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.
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 references
Oceania
Area
total
462,840 sq km
land
452,860 sq km
water
9,980 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly larger than California
Land boundaries
total
820 km
border countries
Indonesia 820 km
Coastline
5,152 km
Maritime claims
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
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
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%
Languages
Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region
note: 820 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's total)
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
57.3%
male
63.4%
female
50.9% (2000 census)
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
Government type
constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital
name
Port Moresby
geographic coordinates
9 30 S, 147 10 E
time difference
UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 Don POYLE (since 5 July 2006)
cabinet
National Executive Council appointed by governor general on recommendation of prime minister
elections
none; monarch is hereditary; governor general nominated by parliament and appointed by chief of state; following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by governor general
Legislative branch
unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 filled from open electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
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%, other 34%; seats by party - National Alliance 19, URP 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, PANGU 6, PAP 5, PLP 4, other 40
note: association with political parties is 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
Christian Democratic Party [Dr. Banare BUN]; Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Sir Moi AVEL]; National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE]; National Party; Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU [Rabbie NAMALIU]; Papua New Guinea First Party [Cecilking DORUBA]; Papua New Guinea Labor Party [Bob DANAYA]; Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Sir Mekere MORAUTA] (was People's Democratic Movement or PDM); People's Action Party or PAP [Moses MALADINA]; People's Labor Party or PLP [Peter YAMA]; People's National Congress or PNC [Peter O'NEILL]; People's Progress Party or PPP [Byron CHAN]; Pipol First Party [Luther WENGE]; United Party [Bire KIMASOPA]; United Resources Party or URP [Tim NEVILLE] (2007)
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036
telephone
[1] (202) 745-3680
FAX
[1] (202) 745-3679
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Leslie V. ROWE
embassy
Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D.
mailing address
4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240
telephone
[675] 321-1455
FAX
[675] 321-3423
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 nearly two-thirds of export earnings. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended much of its energy remaining in power and should be the first government in decades to serve a full five-year term. The government also brought stability to the national budget, largely through expenditure control; however, it has relaxed spending constraints in 2006 and 2007 as elections approach. Numerous challenges still face the government including regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including a worsening HIV/Aids epidemic and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia annually supplies $240 million in aid, which accounts for nearly 20% of the national budget.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$15.41 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.167 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
3.7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$2,700 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
35.7%
industry
37.1%
services
27.2% (2006 est.)
Labor force
3.477 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
85%
industry
NA%
services
NA%
Unemployment rate
2% up to 80% in urban areas (2004)
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)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.5% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
19.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$2.155 billion
expenditures
$2.166 billion; including capital expenditures of $344 million (2006 est.)
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners
Australia 53%, Singapore 12.8%, China 6%, Japan 4.4% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.099 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$1.801 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$NA
Currency (code)
kina (PGK)
Currency code
PGK
Exchange rates
kina per US dollar - 3.0643 (2006), 3.08 (2005), 3.2225 (2004), 3.5635 (2003), 3.8952 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
62,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular
26,000 (2005)
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
Radio broadcast stations
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)
Radios
410,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
3 (all in the Port Moresby area; stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned) (2004)
Televisions
59,841 (1999)
Internet country code
.pg
Internet hosts
1,573 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
3 (2000)
Internet users
170,000 (2005)
Airports
582 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
21
2,438 to 3,047 m
2
1,524 to 2,437 m
14
914 to 1,523 m
4
under 914 m
1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
561
1,524 to 2,437 m
11
914 to 1,523 m
62
under 914 m
488 (2006)
Heliports
2 (2006)
Pipelines
oil 264 km (2006)
Roadways
total
19,600 km
paved
686 km
unpaved
18,914 km (1999)
Waterways
11,000 km (2006)
Merchant marine
total
24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 55,532 GRT/72,240 DWT
by type
bulk carrier 2, cargo 18, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned
6 (UK 6) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Kimbe, Lae, Rabaul
Military branches
Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Maritime Operations Element, Air Operations Element) (2007)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
1,264,728
females age 18-49
1,167,188 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
902,432
females age 18-49
894,759 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.4% (2005 est.)
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 (country of origin): 9,991 (Indonesia) (2006)
