from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Papua New Guinea
Introduction
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
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 6 00 S, 147 00 E
coordinates:
Map Oceania
references:
Area: total: 462,840 sq km
land: 452,860 sq km
water: 9,980 sq km
Area - slightly larger than California
comparative:
Land total: 820 km
boundaries: border countries: Indonesia 820 km
Coastline: 5,152 km
Maritime measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
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 lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m
Natural gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil,
resources: fisheries
Land use: arable land: 0.49%
permanent crops: 1.4%
other: 98.11% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of
hazards: Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes
severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis
Environment - rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of
current growing commercial demand for tropical timber;
issues: pollution from mining projects; severe drought
Environment - party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
international Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
agreements: 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 - shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of
note: world's largest swamps along southwest coast
People
Population: 5,670,544 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.8% (male 1,090,879/female 1,054,743)
15-64 years: 58.3% (male 1,703,204/female 1,601,224)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 103,054/female 117,440)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 21.2 years
male: 21.4 years
female: 21.1 years (2006 est.)
Population 2.21% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 29.36 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 7.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 49.96 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 54.08 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 45.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 65.28 years
expectancy at male: 63.08 years
birth: female: 67.58 years (2006 est.)
Total 3.88 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.6% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 16,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 600 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Major degree of risk: very high
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal
diseases: diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high
risks in some locations (2005)
Nationality: noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean
Ethnic groups: Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
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%
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: 64.6%
male: 71.1%
female: 57.7% (2002)
Government
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 constitutional parliamentary democracy
type:
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 20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern
divisions: 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 Independence Day, 16 September (1975)
holiday:
Constitution: 16 September 1975
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
branch: 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 Polye
(since 5 July 2006)
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 unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to
branch: as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected 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%, others 34%; seats by party - National
Alliance 19, URP 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, PANGU 6, PAP 5, PLP
4, others 40; as of January 2006 - National Alliance
25, URP 10, PNGP 9, PPP 9, PANGU 6, PAP 12, PLP 4,
others 34
note: association with political parties is fluid
(2005)
Judicial Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the
branch: 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 Christian Democratic Party [Dr. Banare BUN]; Melanesian
parties and Alliance Party or MAP [Sir Moi AVEL]; National Alliance
leaders: Party or NA [Michael SOMARE]; National Party [Melcher
PEP]; 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 (was People's Democratic
Movement or PDM) [Sir Mekere MORAUTA]; People's Action
Party or PAP [Moses MALADINA]; People's Labor Party or
PLP [Ekis ROPENU]; 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] (2005)
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACP, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, FAO,
organization G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
participation: IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
representation chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805,
in the US: Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. FITTS
representation embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby
from the US: mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of
State, Washington DC 20521-4240
telephone: [675] 321-1455
FAX: [675] 321-3423
Flag divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the
description: 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
Economy - Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural
overview: 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 economy has improved over the past
three years because of high commodity prices following
a prolonged period of instability. 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 has also brought stability to the national
budget thus far, largely through expenditure control.
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, the former colonial ruler.
Other socio-cultural challenges include the HIV/Aids
epidemic, law and order, and land tenure issues.
Australia annually supplies $240 million in aid, which
accounts for nearly 20% of the national budget.
GDP $14.37 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $3.924 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 3% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $2,600 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 35.3%
composition by industry: 38.1%
sector: services: 26.6% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 2.413 million (2004)
Labor force - agriculture: 85%
by occupation: industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment 2.8% up to 80% in urban areas (2004)
rate:
Population 37% (2002 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 1.7%
income or highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 50.9 (1996)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 1.7% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 19.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $1.368 billion
expenditures: $1.354 billion; including capital
expenditures of $344 million (2005 est.)
Public debt: 42.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber,
products: 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 NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 1.592 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 54.1%
production by hydro: 45.9%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 1.481 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 50,000 bbl/day (January 2006 est.)
production:
Oil - 18,000 bbl/day (January 2006 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 170 million bbl (2005 est.)
reserves:
Natural gas - 140 million cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 140 million cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 345.5 billion cu m (2005)
proved
reserves:
Current $482.1 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $2.833 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa,
commodities: crayfish, prawns
Exports - Australia 28.7%, Japan 8.6%, China 5.4% (2005)
partners:
Imports: $1.651 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
commodities: food, fuels, chemicals
Imports - Australia 54.6%, Singapore 13.4%, Japan 4.3%, Malaysia
partners: 4.2% (2005)
Reserves of $748.8 million (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $1.882 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $NA
recipient:
Currency kina (PGK)
(code):
Currency code: PGK
Exchange kina per US dollar - 3.08 (2005), 3.2225 (2004), 3.5635
rates: (2003), 3.8952 (2002), 3.3887 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 62,000 (2002)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 26,000 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: services are adequate; facilities
system: 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 AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 410,000 (1997)
Television 3 (all in the Port Moresby area)
broadcast note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae,
stations: and Rabaul are planned (2004)
Televisions: 59,841 (1999)
Internet .pg
country code:
Internet 1,573 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 3 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 170,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 582 (2006)
Airports - total: 21
with paved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 561
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
runways: 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: 10,940 km (2003)
Merchant total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 55,532 GRT/72,240
marine: 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 Kimbe, Lae, Rabaul
terminals:
Military
Military Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Maritime
branches: Operations Element, Air Operations Element)
Military 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
service age
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 1,264,728
available for females age 18-49: 1,167,188 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 902,432
for military females age 18-49: 894,759 (2005 est.)
service:
Military $16.9 million (2003)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 1.4% (FY02)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal
international: cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia,
including goods smuggling, illegal narcotics
trafficking, and squatters and secessionists