27 S, 147 11 E
Time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): note: Papua New Guinea has two time zones, including Bougainville (UTC+11)

Administrative divisions: 20 provinces, 1 autonomous region*, and 1 district**; Bougainville*, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Hela, Jiwaka, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital**, New Ireland, Northern, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain, West Sepik

Dependent areas

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

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Constitution
History: adopted 15 August 1975, effective at independence 16 September 1975 (2018)
Amendments: proposed by the National Parliament; passage has prescribed majority vote requirements depending on the constitutional sections being amended - absolute majority, two-thirds majority, or three-fourths majority; amended many times, last in 2014 (2018)

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Papua New Guinea
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Grand Chief Sir Bob DADAE (since 28 February 2017)
Head of government: Prime Minister Peter Paire ONEILL (since 2 August 2011); Deputy Prime Minister Charles ABEL (since 4 August 2017)
Cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general nominated by the National Parliament and appointed by the chief of state; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general pending the outcome of a National Parliament vote
Election results: Peter Paire ONEILL (PNC) reelected prime minister; National Parliament vote - 60 to 46

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Parliament (111 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies - 89 local, 20 provinicial, the autonomous province of Bouganville, and the National Capital District - by majority preferential vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - the constitution allows up to 126 seats
Elections: last held from 24 June 2017 to 8 July 2017 (next to be held in June 2022)
Election results: percent of vote by party - PNC 37%; NA 13%; Pangu 14%; URP 11%; PPP 4%; SDP 4%; Independents 3%; and smaller parties 14%; seats by party - NA; composition - men 108, women 3, percent of women 3%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, 35 justices, and 5 acting justices); National Courts (consists of 13 courts located in the provincial capitals, with a total of 19 resident judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor general upon advice of the National Executive Council (cabinet) after consultation with the National Justice Administration minister; deputy chief justice and other justices appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, a 5-member body that includes the Supreme Court chief and deputy chief justices, the chief ombudsman, and a member of the National Parliament; full-time citizen judges appointed for 10-year renewable terms; non-citizen judges initially appointed for 3-year renewable terms and after first renewal can serve until age 70; appointment and tenure of National Court resident judges NA
Subordinate courts: district, village, and juvenile courts, military courts, taxation courts, coronial courts, mining warden courts, land courts, traffic courts, committal courts, grade five courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP, ADB, AOSIS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (observer), C, CD, CP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D’Affaires Elias Rahuromo WOHENGU (since 30 September 2017)
In the us chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20,036
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 Catherine EBERT-GRAY (since 23 February 2016); note - also accredited to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu
From the us embassy: P.O. Box 1492, Port Moresby
From the us mailing address: 4,240 Port Moresby Place, US Department of State, Washington DC 20,521-4,240
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; red, black, and yellow are traditional colors of Papua New Guinea; the bird of paradise - endemic to the island of New Guinea - is an emblem of regional tribal culture and represents the emergence of Papua New Guinea as a nation; the Southern Cross, visible in the night sky, symbolizes Papua New Guinea's connection with Australia and several other countries in the South Pacific

National symbols: bird of paradise; national colors: red, black

National anthem
Name: O Arise All You Sons
Lyricsmusic: Thomas SHACKLADY: note: adopted 1975

National heritage


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Economy overview: Papua New Guinea (PNG) is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain, land tenure issues, and the high cost of developing infrastructure. The economy has a small formal sector, focused mainly on the export of those natural resources, and an informal sector, employing the majority of the population. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the people. The global financial crisis had little impact because of continued foreign demand for PNG's commodities.Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. Natural gas reserves amount to an estimated 155 billion cubic meters. Following construction of a $19 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, PNG LNG, a consortium led by ExxonMobil, began exporting liquefied natural gas to Asian markets in May 2014. The project was delivered on time and only slightly above budget. The success of the project has encouraged other companies to look at similar LNG projects. French supermajor Total is hopes to begin construction on the Papua LNG project by 2020. Due to lower global commodity prices, resource revenues of all types have fallen dramatically. PNG’s government has recently been forced to adjust spending levels downward.Numerous challenges still face the government of Peter O'NEILL, including providing physical security for foreign investors, regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and maintaining good relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including chronic law and order and land tenure issues. In August, 2017, PNG launched its first-ever national trade policy, PNG Trade Policy 2017-2,032 The policy goal is to maximize trade and investment by increasing exports, to reduce imports, and to increase foreign direct investment (FDI).

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 132

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 131

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 184

Gross national saving:
Rank: 14

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 43.7% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 19.7% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 10% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.4% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 49.3% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -22.3% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 22.1% (2017 est.)
Industry: 42.9% (2017 est.)
Services: 35% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla; poultry, pork; shellfish

Industries: copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining (gold, silver, copper); crude oil and petroleum products; construction, tourism, livestock (pork, poultry, cattle), dairy products, spice products (turmeric, vanilla, ginger, cardamom, chili, pepper, citronella, and nutmeg), fisheries products

Industrial production growth rate: 3.3% (2017 est.)
Rank: 97

Labor force: 3.681 million (2017 est.)
Rank: 97
By occupation agriculture: 85%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 26

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 37% (2002 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 40.5% (1996)
Highest 10: 40.5% (1996 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 50.9 (1996)
Rank: 13

Budget
Revenues: 3.638 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 4.591 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -4.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 168

Taxes and other revenues: 18.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 160

Public debt:
Rank: 144

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 177

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 15

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 99

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 99

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 102

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 119

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 74

Current account balance:
Rank: 29

Exports:
Rank: 97
Partners: Australia 18.9%, Singapore 17.5%, Japan 13.8%, China 12.7%, Philippines 4.7%, Netherlands 4.2%, India 4.2% (2017)
Commodities: liquefied natural gas, oil, gold, copper ore, nickel, cobalt logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, copra, spice (turmeric, vanilla, ginger, and cardamom), crayfish, prawns, tuna, sea cucumber

Imports:
Rank: 169
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
Partners: Australia 30.1%, China 17.3%, Singapore 10.2%, Malaysia 8.2%, Indonesia 4% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 123

Debt external:
Rank: 95

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: NA

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access population without electricity: 5,568,879 (2012)
Access electrification total population: 18% (2012)
Access electrification urban areas: 72% (2012)
Access electrification rural areas: 10% (2012)
Production: 3.481 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 129
Consumption: 3.237 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 134
Exports: 0 kWh (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 183
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 184
Installed generating capacity: 900,900 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 131
Generation sources fossil fuels: 63% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 123
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 162
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 30% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 69
Generation sources other renewable sources: 7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 95

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 50,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 52
Crude oil exports: 55,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 41
Crude oil imports: 22,220 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 62
Crude oil proven reserves: 183.8 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 57

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 22,170 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 88
Products consumption: 37,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 116
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 190
Products imports: 17,110 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 134

Natural gas
Production: 11.18 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 39
Consumption: 99.11 million m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 109
Exports: 11.1 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 21
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 172
Proven reserves: 210.5 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 41

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 6.082 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 129

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 154,000 (July 2016 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (July 2016 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 127
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 3.782 million (July 2016 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 55 (July 2016 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 130

Telephone system
General assessment: services are minimal; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services (2016)
Domestic: access to telephone services is not widely available although combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity has increased to roughly 55 per 100 persons (2016)
International: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service (2016)

Broadcast media: 4 TV stations: 1 commercial station operating since 1987, 1 state-run station launched in 2008, 1 digital free-to-view network launched in 2014, and 1 satellite network Click TV (PNGTV) launched in 2015; the state-run National Broadcasting Corporation operates 3 radio networks with multiple repeaters and about 20 provincial stations; several commercial radio stations with multiple transmission points as well as several community stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are accessible (2018)

Internet
Country code: .pg
Users total: 652,071 (July 2016 est.)
Users percent of population: 9.6% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 145

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 17,000 (2017 est.)
Date: (2017 est.)
Rank: 155


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 135

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription; graduation from grade 12 required (2013)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 6 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 47 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,062,584 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 34,827,034
Note: mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: P2 (2016)

Airports: 561 (2013)
Rank: 12
With paved runways total: 21 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2017)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 12 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5 (2017)
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 540 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 11 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 53 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 476 (2013)

Heliports: 2 (2013)

Pipelines: 264 km oil (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 9,349 km (2011)
Paved: 3,000 km (2011)
Unpaved: 6,349 km (2011)
Rank: 139

Waterways: 11,000 km (2011)
Rank: 12

Merchant marine
Total: 173 (2017)
By type: container ship 8, general cargo 80, oil tanker 3, other 82 (2017)
Rank: 67

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Kimbe, Lae, Madang, Rabaul, Wewak
LNG terminal: Port Moresby


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Disputes international: relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 9,368 (Indonesia) (2017)
IDPs: 12,000 (natural disasters, tribal conflict, inter-communal violence, development projects) (2017)

Illicit drugs: major consumer of cannabis