Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea

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.

Geography

Location

Oceania, 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
country comparison to the world: 55 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: 0.49%
permanent crops:1.4%
other:98.11% (2005)

Irrigated land

NA

Total renewable water resources

801 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.1cu km/yr (56%/43%/1%)
per capita:17cu m/yr (1987)

Natural hazards

active volcanism

situated along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”

the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes

mud slides

tsunamis
volcanism:Papua New Guinea experiences severe volcanic activity

Ulawun (elev. 2,334 m), one of Papua New Guinea’s potentially most dangerous volcanoes, has been deemed a “Decade Volcano” by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations

Rabaul (elev. 688 m) destroyed the city of Rabaul in 1937 and 1994

Lamington erupted in 1951 killing 3,000 people

Manam’s 2004 eruption forced the island’s abandonment

other historically active volcanoes include Bam, Bagana, Garbuna, Karkar, Langila, Lolobau, Long Island, Pago, St. Andrew Strait, Victory, and Waiowa

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements

Geography – note

shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia

one of world’s largest swamps along southwest coast

People and Society

Nationality

noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective:Papua New Guinean

Ethnic groups

Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Languages

Tok Pisin (official), English (official), Hiri Motu (official), some 860 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world’s total)
note:Tok Pisin, a creole language, is widely used and understood

English is spoken by 1%-2%

Hiri Motu is spoken by less than 2%

Religions

Roman Catholic 27%, Protestant 69.4% (Evangelical Lutheran 19.5%, United Church 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%, Evangelical Alliance 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other Protestant 8.9%), Baha’i 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census)

Population

6,187,591 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106

Age structure

0-14 years: 36.4% (male 1,145,946/female 1,106,705)
15-64 years:60% (male 1,907,787/female 1,802,144)
65 years and over:3.6% (male 121,207/female 103,802) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 21.8 years
male:22.1 years
female:21.5 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.985% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55

Birth rate

26.44 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52

Death rate

6.58 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103

Urbanization

urban population: 13% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:2.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

PORT MORESBY (capital) 314,000 (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over:1.2 male(s)/female
total population:1.06 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

250 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 52

Infant mortality rate

total: 43.29 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 57 male:47.12 deaths/1,000 live births
female:39.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 66.24 years
country comparison to the world: 162 male:64.02 years
female:68.56 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.46 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47

Health expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 176

Physicians density

0.053 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 174

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 87% of population
rural: 33% of population
total: 40% of population
unimproved:
urban: 13% of population
rural: 67% of population
total: 60% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 71% of population
rural: 41% of population
total: 45% of population
unimproved:
urban: 29% of population
rural: 59% of population
total: 55% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

0.9% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

34,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66

HIV/AIDS – deaths

1,300 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases:bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:dengue fever and malaria (2009)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

18.1% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 40

Education expenditures

NA

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:57.3%
male:63.4%
female:50.9% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

NA

People – note

the indigenous population of Papua New Guinea is one of the most heterogeneous in the world

PNG has several thousand separate communities, most with only a few hundred people

divided by language, customs, and tradition, some of these communities have engaged in low-scale tribal conflict with their neighbors for millennia

the advent of modern weapons and modern migrants into urban areas has greatly magnified the impact of this lawlessness

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
conventional short form:Papua New Guinea
local short form:Papuaniugini
former:Territory of Papua and New Guinea
abbreviation:PNG

Government type

constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital

name: Port Moresby
geographic coordinates:9 30 S, 147 10 E
time difference:UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

18 provinces, 1 autonomous region*, and 1 district**

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

mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

represented by Governor Michael OGIO (since 25 February 2011)
head of government:Prime Minister Peter Paire O’NEILL (since 2 August 2011)

Deputy Prime Minister Belden NAMAH (since 9 August 2011)
cabinet:National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:the monarchy is hereditary

the governor general nominated by parliament and appointed by the chief of state

following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general acting in accordance with a decision of the parliament

Legislative branch

unicameral National Parliament (109 seats, 89 filled from open electorates and 20 from provinces and national capital district

members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

constitution allows up to 126 seats
elections:last held from 30 June to 10 July 2007

next to be held in June 2012
election results:percent of vote by party – NA

seats by party – NA 27, PNGP 8, PAP 6, URP 6, PANGU PATI 5, PDM 5, independents 19, others 33

note – election to 1 seat was nullified
note:15 other parties won 4 or fewer seats

association with political parties is 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 Party or NA [Don POLYE]

Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU PATI [Andrew KUMBAKOR]

Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Beldan NEMAH]

People’s Action Party or PAP [Gabriel KAPRIS]

People’s Democratic Movement or PDM

United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Ahora [Andrew MAMOKO] (represents local tribes)

Centre for Environment Law and Community Rights or Celcor [Damien ASE]

Community Coalition Against Corruption

International organization participation

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
chancery:1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:[1] (202) 745-3680
FAX:[1] (202) 745-3679

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Teddy B. TAYLOR
embassy:Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D.
mailing address:4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240
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

red, black, and yellow are traditional colors of Papua New Guinea

the bird of paradise – endemic to the island of New Guinea – is an emblem of regional tribal culture and represents the emergence of Papua New Guinea as a nation

the Southern Cross, visible in the night sky, symbolizes Papua New Guinea’s connection with Australia and several other countries in the South Pacific

National symbol(s)

bird of paradise

National anthem

name: “O Arise All You Sons”
lyrics/music:Thomas SHACKLADY
note:adopted 1975

Economy

Economy – overview

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain, land tenure issues, and the high cost of developing infrastructure. The economy has a small formal sector, focused mainly on the export of those natural resources, and an informal sector, employing the majority of the population. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the people. Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. Natural gas reserves amount to an estimated 227 billion cubic meters. A consortium led by a major American oil company is constructing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facility that could begin exporting in 2014. As the largest investment project in the country’s history, it has the potential to double GDP in the near-term and triple Papua New Guinea’s export revenue. An American-owned firm also opened PNG’s first oil refinery in 2004 and is building a second LNG production facility. The government faces the challenge of ensuring transparency and accountability for revenues flowing from this and other large LNG projects. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended much of its energy remaining in power. He was the first prime minister ever to serve a full five-year term. The government has brought stability to the national budget, largely through expenditure control

however, it relaxed spending constraints in 2006 and 2007 as elections approached. In recent years, the government has opened up markets in telecommunications and air transport, making both more affordable to the people. Numerous challenges still face the government, including providing physical security for foreign investors, regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including an HIV/AIDS epidemic, with the second highest infection rate in all of East Asia and the Pacific, and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. The global financial crisis had little impact because of continued foreign demand for PNG’s commodities.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$14.95 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136 $13.97 billion (2009 est.)
$13.24 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$9.668 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37 5.5% (2009 est.)
6.6% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$2,500 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179 $2,400 (2009 est.)
$2,300 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 31.9%
industry:35.5%
services:32.6% (2010 est.)

Labor force

3.809 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 85%
industry:NA%
services:NA% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.8% (2004)
country comparison to the world: 11

Population below poverty line

37% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Distribution of family income – Gini index

50.9 (1996)
country comparison to the world: 20

Investment (gross fixed)

17.7% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148

Budget

revenues: $3.045 billion
expenditures:$2.976 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

31.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.7% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35

Public debt

25.7% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98 32.8% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165 6.9% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

14% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49 6.92% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.45% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104 10.09% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$2.893 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112 $2.306 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$4.933 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125 $4.374 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$2.647 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124 $2.466 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 75 $6.632 billion
$6.632 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture – products

coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla

shell fish

poultry, pork

Industries

copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production

mining of gold, silver, and copper

crude oil production, petroleum refining

construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate

10% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26

Electricity – production

2.965 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126

Electricity – consumption

2.757 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

30,570 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69

Oil – consumption

33,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111

Oil – exports

8,029 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99

Oil – imports

14,770 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130

Oil – proved reserves

88 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73

Natural gas – production

130 million cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78

Natural gas – consumption

130 million cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172

Natural gas – proved reserves

226.5 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43

Current account balance

-$648.4 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120 -$671.7 million (2009 est.)

Exports

$5.746 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105 $4.392 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

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

Exports – partners

Australia 27.9%, Japan 9.1%, China 7.1% (2010)

Imports

$3.529 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132 $2.871 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

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

Imports – partners

Australia 42.1%, Singapore 13.1%, China 7.9%, Japan 6.6%, US 4.3% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.092 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100 $2.607 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$1.622 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144 $1.543 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – at home

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad

$NA

Exchange rates

kina (PGK) per US dollar -
2.7517 (2010)
2.7551 (2009)
2.6956 (2008)
3.03 (2007)
3.0643 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

562 (2010)
country comparison to the world:12

Airports – with paved runways

total: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m:2
1,524 to 2,437 m:14
914 to 1,523 m:4
under 914 m:1 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 541
1,524 to 2,437 m:9
914 to 1,523 m:63
under 914 m:469 (2010)

Heliports

2 (2010)

Pipelines

oil 195 km (2010)

Roadways

total: 9,349 km
country comparison to the world: 136 paved:3,000 km
unpaved:6,349 km (2011)

Waterways

11,000 km (2011)
country comparison to the world: 12

Merchant marine

total: 28
country comparison to the world: 87 by type:bulk carrier 2, cargo 24, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned:7 (Malaysia 1, UAE 6) (2010)

Ports and terminals

Kimbe, Lae, Madang, Rabaul, Wewak

Military

Military branches

Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF

includes Maritime Operations Element, Air Operations Element) (2009)

Military service age and obligation

16 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent)

no conscription (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,568,210
females age 16-49:1,478,965 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,130,951
females age 16-49:1,137,753 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 67,781
female:65,820 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 10,177 (Indonesia) (2007)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Papua New Guinea is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor

women and children are subjected to sex trafficking and domestic servitude

trafficked men are forced to labor in logging and mining camps

migrant women and teenage girls from Malaysia, Thailand, China, and the Philippines are subjected to sex trafficking

men from China are transported to the country for forced labor
tier rating:Tier 3 – Papua New Guinea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so

despite the government’s acknowledgement of trafficking as a problem in the country, the government did not investigate any suspected trafficking offenses, prosecute or convict any trafficking offenders under existing laws, address allegations of officials complicit in human trafficking crimes, or identify or assist any trafficking victims (2011)

Illicit drugs

major consumer of cannabis