2000 Edition

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.

Area

land

452,860 sq km

total

462,840 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

highest point

Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 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

border countries

Indonesia 820 km

total

820 km

Land use

arable land

0.1%

forests and woodland

92.9%

other

6% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

1%

permanent pastures

0%

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; tsunamis

Natural resources

gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries

Terrain

mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills

Age structure

0-14 years: 39% (male 972,289; female 940,049) 15-64 years: 58% (male 1,470,158; female 1,365,523) 65 years and over: 3% (male 84,942; female 94,023) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

32.68 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

8 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Infant mortality rate

59.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region

note

715 indigenous languages

Life expectancy at birth

female

65.26 years (2000 est.)

male

61.05 years

total population

63.1 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

62.7% (1995 est.)

male

81%

total population

72.2%

Nationality

adjective

Papua New Guinean

noun

Papua New Guinean(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

4,926,984 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.47% (2000 est.)

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%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.38 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

abbreviation

PNG

conventional long form

Independent State of Papua New Guinea

conventional short form

Papua New Guinea

Data code

PP

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

321-1455

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Nagora Y. BOGAN

telephone

(202) 745-3680

Executive branch

cabinet

National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Silas ATOPARE (since 13 November 1997)

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

head of government

Prime Minister Mekere MORAUTA (since NA August 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Mao ZEMING (since NA December 1999)

FAX

(202) 745-3679

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

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, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

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

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)

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

elections

last held 14-28 June 1997 (next to be held NA June 2002)

National holiday

Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Political parties and leaders

Black Action Party ; Bougainville Unity Alliance or BUA ; Christian Democratic Party ; Hausman Party ; League for National Advancement or LNA ; Liberal Party ; Melanesian Alliance or MA ; Melanesian Labor Party ; Milne Bay Party ; Movement for Greater Autonomy ; National Alliance or NA ; National Party or NP ; Papua New Guinea First Party (includes People's National Congress or PNC and Christian Country Party ); Papua New Guinea United Party or Pangu Pati ; People's Action Party or PAP [Ted DIRO]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM ; People's National Alliance ; People's Progress Party or PPP [Michael NALI]; People's Resources Awareness Party ; People's Solidarity Party ; People's Unity Party or PUP [Alfred KAIABE]; United Party or UP ; United Resource Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables; poultry, pork

Budget

expenditures

$1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

revenues

$1.6 billion

Currency

1 kina (K) = 100 toea

Debt - external

$2.4 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$400 million (1999 est.)

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. Growth increased to 3.6% in 1999 and may be even higher in 2000, say 4.3%.

Electricity - consumption

1.618 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

1.74 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

69.54%

hydro

30.46%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

kina (K) per US$1 - 2.7624 (November 1999), 2.520 (1999), 2.058 (1998), 1.434 (1997), 1.318 (1996), 1.276 (1995)

Exports

$1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish and prawns

Exports - partners

Australia 20%, Japan 13%, Germany 7%, South Korea 5%, Philippines 4%, UK 3% (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $11.6 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

25%

industry

35%

services

40% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.6% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)

Imports

$1 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners

Australia 51%, Singapore 10%, Japan 8%, US 5%, New Zealand 5%, Malaysia 3% (1998)

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)

16.5% (1999 est.)

Labor force

1.941 million

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Radios

410,000 (1997)

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 - main lines in use

44,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

3 (1997)

Televisions

42,000 (1997)

Airports

492 (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

473 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 58 under 914 m: 402 (1999 est.)

Heliports

2 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

686 km

total

19,600 km

unpaved

18,914 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 2, cargo 10, chemical tanker 1, combination ore/oil 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll-on/roll-off 3 (1999 est.)

total

21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 36,417 GRT/52,432 DWT

Ports and harbors

Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul

Railways

0 km

Waterways

10,940 km

Military branches

Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, and Special Forces Unit)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$42 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,274,818 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 706,159 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none

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