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- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Papua New Guinea
- 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
- Map references:
- Oceania
- 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 the 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:
- rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial
- demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects
- natural hazards:
- active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Rim of Fire"; the country is
- subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mudslides
- 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 83, Wetlands; signed, but
- not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Papua New Guinea
- Geography
- Note:
- shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps
- along southwest coast
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Papua New Guinea
- People
-
-
- Population:
- 4,294,750 (July 1995 est.)
- Age structure:
- 0-14 years:
- 41% (female 847,208; male 892,718)
- 15-64 years:
- 57% (female 1,161,961; male 1,268,266)
- 65 years and over:
- 2% (female 66,759; male 57,838) (July 1995 est.)
- Population growth rate:
- 2.3% (1995 est.)
- Birth rate:
- 33.2 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
- Death rate:
- 10.18 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
- Net migration rate:
- 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
- Infant mortality rate:
- 61.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
- Life expectancy at birth:
- total population:
- 56.85 years
- male:
- 56.01 years
- female:
- 57.74 years (1995 est.)
- Total fertility rate:
- 4.55 children born/woman (1995 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
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Papua New Guinea
- Government
-
-
- Names:
- conventional long form:
- Independent State of Papua New Guinea
- conventional short form:
- Papua New Guinea
- 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:
- 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 Sir Julius CHAN (since 30 August 1994); Deputy Prime Minister
- Chris HAIVETA (since 7 September 1994)
- 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 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
- 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, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC,
- ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, NAM (observer), SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN,
- UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
- Diplomatic representation in US:
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Kepas Isimel WATANGIA
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Papua New Guinea
- Government
- chancery:
- 3rd floor, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 745-3680
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 745-3679
- US diplomatic representation:
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Richard W. TEARE
- embassy:
- Armit Street, Port Moresby
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby, or APO AE 96553
- telephone:
- [675] 211455, 211594, 211654
- FAX:
- [675] 213423
- 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
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Papua New Guinea
- 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. At the start of 1995, 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 - $9.2 billion (1994 est.)
- National product real growth rate:
- 6.1% (1994 est.)
- National product per capita:
- $2,200 (1994 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices):
- 1.6% (1994)
- Unemployment rate:
- NA%
- Budget:
- revenues:
- $1.33 billion
- expenditures:
- $1.36 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
- Exports:
- $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
- commodities:
- gold, copper ore, oil, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, lobster
- partners:
- Australia, Japan, US, Singapore, New Zealand
- Imports:
- $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
- commodities:
- machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels,
- chemicals
- partners:
- Australia, Japan, UK, New Zealand, Netherlands
- External debt:
- $3.2 billion (1992)
- Industrial production:
- accounts for 32% of GDP
- Electricity:
- capacity:
- 490,000 kW
- production:
- 1.8 billion kWh
- consumption per capita:
- 390 kWh (1993)
- Industries:
- copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip
- production, mining of gold, silver, and copper, construction, tourism
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Papua New Guinea
- Economy
- 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:
- 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 - 0.8565 (December 1994), 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
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Papua New Guinea
- Transportation
-
-
- Railroads:
- 0 km
- 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:
- Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul
- Merchant marine:
- total:
- 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,565 GRT/27,071 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 2, cargo 3, combination ore/oil 5, container 1, roll-on/roll-off 1
- Airports:
- total:
- 505
- with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:
- 1
- with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:
- 13
- with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m:
- 5
- with paved runways under 914 m:
- 411
- with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m:
- 12
- with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:
- 63
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Papua New Guinea
- 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
- local:
- NA
- intercity:
- mostly radio telephone
- international:
- submarine cables extend to Australia and Guam; 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean)
- earth station; international radio communication service
- Radio:
- broadcast stations:
- AM 31, FM 2, shortwave 0
- radios:
- NA
- Television:
- broadcast stations:
- 2 (1987)
- televisions:
- NA
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Papua New Guinea
- Defense Forces
-
-
- Branches:
- Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)
- Manpower availability:
- males age 15-49 1,111,661; males fit for military service 618,696 (1995
- est.)
- Defense expenditures:
- exchange rate conversion - $55 million, 1.8% of GDP (1993 est.)
-