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Introduction - Papua New Guinea
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.
Geography - Papua New Guinea
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
country comparison to the world: 54
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:
Current Weather
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
highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m
Natural resources:
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries
Land use:
arable land: 0.49%
permanent crops: 1.4%
other: 98.11% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
801 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.1 cu km/yr (56%/43%/1%)
per capita: 17 cu m/yr (1987)
Natural hazards:
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is
subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis
Environment - current issues:
rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand
for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought
Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along
southwest coast
People - Papua New Guinea
Population:
6,064,515 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.9% (male 1,136,779/female 1,098,139)
15-64 years: 59.6% (male 1,861,309/female 1,753,063)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 117,157/female 98,068) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.6 years
male: 21.9 years
female: 21.3 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.033% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
Birth rate:
26.95 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Death rate:
6.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Net migration rate:
NA
Urbanization:
urban population: 12% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.2 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 44.59 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 58
male: 48.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 40.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.99 years
country comparison to the world: 162
male: 63.78 years
female: 68.31 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.54 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.5% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
54,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean
Ethnic groups:
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Religions:
Roman Catholic 27%, 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%, Bahai 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other
3.3% (2000 census)
Languages:
Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu are official languages; some 860 indigenous
languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's total)
note: Tok Pisin, a creole language, is widely used and understood; English is
spoken by 1%-2%; Hiri Motu is spoken by less than 2%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.3%
male: 63.4%
female: 50.9% (2000 census)
Education expenditures:
NA
People - note:
the indigenous population of Papua New Guinea is one of the most heterogeneous
in the world; PNG has several thousand separate communities, most with only a
few hundred people; divided by language, customs, and tradition, some of these
communities have engaged in low-scale tribal conflict with their neighbors for
millennia; the advent of modern weapons and modern migrants into urban areas has
greatly magnified the impact of this lawlessness
Government - Papua New Guinea
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 and a Commonwealth realm
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:
18 provinces, 1 autonomous region*, and 1 district**; 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 Paulias MATANE (since 29 June 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2 August 2002);
Deputy Prime Minister Don Poyle (since 20 July 2010)
cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the
recommendation of the prime minister
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; the governor general nominated by
parliament and appointed by the chief of state; following legislative elections,
the leader of the majority party or leader of the majority coalition usually
appointed prime minister by the governor general acting in accordance with a
decision of the parliament
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (109 seats, 89 filled from open electorates and
20 from provinces and national capital district; members elected by popular vote
to serve five-year terms); constitution allows up to 126 seats
elections: last held from 30 June to 10 July 2007; next to be held in June 2012
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA 27, PNGP 8,
PAP 6, URP 6, PANGU PATI 5, PDM 5, independents 19, others 33; note - election
to 1 seat was nullified
note: 15 other parties won 4 or fewer seats; 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:
National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE]; Papua and Niugini Union Party or
PANGU PATI [Andrew KUMBAKOR]; Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Sir Mekere MORAUTA];
People's Action Party or PAP [Gabriel KAPRIS]; People's Democratic Movement or
PDM [Michael OGIO]; United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ahora [Andrew MAMOKO] (represents local tribes); Centre for Environment Law and
Community Rights or Celcor [Damien ASE]; Community Coalition Against Corruption
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,
ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
chancery: 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 Teddy B. TAYLOR
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;
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
Economy - Papua New Guinea
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 copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of
export earnings. A consortium led by a major American oil company plans to begin
the commercialization of the country's estimated 227 billion cubic meters of
natural gas reserves through the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG)
production facility that could begin exporting in 2013 or 2014; the largest
investment project in the country's history, it received a green light in
December 2009 and has the potential to double GDP in the near-term and triple
Papua New Guinea's export revenue. The government faces the challenge of
ensuring transparency and accountability for revenues flowing from this and
other large LNG projects. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended
much of its energy remaining in power. He was the first prime minister ever to
serve a full five-year term. The government has brought stability to the
national budget, largely through expenditure control; however, it relaxed
spending constraints in 2006 and 2007 as elections approached. Numerous
challenges still face the government, including providing physical security for
foreign investors, 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 an HIV/AIDS
epidemic, with the highest infection rate in all of East Asia and the Pacific,
and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. The global financial crisis
had little impact because of continued high demand for Papua New Guinea's
commodities exports.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$14.02 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
$13.48 billion (2008 est.)
$12.64 billion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.296 billion (2009 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
6.7% (2008 est.)
7.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,400 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
$2,300 (2008 est.)
$2,200 (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 33.5%
industry: 35%
services: 31.5% (2009 est.)
Labor force:
3.723 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
1.8% (2004)
country comparison to the world: 11
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)
country comparison to the world: 20
Investment (gross fixed):
16.1% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Budget:
revenues: $2.414 billion
expenditures: $2.427 billion (2009 est.)
Public debt:
30.2% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
31.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.9% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
10.7% (2008 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 55
7.38% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.27% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 93
9.78% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.005 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 91
$1.685 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.726 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 105
$1.482 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.065 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 98
$1.486 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$NA (31 December 2007)
$6.632 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit,
vegetables, vanilla; shell fish; poultry, pork
Industries:
copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production;
mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production, petroleum refining;
construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
Electricity - production:
2.885 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
Electricity - consumption:
2.683 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
35,090 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
Oil - consumption:
36,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Oil - exports:
32,490 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Oil - imports:
14,380 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Oil - proved reserves:
88 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Natural gas - production:
100 million cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Natural gas - consumption:
100 million cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Natural gas - proved reserves:
226.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Current account balance:
-$458.7 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
$768.1 million (2008 est.)
Exports:
$4.326 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
$5.805 billion (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns
Exports - partners:
Australia 30.05%, Japan 7.48% (2009)
Imports:
$2.817 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
$3.14 billion (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Australia 43.27%, China 13.29%, Singapore 9.59%, US 6.4%, Japan 4.62% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.607 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
$1.987 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.32 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
$2.511 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
kina (PGK) per US dollar - 2.766 (2009), 2.6956 (2008), 3.03 (2007), 3.0643
(2006), 3.08 (2005)
Communications - Papua New Guinea
Telephones - main lines in use:
60,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 158
Telephones - mobile cellular:
600,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 152
Telephone system:
general assessment: services are minimal; facilities provide radiotelephone and
telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio
communication services
domestic: access to telephone services is not widely available; combined
fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 11 per 100 persons
international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and Guam;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio
communication service (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (all in the Port Moresby area; stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul
are planned) (2004)
Internet country code:
.pg
Internet hosts:
3,432 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 140
Internet users:
120,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 147
Transportation - Papua New Guinea
Airports:
560 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 12
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 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 539
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 63
under 914 m: 467 (2009)
Heliports:
2 (2009)
Pipelines:
oil 195 km (2009)
Roadways:
total: 9,000 km (2009)
country comparison to the world: 137
Waterways:
11,000 km (2006)
country comparison to the world: 12
Merchant marine:
total: 21
country comparison to the world: 98
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 17, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned: 6 (UAE 6) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Kimbe, Lae, Madang, Rabaul, Wewak
Military - Papua New Guinea
Military branches:
Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF; includes Maritime Operations Element, Air
Operations Element) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no
conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,532,378
females age 16-49: 1,440,528 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,103,479
females age 16-49: 1,107,479 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 66,139
female: 64,244 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Transnational Issues - Papua New Guinea
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): 10,177 (Indonesia) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Papua New Guinea is a country of destination for women and
children from Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and China trafficked for the
purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; internal trafficking of women and
children for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic
servitude occurs as well
tier rating: Tier 3 - Papua New Guinea does not fully comply with the minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant
efforts to do so; the current legal framework does not contain elements of
crimes that characterize trafficking; the government lacks victim protection
services or a systematic procedure to identify victims of trafficking; the
government did not prosecute anyone in 2007 for trafficking; Papua New Guinea
has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major consumer of cannabis
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