1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 461,690 km2 land area: 451,710 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than California
Climate
tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
5,152 km
Environment
one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast; some active volcanos; frequent earthquakes
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
total 820 km, Indonesia 820 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 71% other: 28%
Location
Southeast Asia, just north of Australia, between Indonesia and the Solomon Islands
Map references
Oceania, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
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
Natural resources
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil potential
Note
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia
Terrain
mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills
People and Society
Birth rate
33.77 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
10.57 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Infant mortality rate
64.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
NA
Languages
English spoken by 1-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region note: 715 indigenous languages
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 56.02 years male: 55.19 years female: 56.88 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 52% male: 65% female: 38%
Nationality
noun: Papua New Guinean(s) adjective: Papua New Guinean
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
4,100,714 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
2.32% (1993 est.)
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%
Total fertility rate
4.75 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Port Moresby
Chief of State
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Wiwa KOROWI (since NA November 1991)
Constitution
16 September 1975
Digraph
PP
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret TAYLOR
Executive branch
British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, National Executive Council (cabinet)
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
Head of Government
Prime Minister Paias WINGTI (since 17 July 1992)
Independence
16 September 1975 (from UN trusteeship under Australian administration)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral National Parliament (sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly)
Member of
ACP, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Names
conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
National holiday
Independence Day, 16 September (1975)
National Parliament
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)
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
parliamentary democracy
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. FARRAND embassy: Armit Street, Port Moresby mailing address: P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby, or APO AE 96553 telephone: [675] 211-455 or 594, 654
Economy
Agriculture
one-third 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
Budget
revenues $1.33 billion; expenditures $1.49 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)
Currency
1 kina (K) = 100 toea
Economic aid
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
Electricity
400,000 kW capacity; 1,600 million kWh produced, 400 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
kina (K) per US$1 - 1.0065 (January 1993), 1.0367 (1992), 1.0504 (1991), 1.0467 (1990), 1.1685 (1989), 1.1538 (1988)
Exports
$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: gold, copper ore, coffee, logs, palm oil, cocoa, lobster partners: FRG, Japan, Australia, UK, Spain, US
External debt
$2.2 billion (April 1991)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, food, fuels, chemicals, consumer goods partners: Australia, Singapore, Japan, US, New Zealand, UK
Industrial production
growth rate NA%; accounts for 21% of GDP
Industries
copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production, mining of gold, silver, and copper, construction, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.5% (1992-93)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $3.4 billion (1992)
National product per capita
$850 (1992)
National product real growth rate
8.5% (1992)
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.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
total: 504 usable: 457 with permanent-surface runways: 18 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 39
Highways
19,200 km total; 640 km paved, 10,960 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized-soil surface, 7,600 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways
10,940 km
Merchant marine
11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,523 GRT/24,774 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 5 combination ore/oil, 2 bulk, 1 container
Ports
Anewa Bay, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul
Railroads
none
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
Military and Security
Branches
Papua New Guinea Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air Force)
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $55 million, 1.8% of GDP (1993 est.)
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 1,046,929; fit for military service 582,685 (1993 est.)