1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 462,840 sq km land: 452,860 sq km water: 9,980 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly larger than California
Climate
tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
5,152 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m
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, 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
Geographic coordinates
6 00 S, 147 00 E
Geography--note
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
total: 820 km border countries: Indonesia 820 km
Land use
arable land: 0.1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 92.9% other: 6% (1993 est.)
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
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
Natural hazards
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Rim of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides
Natural resources
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries
Terrain
mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 39% (male 951,532; female 902,841) 15-64 years: 58% (male 1,411,053; female 1,298,937) 65 years and over: 3% (male 64,101; female 76,662) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
32.04 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
9.47 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Infant mortality rate
55.58 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region note: 715 indigenous languages
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 58.47 years male: 57.58 years female: 59.4 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 72.2% male: 81% female: 62.7% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Papua New Guinean(s) adjective: Papua New Guinean
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
4,705,126 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
2.26% (1999 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%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
4.17 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Port Moresby
Constitution
16 September 1975
Country name
conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea conventional short form: Papua New Guinea abbreviation: PNG
Data code
PP
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 Bill SKATE (since 22 July 1997); Deputy Prime Minister Iairo LASARO (since 20 October 1998) 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
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
Government type
parliamentary democracy
Independence
16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)
International organization participation
ACP, APEC, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, 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, Washington, DC 20036 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
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: Bougainville Unity Alliance or BUA MUMURIK]
Legal system
based on English common law
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
National holiday
Independence Day, 16 September (1975)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables; poultry, pork
Budget
revenues: $1.5 billion expenditures: $1.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Currency
1 kina (K) = 100 toea
Debt--external
$3.2 billion (1995)
Economic aid--recipient
$376.3 million (1995)
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 the bulk of the population. Mineral deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings. Budgetary support from Australia and development aid under World Bank auspices have helped sustain the economy. In 1995, Port Moresby reached agreement with the IMF and World Bank on a structural adjustment program, of which the first phase was successfully completed in 1996. In 1997, droughts caused by the El Nino weather pattern wreaked havoc on Papua New Guinea's coffee, cocoa, and coconut production, the mainstays of the agricultural-based economy and major sources of export earnings. The coffee crop was slashed by up to 50% in 1997. Despite problems with drought, the year 1998 saw a small recovery in GDP.
Electricity--consumption
1.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
1.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 70.59% hydro: 29.41% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
kina (K) per US$1--0.47 (December 1998), 0.6975 (1997), 0.7588 (1996), 0.7835 (1995), 0.9950 (1994); note--the government floated the kina on 10 October 1994
Exports
$2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities
gold, copper ore, oil, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish and prawns
Exports--partners
Australia, Japan, Germany, UK, South Korea, China
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$11.1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 28.2% industry: 34.5% services: 37.3% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$2,400 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
1.6% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)
Imports
$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
Imports--partners
Australia, Singapore, Japan, US, New Zealand, Malaysia
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production; construction, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
12% (FY97/98 est.)
Labor force
1.941 million
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 64% (1993 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 31, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios
298,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system
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
Telephones
63,212 (1986 est.)
Television broadcast stations
3 (1997)
Televisions
10,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Airports
492 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 19 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 473 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 400 (1998 est.)
Heliports
2 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 19,600 km paved: 686 km unpaved: 18,914 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 35,400 GRT/50,869 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 6, chemical tanker 1, combination ore/oil 5, container 1, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off 3 (1998 est.)
Railways
0 km
Waterways
10,940 km Ports and harbors: Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul
Military and Security
Military branches
Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, and Special Forces Unit)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$41.5 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1% (1998)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 1,238,683 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 687,978 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none