Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea 

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

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

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 820 km, Indonesia 820 km

Coastline

5,152 km

Maritime Claims

Measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

International Disputes

None

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

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

NA

Environment

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

PEOPLE

Population

4,394,537 (July 1996 est.)
4,294,750 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

40% (male 906,709; female 860,534) (July 1996 est.)
41% (male 892,718; female 847,208) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

57% (male 1,303,084; female 1,195,245) (July 1996 est.)
57% (male 1,268,266; female 1,161,961) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

3% (male 59,513; female 69,452) (July 1996 est.)
2% (male 57,838; female 66,759) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

2.29% (1996 est.)
2.3% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

32.93 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
33.2 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

10.01 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
10.18 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

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: 0.86 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.07 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

60.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
61.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

4.45 children born/woman (1996 est.)
4.55 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

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

Note: 715 indigenous languages

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)

Labor Force

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

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

PP

Type

Parliamentary democracy

Capital

Port Moresby

Administrative Divisions

20 provinces; Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, North Solomons, 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

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

National Parliament

(sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly) elections last held 13-26 June 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (109 total) Pangu Party 24, PDM 17, PPP 10, PAP 10, independents 30, others 18; 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

Papua New Guinea United Party (Pangu Party), Chris HAIVETA; People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Paias WINGTI; People's Action Party (PAP), Akoka DOI; People's Progress Party (PPP), Sir Julius CHAN; United Party (UP), Paul TORATO; Papua Party (PP), Galeva KWARARA; National Party (NP), Paul PORA; Melanesian Alliance (MA), Fr. John MOMIS

Member of

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

National Anthem

Flag

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 the rugged terrain and the high cost of developing an infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for the bulk of the population. Mining of numerous deposits, including copper and gold, accounts for about 60% 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. PNG will receive loans totaling $350 million over the next two years from a variety of lenders including the Fund, the Bank, the Australian Government, and the Japanese Export-Import Bank. The loans will be provided only if Port Moresby implements significant reforms to liberalize trade and investment policies, reduce the public sector, and promote sustainable development of the forestry sector. At the start of 1996, Port Moresby is looking primarily to the exploitation of mineral and petroleum resources to drive economic development but new prospecting in Papua New Guinea has slumped as other mineral-rich countries have stepped up their competition for international investment. Output from current projects will probably begin to taper off in 1996, but no new large ventures are being developed to succeed them.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $10.2 billion (1995 est.); $9.2 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

-3% (1995 est.)
6.1% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$2,400 (1995 est.)
$2,200 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

15% (1995)
1.6% (1994)

Unemployment Rate

NA

Budget

Exports

$2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
$2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$3.2 billion (1995)

Industrial Production

Accounts for 32% of GDP

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Accounts for 25% of GDP; livelihood for 85% of population; fertile soils and favorable climate permits cultivating a wide variety of crops; cash crops - coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels; other products - tea, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, poultry, pork; net importer of food for urban centers

Economic Aid

Currency

1 kina (K) = 100 toea

Exchange Rates

Kina (K) per US$1 - 0.7552 (October 1995), 0.9950 (1994), 1.0221 (1993), 1.0367 (1992), 1.0504 (1991), 1.0467 (1990); note - the government floated the kina on 10 October 1994

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Inland Waterways

10,940 km

Ports

Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul

Merchant Marine

Airports

Heliports

2 (1995 est.)

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

More than 70,000 telephones (1987); services are adequate and being improved; facilities provide radiobroadcast, radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radiocommunication services

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Special Operations Unit)

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 1,143,015; males fit for military service 635,923 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $40 million, 0.9% of GDP (1995); $55 million, 1.8% of GDP (1993 est.)

History
World Atlas