1.
[syn: Papua New Guinea, Independent State of Papua New Guinea]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Papua New Guinea
n 1: a parliamentary democracy on the eastern half of the island
of New Guinea; in 1975 it became an independent state
within the Commonwealth of Nations [syn: Papua New
Guinea, Independent State of Papua New Guinea]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Papua New Guinea
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: 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
Map references: Oceania
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
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: 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: 0.13%
permanent crops: 1.35%
other: 98.52% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
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 party to: Antarctic Treaty,
agreements: 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
People Papua New Guinea
-----------------------
Population: 5,172,033 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.6% (male 1,013,936;
female 980,841)
15-64 years: 57.7% (male 1,544,650;
female 1,440,628)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male
90,661; female 101,317) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.39% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 31.61 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 7.75 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002
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 (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 56.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.83 years
female: 66.03 years (2002 est.)
male: 61.73 years
Total fertility rate: 4.21 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.22% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 5,400 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
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: 64.5%
male: 72%
female: 57% (2000)
Government Papua New Guinea
---------------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Independent
State of Papua New Guinea
conventional short form: Papua New
Guinea
abbreviation: PNG
former: Territory of Papua and New
Guinea
Government type: constitutional monarchy with
parliamentary democracy
Capital: Port Moresby
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 Sir Silas
ATOPARE (since 13 November 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister
Sir Mekere MORAUTA (since 14 July
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 15 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: Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP
[leader NA]; National Alliance or NA
[George MANDA, party president];
National Front Party [leader NA];
National Party or NP [Michael MEL];
Papua New Guinea Revival Party [John
PUNDARI]; 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 Labor Party or PLP [Peter
YAMA]; People's National Congress or
PNC [Bill SKATE]; People's Progress
Party or PPP [Michael NALI];
People's Unity Party or PUP [Alfred
KAIABE]; United Party or UP [Rimbiuk
PATO]
note: more than 40 political parties
have registered to participate in
the June 2002 elections
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization ACP, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner),
participation: AsDB, ASEAN (associate member), C,
CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, 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 Nagora
Y. BOGAN
chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue
NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036
FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679
telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Susan
US: S. JACOBS
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 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 oil, copper, and gold,
account for 72% of export earnings.
The economy has declined over the
past two years and will probably
continue to falter in 2002. Prime
Minister Mekere MORAUTA has tried to
restore integrity to state
institutions, stabilize the kina,
restore stability to the national
budget, privatize public enterprises
where appropriate, and 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 maintaining the support
of members of Parliament.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.2
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -2.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,400
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30.4%
industry: 36.8%
services: 32.8% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 37%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 1.7%
percentage share: highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini 50.9 (1996)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.3% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 2.3 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 85%, industry NA%,
services NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $894 million
expenditures: $1.1 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$344 million (2000 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: 1.65 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 54.55%
hydro: 45.45%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 1.535 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm
kernels, tea, rubber, sweet
potatoes, fruit, vegetables;
poultry, pork
Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm
oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns
Exports - partners: Australia 30%, Japan 11%, China 6%,
Germany 4%, South Korea 4%, UK 3%,
Philippines 1%, US 1% (2000)
Imports: $1.024 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment,
manufactured goods, food, fuels,
chemicals
Imports - partners: Australia 50%, Singapore 20%, Japan
4%, NZ 4%, Indonesia 3%, Malaysia
3%, US 2% (2000)
Debt - external: $2.6 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $400 million (1999 est.)
Currency: kina (PGK)
Currency code: PGK
Exchange rates: kina per US dollar - 3.706 (January
2002), 3.374 (2001), 2.765 (2000),
2.539 (1999), 2.058 (1998), 1.434
(1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Papua New Guinea
-------------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 61,152 (1999)
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)
Radios: 410,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (all in the Port Moresby area)
note: additional stations at Mt.
Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are
planned (2002)
Televisions: 59,841 (1999)
Internet country code: .pg
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)
Internet users: 135,000 (2001)
Transportation Papua New Guinea
-------------------------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 19,600 km
paved: 686 km
unpaved: 18,914 km (1996)
Waterways: 10,940 km
Ports and harbors: Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby,
Rabaul
Merchant marine: total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 40,911 GRT/58,723 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Singapore 2, United
Kingdom 7 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 10,
chemical tanker 1, combination ore/
oil 3, container 1, petroleum tanker
3, roll on/roll off 3
Airports: 490 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
under 914 m: 1 (2001)
914 to 1,523 m: 4
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 469
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 57
under 914 m: 402 (2001)
Heliports: 2 (2001)
Military Papua New Guinea
-------------------------
Military branches: Papua New Guinea Defense Force
(includes Ground Force, Maritime
Operations Element, and Air
Operations Element)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,338,003 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 740,085 (2002 est.)
service:
Military expenditures - dollar $42 million (FY98)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 1% (FY98)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Papua New Guinea
-------------------------------------
Disputes - international: none