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.

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
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 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: 0.46%
Permanent crops: 1.44%
Other: 98.1% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: active volcanism; situated along the Pacific 'Ring 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

Population: 5,545,268 (July 2005 est.)
Growth rate: 2.26% (2005 est.)
Below poverty line: 37% (2002 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Papua New Guinean
Adjective: Papua New Guinean

Ethnic groups: Melanesian Papuan Negrito Micronesian Polynesian

Languages
Note: 715 indigenous languages - many unrelated

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%

Age structure
0-14 years: 38.1% (male 1,072,910/female 1,037,635)
15-64 years: 58.1% (male 1,662,166/female 1,559,685)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 99,777/female 113,095) (2005 est.)

Median age
Total: 21.09 years
Male: 21.25 years
Female: 20.93 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.26% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 29.95 births/1000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 7.37 deaths/1000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2005 est.)

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, 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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male/female
Total population: 1.05 male/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 51.45 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 55.63 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 47.07 deaths/1000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.93 years
Male: 62.76 years
Female: 67.21 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 16,000 (2003 est.)
Deaths: 600 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations (2004)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 64.6%
Male: 71.1%
Female: 57.7% (2002)

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

Government type: constitutional monarchy with 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

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE (since 29 June 2004)
Head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2 August 2002); deputy prime minister (vacant)
Cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the National Executive Council; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003; completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not later than June 2007
Election results: percent of vote by party - National Alliance 18%, URP 13%, PDM 12%, PPP 8%, Pangu 6%, PAP 5%, PLP 4%, others 34%; seats by party - National Alliance 19, URP 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, PANGU 6, PAP 5, PLP 4, others 40; note - association with political parties is fluid (2003)

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: Christian Democratic Party [Dr. Banare BUN party leader]; Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Sir Moi AVEL party leader]; National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE party leader; George MANOA party president]; National Party [Melchior PEP party leader]; Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU [Chris HAIVETA party leader]; Papua New Guinea First Party [Cecilking DORUBA party leader]; Papua New Guinea Labor Party [Bob DANAYA party leader]; Papua New Guinea Party (was People's Democratic Movement or PDM) [Sir Mekere MORAUTA party leader]; People's Action Party or PAP [Moses MALADINA party leader]; People's Labor Party or PLP [Ekis ROPENU party leader]; People's National Congress or PNC [Peter O'NEILL party leader]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Andrew BAING party leader]; Pipol First Party [Luther WENGE party leader]; Rural People's Party [Peter NAMUS party leader]; United Party [Bire KIMASOPA party leader]; United Resources Party or URP [Tim NEVILLE party leader] (2004)

International organization participation: ACP APEC ARF AsDB C CP FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM (observer) ISO (correspondent) ITU MIGA NAM OPCW PIF Sparteca UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
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 Robert W. FITTS
From the us embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby
From the us mailing address: 4,240 Port Moresby PI, 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

Economy overview: Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits including oil copper and gold account for 72% of export earnings. The economy has improved over the past two years following a prolonged period of instability. Former Prime Minister Mekere MORAUTA had tried to restore integrity to state institutions to stabilize the kina restore stability to the national budget to privatize public enterprises where appropriate and to ensure ongoing peace on Bougainville. Australia annually supplies $240 million in aid which accounts for 20% of the national budget. Challenges face Prime Minister Michael SOMARE including gaining further investor confidence continuing efforts to privatize government assets maintaining the support of members of Parliament and balancing relations with Australia the former colonial ruler.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $11.99 billion (2004 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 0.9% (2004 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2004 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 34.5%
Industry: 34.7%
Services: 30.8% (2004 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: 3.32 million (2004 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 85%
By occupation industry: NA
By occupation services: NA

Unemployment rate: NA

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.7%
Highest 10: 40.5% (1996)

Distribution of family income gini index: 50.9 (1996)

Budget
Revenues: $1.174 billion
Expenditures: $1.232 billion, including capital expenditures of $344 million (2004 est.)

Public debt: 59.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.2% (2004 est.)

Current account balance: $29.15 million (2004 est.)

Exports: $2.437 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Commodities: oil gold copper ore logs palm oil coffee cocoa crayfish prawns
Partners: Australia 28% Japan 5.8% Germany 4.7% China 4.6% (2004)

Imports: $1.353 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment manufactured goods food fuels chemicals
Partners: Australia 46.4% Singapore 21.6% Japan 4.3% New Zealand 4.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $635.8 million (2004 est.)

Debt external: $2.463 billion (2004 est.)

Exchange rates: kina per US dollar - 3.2225 (2004) 3.5635 (2003) 3.8952 (2002) 3.3887 (2001) 2.7822 (2000)

Electricity
Production: 1.679 billion kWh (2002)
Consumption: 1.561 billion kWh (2002)
Exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Natural gas
Production: 110 million m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 110 million m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Proven reserves: 385.5 billion m³ (2004)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 62,000 (2002)
Mobile cellular: 15,000 (2002)

Telephone system
General assessment: services are adequate; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services
Domestic: mostly radiotelephone
International: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service

Internet
Country code: .pg
Hosts: 389 (2003)
Users: 75,000 (2002)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $16.9 million (2003)
Percent of gdp: 1.4% (FY02)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Airports: 571 (2004 est.)
With paved runways total: 21
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 14
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 550
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 10
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 62
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 478 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Pipelines: oil 264 km (2004)

Waterways: 10,940 km (2003)

Merchant marine
Total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 47,586 GRT/60,934 DWT
By type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 17, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 2
Foreign owned: 8 (Singapore 2, United Kingdom 6) (2005)

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