Papua New Guinea




                                 Geography


Location:
     Southeastern Asia, just north of Australia, between Indonesia and the
     Solomon Islands
Map references:
     Oceania, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     461,690 sq km
land area:
     451,710 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
     total 820 km, Indonesia 820 km
Coastline:
     5,152 km
Maritime claims:
     measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf:
     200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:
     200 nm
territorial sea:
     12 nm
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
Natural resources:
     gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil potential
Land use:
arable land:
     0%
permanent crops:
     1%
meadows and pastures:
     0%
forest and woodland:
     71%
other:
     28%
Irrigated land:
     NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
     deforestation; pollution from mining projects
natural hazards:
     some active volcanoes; frequent earthquakes




international agreements:
     party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
     Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
     Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber; signed, but
     not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
Note:
     shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest
     swamps along southwest coast


                                  People


Population:
     4,196,806 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     2.31% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     33.5 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     10.38 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     63.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     56.43 years
male:
     55.6 years
female:
     57.31 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     4.65 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective:
     Papua New Guinean
Ethnic divisions:
     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 sects 10%, indigenous
     beliefs 34%
Languages:
     English spoken by 1-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in
     Papua region
note:
     715 indigenous languages
Literacy:
     age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
     52%
male:
     65%




female:
     38%
Labor force:
     NA


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     Independent State of Papua New Guinea
conventional short form:
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 UN trusteeship under Australian
     administration)
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 Wiwa KOROWI (since NA November 1991)
head of government:
     Prime Minister Paias WINGTI (since 17 July 1992); Deputy Prime
     Minister Sir Julius CHAN (since July 1992)
cabinet:
     National Executive Council; appointed by the governor on
     recommendation of the prime minister
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 by party
     NA; seats - (109 total) Pangu Party 24, PDM 17, PPP 10, PAP 10,
     independents 30, others 18 (association with political parties is
     fluid)
Judicial branch:
     Supreme Court




Political parties and leaders:
     Papua New Guinea United Party (Pangu Party), Jack GENIA; 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, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
     ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC,
     ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD,
     UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador-designate Kepas WATANGIA
chancery:
     3rd floor, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
     (202) 745-3680
FAX:
     (202) 745-3679
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Richard TEARE
embassy:
     Armit Street, Port Moresby
mailing address:
     P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby, or APO AE 96553
telephone:
     [675] 211-455 or 594, 654
FAX:
     [675] 213-423
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 85% 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. Robust growth in 1991-92 was
     led by the mining sector; the opening of a large new gold mine helped
     the advance. The economy remained strong in 1993, primarily because of
     continued growth in the mining and oil sectors.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $8.2 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     1.2% (1993 est.)




National product per capita:
     $2,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     4.5% (1992-93)
Unemployment rate:
     NA%
Budget:
revenues:
     $1.33 billion
expenditures:
     $1.49 billion, including capital expenditures of $225 million (1993
     est.)
Exports:
     $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
     gold, copper ore, oil, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, lobster
partners:
     Australia, Japan, South Korea, UK, US
Imports:
     $1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
     machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels,
     chemicals
partners:
     Australia, Japan, US, Singapore, New Zealand, UK
External debt:
     $2.2 billion (April 1991)
Industrial production:
     growth rate 21% (1992); accounts for 31% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
     400,000 kW
production:
     1.6 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
     400 kWh (1992)
Industries:
     copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip
     production, mining of gold, silver, and copper, construction, tourism
Agriculture:
     Accounts for 28% 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:
recipient:
     US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $40.6 million; Western
     (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $6.5
     billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $17 million
Currency:
     1 kina (K) = 100 toea
Exchange rates:
     kina (K) per US$1 - 1.0281 (January 1994), 1.0221 (1993), 1.0367
     (1992), 1.0504 (1991), 1.0467 (1990), 1.1685 (1989)




Fiscal year:
     calendar year


                              Communications


Railroads:
     none
Highways:
total:
     19,200 km
paved:
     640 km
unpaved:
     gravel, crushed stone, stabilized earth 10,960 km; unimproved earth
     7,600 km
Inland waterways:
     10,940 km
Ports:
     Anewa Bay, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul
Merchant marine:
     11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,337 GRT/25,669 DWT, bulk 2,
     cargo 3, combination ore/oil 5, container 1
Airports:
total:
     504
usable:
     462
with permanent-surface runways:
     18
with runways over 3,659 m:
     0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     39
Telecommunications:
     services are adequate and being improved; facilities provide
     radiobroadcast, radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio,
     aeronautical radio, and international radiocommunication services;
     submarine cables extend to Australia and Guam; more than 70,000
     telephones (1987); broadcast stations - 31 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV (1987); 1
     Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station


                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     Papua New Guinea Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air Force)
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 1,080,316; fit for military service 601,369
Defense expenditures:
     exchange rate conversion - $55 million, 1.8% of GDP (1993 est.)