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Guide
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. |
| 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 |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
6 00 S, 147 00 E |
| Area: |
total: 462,840
sq km
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 |
| 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 |
| 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
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:
0.1%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 92.9%
other: 6% (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
active volcanism; situated
along the Pacific "Rim 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, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| Geography
- note: |
shares island of New Guinea
with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast |
| Population: |
5,049,055 (July 2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
38.7% (male 993,248; female 960,647)
15-64 years: 57.63% (male 1,507,064; female 1,402,666)
65 years and over: 3.67% (male 87,779; female 97,651) (2001
est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.43% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
32.15 births/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
7.88 deaths/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
58.21 deaths/1,000 live
births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
63.46 years
male: 61.39 years
female: 65.64 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
4.3 children born/woman (2001
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.22% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
5,400 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
450 (1999 est.) |
| 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: |
English spoken by 1%-2%,
pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region
note: 715 indigenous languages |
| Literacy: |
definition: age
15 and over can read and write
total population: 72.2%
male: 81%
female: 62.7% (1995 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional long form:
Independent State of Papua New Guinea
conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea
abbreviation: PNG |
| Government
type: |
constitutional monarchy with
parliamentary democracy |
| Administrative
divisions: |
20 provinces; 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 |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor
General Silas ATOPARE (since 13 November 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Mekere MORAUTA (since NA
August 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Michael OGIO (since 3 November 2000)
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; prime minister and
deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general for up to five
years on the basis of majority support in National Parliament |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral National
Parliament - sometimes referred to 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 14-28 June 1997 (next to be held NA
June 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - PPP 15%, Pangu
Pati 14%, NA 14%, PDM 8%, PNC 6%, PAP 5%, UP 3%, NP 1%, PUP 1%,
independents 33%; seats by party - PPP 16, Pangu Pati 15, NA 15, PDM 9,
PNC 7, PAP 5, UP 3, NP 1, PUP 1, independents 37; note - association
with political parties is very 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 or NA
[Michael SOMARE]; National Party or NP [Michael MEL]; Papua New Guinea
United Party or Pangu Pati [Chris HAIVETA]; People's Action Party or PAP
[Ted DIRO]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Sir Mekere MORAUTA];
People's National Congress or PNC [Simon KAUMI]; People's Progress Party
or PPP [Michael NALI]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Alfred KAIABE];
United Party or UP [Rimbiuk PATO] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ACP, APEC, ARF (dialogue
partner), AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW,
Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Susan JACOBS
chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20036
telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Arma Jane KARAER
embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby
mailing address: P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby
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 |
| 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 infrastructure.
Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population.
Mineral deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of
export earnings. The 3.4% average annual growth rate of GDP during
1979-1998 conceals considerable year-to-year variation resulting from
external economic shocks, natural disasters, and economic management
problems. There has been little growth in the last half of the 1990s,
with real GDP in 1999 barely 3% higher than in 1994, not enough to
compensate for population growth. A new administration under the
leadership of Prime Minister Mekere MORAUTA in July 1999 has promised to
restore integrity to state institutions, to stabilize the kina, to
restore stability to the national budget, to privatize public
enterprises where appropriate, and to ensure ongoing peace on
Bougainville. The government has had considerable success in attracting
international support, specifically gaining the support of the IMF and
the World Bank in securing development assistance loans. Significant
challenges remain for MORAUTA, however, including gaining further
investor confidence, specifically for the proposed Papua New
Guinea-Australia oil pipeline, continuing efforts to privatize
government assets, and in maintaining the support from members of
Parliament who after 15 July 2001 can dismiss him with a vote of
no-confidence. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity -
$12.2 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
2.9% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$2,500 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 30%
industry: 35%
services: 35% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
37% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 1.7%
highest 10%: 40.5% (1996) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
17% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
1.941 million |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 85%, industry
NA%, services NA% |
| Budget: |
revenues: $1.6
billion
expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures
of $NA (1998 est.) |
| Industries: |
copra crushing, palm oil
processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold,
silver, and copper; crude oil production; construction, tourism |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
1.82 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
54.95%
hydro: 45.05%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
1.693 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm
kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables; poultry, pork |
| Exports: |
$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000
est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
oil, gold, copper ore, logs,
palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns |
| Exports
- partners: |
Australia 30%, Japan 12%,
Germany 7%, South Korea 4%, Philippines 3%, UK 3% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$1 billion (f.o.b., 2000
est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and transport
equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals |
| Imports
- partners: |
Australia 53%, Singapore 13%,
Japan 6%, US 4%, New Zealand 4%, Malaysia 4% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$2.9 billion (2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$400 million (1999 est.) |
| Exchange
rates: |
kina per US dollar - 2.81
(October 2000), 2.696 (2000), 2.539 (1999), 2.058 (1998), 1.434 (1997),
1.318 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
47,000 (1996) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
3,053 (1996) |
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
services are adequate and being improved; facilities provide
radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and
international radio communication services
domestic: mostly radiotelephone
international: submarine cables to Australia and Guam;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international
radio communication service |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28
(1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
3 (1997) |
| Televisions: |
42,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.pg |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
3 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
2,000 (2000) |
| Highways: |
total: 19,600 km
paved: 686 km
unpaved: 18,914 km (1996) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port
Moresby, Rabaul |
| Merchant
marine: |
total: 20 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) totaling 35,361 GRT/51,096 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 9, chemical tanker 1,
combination ore/oil 3, container 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off
2 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
492 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 20
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 472
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 57
under 914 m: 402 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Papua New Guinea Defense
Force (includes Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, and Special Forces Unit) |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49:
1,306,159 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49:
723,012 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$42 million (FY98) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1% (FY98) |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
|
