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Papua New Guinea

 
Papua New Guinea
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Papua New Guinea
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A country of the southwest Pacific Ocean comprising the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, the western Solomons, and adjacent islands. Inhabited by a variety of Papuan and Melanesian peoples, the territory was visited by early Spanish and Portuguese explorers, though European settlement did not begin until the establishment of German and British protectorates in 1884. Australia assumed control of the British sector in 1905 and took over the German sector during World War I. The country became self-governing in 1973 and fully independent in 1975. Port Moresby, on New Guinea, is the capital and the largest city. Population: 5,800,000.

Papua New Guinean Pap'u·a New Guin'e·an adj. & n.
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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia:

Papua New Guinea

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Island country, southwestern Pacific Ocean. Area: 178,704 sq mi (462,840 sq km). Population: (2010 est.) 6,065,000. Capital: Port Moresby. Most of the people are Papuan (four-fifths) and Melanesian; ethnic minorities are Polynesian, Chinese, and European. Languages: English, Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu (all official); indigenous languages. Religions: Christianity (Protestant, Roman Catholic); also traditional beliefs. Currency: kina. The island of New Guinea constitutes about seven-eighths of the total land area of Papua New Guinea; the country also includes Bougainville Island and the Bismarck Archipelago. The New Guinea terrain ranges from swampy lowland plains in the south and north to high central mountains (the highlands) in the northwest and southeast. Much of the land is covered with tropical rainforest. Some of the outlying islands are volcanic. The country has a developing mixed economy based largely on subsistence agriculture and the export of minerals. It is a constitutional monarchy with one legislative house; its head of state is the British monarch, represented by the governor-general, and the head of government is the prime minister. The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and farming has been practiced since c. 7000 BCE. The Portuguese sighted the coast in 1511, and the first European landing was about 1526 – 27. The first European colony was founded in 1793 by the British. In 1828 the Dutch claimed the western half as part of the Dutch East Indies. In 1884 Britain annexed the southeastern part and Germany took over the northeastern sector. In 1906 the British part (renamed Papua) passed to Australia, which also governed the German sector after World War I. After World War II, Australia governed both sectors as the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. Dutch New Guinea was annexed to Indonesia in 1969. Papua New Guinea achieved independence in 1975 and joined the British Commonwealth. By the mid-1990s the government of Papua New Guinea was seeking to resolve a long-standing conflict with Bougainville independence fighters, and in 2001 the two sides agreed on a peace treaty; Bougainville became an autonomous region in 2005.

For more information on Papua New Guinea, visit Britannica.com.

A country in the western Pacific comprising the eastern half of the island of New Guinea together with some neighboring islands; capital, Port Moresby. Starting with the Portugese landing on New Guinea in 1527 and continuing through the 19th century, the island (all or parts of it) have been claimed or colonized by the Spanish, Dutch, British, and Germans. In 1906 British New Guinea was passed to Australia, and its name changed to the Territory of Papua. With the advent of World War I in 1914, Australian armed forces occupied German New Guinea, the northeastern quadrant of the island taken over by the German New Guinea Company in 1884, and remained there for seven years. Between World War I and World War II, the Australians and the Japanese struggled for control over the Territory. In 1921 the League of Nations granted Australia a mandate to govern German New Guinea (except for Nauru and Micronesia). In 1942 the Japanese invaded New Guinea and part of Papua, but by 1945 Australia recovered the occupied land. The administration of Papua and the New Guinea mandate was then combined into the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. In 1969 Indonesia annexed Dutch New Guinea as the province of Irian Jaya. In 1975 Papua New Guinea achieved complete independence from Britain.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

Papua New Guinea is an independent monarchy within the Commonwealth with the queen as head of state. It is formed by the eastern half of the large island of New Guinea together with a number of adjacent islands to the east and north. The western part of the island was claimed by the Dutch and is now part of Indonesia. During the Second World War there was heavy fighting after the Japanese invaded.


Primitive Peoples & Unfettered Nature
Extraordinary Islands > Island Nations > Preserving the Old Ways
Tourist information: www.pngtourism.org.pg
Airports: Port Moresby International.
Hotels: Madang Resort Hotel $$ ☎ 675/854-1300; www.mtspng.com

It has a population of more than six million and occupies one-half of the second-largest island in the world, yet Papua New Guinea remains one of the least explored, least touristed nations anywhere. As the eastern tenant of the island of New Guinea (total area: 786,000 sq. km/303,476 sq. miles; the other half is taken up by the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya), Papua New Guinea is home to more than 800 indigenous peoples and discrete languages. Culturally, it's one of the wildest places in the world.

Venture away from the gritty capital of Port Moresby—and I do mean venture; tourist infrastructure and amenities are few in this land, so it's best to get around with a tour operator—and you'll discover just how diverse, ethnically and ecologically, this little-known country really is. If you've ever seen the Travel Channel's Living with the Kombai Tribe, about Papua New Guinea's primitive tree people, you already have some idea that this is truly another world. Rigid tribal rules, masks, and body paint are not just cultural archives trotted out for visitors' benefit, but represent the only life that many people of these tribes know.

Hands down, Papua New Guinea's biggest attraction for foreign visitors is the Kokoda Track, a 96km-long (60-mile) single-file footpath that crosses the Owen Stanley mountains between the southern and northern shores of the island. During the Pacific campaign of World War II, parts of the track saw bloody battle in 1942 between Japanese and Australian forces. The trek is one of the world's great hikes, but a serious undertaking that should be approached with every cautionary measure: Contact the Kokoda Track Authority (☎ 675/325-1887; kokodatrackauthority@global.net.pg) for more details and to arrange guides and porters. Depending on your fitness level, the trek can take anywhere from 4 to 10 days (it's all bush camping along the way—there are no cushy lodges), though seasoned locals can breeze across the 2,000m-high (6,562-ft.) mountain passes in 3 days.

From an ecological perspective, Papua New Guinea is among the richest habitats in Oceania, with a diversity of flora and fauna—both on land and undersea—that rivals that of Australia and other, more well-known Micronesian destinations. Throughout the country, dozens of dive operators offer land-based day trips or multiday excursions to phenomenal reefs, coral walls and gardens, and an incredible number of sunken World War II wrecks. Rabaul, Kavieng, Madang, and Milne Bay are the top spots for immersing yourself among Papau New Guinea's vivid marine life and fascinating relics. Australian operator Diversion OZ (☎ 61/7/4039 0200; www.diversionoz.com) is a reputable outfitter with a variety of trip options.

Columbia Encyclopedia:

Papua New Guinea

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Papua New Guinea (păp'ūə, -yūə, gĭn'ē), officially Independent State of Papua New Guinea, independent Commonwealth nation (2005 est. pop. 5,545,000), 183,540 sq mi (475,369 sq km), SW Pacific. It encompasses the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, as well as the Bismarck Archipelago, the Trobriand Islands, Samarai Island, Woodlark Island, D'Entrecasteaux Islands, the Louisiade Archipelago, and the northernmost Solomon Islands of Buka and Bougainville (which form an autonomous region). The capital is Port Moresby; other important cities include Rabaul, Lae, Madang, Mt. Hagen, and Goroka.

Land and People

Papua New Guinea is a wild, rugged region, with limited communications. The climate is tropical, and the largely mountainous country is subject to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The highest point is Mt. Wilhelm (14,793 ft/4,509 m), in the Bismarck Mts. in central Papua New Guinea. The native population is largely Melanesian and Papuan but is divided into many distinct cultures. Some 800 different languages are spoken in the region; Melanesian Pidgin (Tok Pisin) is the lingua franca. About two thirds of the population is Christian, with Roman Catholics and Lutherans the largest churches; the rest follow traditional beliefs.

Economy

Subsistence agriculture supports most of the population; sweet potatoes constitute the main food crop. Agricultural exports (notably palm oil, coffee, cocoa, coconut products, rubber, and tea) are increasing, but mineral and oil deposits account for the majority of export earnings. Copper, gold, and silver are mined, oil production began in 1992, and there are undeveloped natural gas reserves. Timber is another import source of revenue, but logging, largely by foreign companies, is often done without regard for laws designed to promote sustainable yields from the country's rain forests. Pearl-shell and tortoise fisheries dot the coast, and crayfish and prawns are exported. Most industry involves the processing of agricultural and wood products; there is also petroleum refining, construction, and some tourism. Machinery and transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, and chemicals are imported. Australia is by far the largest trading partner, followed by Singapore and Japan.

Government

Papua New Guinea is a parliamentary democracy governed under the constitution of 1975. The monarch of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the head of state and is represented by the governor-general. The government is headed by the prime minister, who is appointed by the governor-general. The unicameral National Parliament consists of 109 members who are popularly elected for five-year terms. Administratively, the country is divided into 20 provinces.

History

Papua, the southern section of the country, was annexed by Queensland in 1883 and the following year became a British protectorate called British New Guinea. It passed to Australia in 1905 as the Territory of Papua. The northern section of the country formed part of German New Guinea from 1884 to 1914 and was called Kaiser-Wilhelmsland. Occupied by Australian forces during World War I, it was mandated to Australia by the League of Nations in 1920 and became known as the Territory of New Guinea. Australian rule was reconfirmed by the United Nations in 1947.

In 1949 the territories of Papua and New Guinea were merged administratively, but they remained constitutionally distinct. They were combined in 1973 as the self-governing country of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Full independence was gained in 1975. In the late 1980s a violent secessionist movement broke out on Bougainville. A cease-fire, monitored by Australian troops, went into effect in 1998, and a peace accord that granted the island broad autonomy was signed three years later.

Proposed cuts in defense forces as result of economic reforms demanded by Australia and international organizations sparked a weeklong mutiny in 2001; the government rescinded the cuts and promised to review the mutineers' concerns over foreign economic influences. Sir Michael Somare, of the National Alliance party, became prime minister in 2002. In 2004, Australian police officers were deployed in PNG as part of an aid package designed to help end gang violence and restore law and order in the country, but after the supreme court ruled the following year that the officers' immunity from prosecution and other aspects of the deployment were unconstitutional Australia withdrew the contingent.

In late 2006 PNG's government and its relations with Australia were roiled by the Moti affair. Julian Moti, an Australian lawyer of Fijian descent had been appointed attorney general in the Solomon Islands, was wanted in Australia on child sex charges, and Australia sought Moti's extradition from PNG, where Moti was arrested (Sept., 2006) while in transit. Moti managed to flee with apparent help from PNG officials. An investigation into the incident implicated the prime minister in Moti's flight from PNG, a charge Somare denied; Somare subsequently disbanded the board of inquiry, which issued its report to Somare in Mar., 2007. Elections in June-July, 2007, returned Somare to office, leading a reorganized coalition. The defense minister rejected the board of inquiry report in Oct., 2007, on the grounds that the board had not been legally constituted.

Somare's government subsequently suffered from a number of scandals, including some involving the prime minister's finances. Although he survived a number of no-confidence votes, in Dec., 2010, he faced an investigation by a leadership tribunal over financial allegations. Somare stepped aside as prime minister, and his deputy, Sam Abal, became acting prime minister (and again in April); Somare returned to office in Jan., 2011.

In March, Somare was found guilty of failing to file his financial information properly and was suspended from office for two weeks in April; in June, his son announced his retirement for health reasons (following an April heart operation), but constitutionally it was not an official resignation. In August, an alliance of opposition members and disgruntled government coalition members voted in Peter O'Neill, the works and transport minister and former finance minister, as prime minister.


Dialing Code:

Papua New Guinea

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The international dialing code for Papua New Guinea is:   675


Maps:

Papua New Guinea

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Local Time:

Papua New Guinea

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It is 11:45 PM, February 12, in Papua New Guinea.

Currency:

Papua New Guinea

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CIA World Factbook:

Papua New Guinea

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Click to enlarge flag of 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
Map of Papua New Guinea
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
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: 0.1 cu km/yr (56%/43%/1%)
per capita: 17 cu 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
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
Population:6,057,263 (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 36.9% (male 1,137,796/female 1,099,365)
15-64 years: 59% (male 1,836,272/female 1,735,298)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 114,789/female 133,743) (2009 est.)
Median age:total: 21.7 years
male: 21.8 years
female: 21.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:2.069% (2009 est.)
Birth rate:27.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Death rate:6.96 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:urban population: 12% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 45.23 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 49.17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 66.34 years
male: 64.08 years
female: 68.72 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.62 children born/woman (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.5% (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:54,000 (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)
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)
Nationality:noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean
Ethnic groups:Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Religions:Roman Catholic 27%, 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%, Bahai 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census)
Languages:The three official languages are English, Tok Pisin, and Motu; there are approximately 860 other languages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.3%
male: 63.4%
female: 50.9% (2000 census)
Education expenditures: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:20 provinces; Bougainville (autonomous region), 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE (since 29 June 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2 August 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Puka TEMU (since 29 August 2007)
cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is 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 is 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 - National Alliance 27, PNGP 8, PAP 6, URP 6, PANGU 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 [Michael SOMARE]; Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU PATI [Andrew KUMBAKOR]; Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Sir Mekere MORAUTA]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Michael OGIO]; People's Action Party or PAP [Gabriel KAPRIS]; United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA] (2007)
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, 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, 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 Leslie V. ROWE
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
Economy
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 75% of the population. Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. 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 also brought stability to the national budget, largely through expenditure control; however, it relaxed spending constraints in 2006 and 2007 as elections approached. Numerous challenges still face the government including 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 a worsening HIV/AIDS epidemic, currently the highest rate in all of East Asia and the Pacific, and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia supplied more than $300 million in aid in FY07/08, which accounts for nearly 20% of the national budget. A consortium led by a major American oil company hopes to begin the commercialization of the country's estimated 637 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves through the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facility by 2010. The project has the potential to double the GDP of Papua New Guinea.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$13.29 billion (2008 est.)
$12.5 billion (2007)
$11.79 billion (2006)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):$6.363 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.3% (2008 est.)
6% (2007 est.)
2.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$2,200 (2008 est.)
$2,200 (2007 est.)
$2,100 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 32.8%
industry: 36.5%
services: 30.6% (2008 est.)
Labor force:3.639 million (2008 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: 75%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:1.9% up to 80% in urban areas (2004)
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)
Investment (gross fixed):19.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
Budget:revenues: $3.098 billion
expenditures: $2.949 billion (2008 est.)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Public debt:34% of GDP (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):8.8% (2008 est.)
Central bank discount rate:7.38% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:9.78% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:$1.685 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:$1.482 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:$1.486 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:$4.863 billion (2005)
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:6.3% (2008 est.)
Electricity - production:2.875 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:2.674 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:fossil fuel: 54.1%
hydro: 45.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:42,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:29,050 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:39,310 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:24,150 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:88 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:140 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:140 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:226.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:$438 million (2008 est.)
Exports:$5.658 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities:oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns
Exports - partners:Australia 27.3%, Japan 9.5%, China 5.7% (2007)
Imports:$3.013 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:Australia 51.3%, Singapore 11.6%, China 7.9%, Japan 5.7% (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$2.548 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:$1.582 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:$NA
Currency (code):kina (PGK)
Currency code:PGK
Exchange rates:kina (PGK) per US dollar - 2.6956 (2008 est.), 3.03 (2007), 3.0643 (2006), 3.08 (2005), 3.2225 (2004)
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use:60,000 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:300,000 (2007)
Telephone system:general assessment: services are minimal; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services
domestic: access to telephone services is now widely available; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 6 per 100 persons
international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)
Radios:410,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (all in the Port Moresby area; stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned) (2004)
Televisions:59,841 (1999)
Internet country code:.pg
Internet hosts:3,422 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:110,000 (2006)
Transportation
Airports:557 (2008)
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 (2008)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 536
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 62
under 914 m: 466 (2008)
Heliports:2 (2007)
Pipelines:oil 195 km (2008)
Roadways:total: 19,600 km
paved: 686 km
unpaved: 18,914 km (2000)
Waterways:11,000 km (2006)
Merchant marine:total: 21
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 17, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned: 6 (UAE 6) (2008)
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 (2008)
Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 1,481,417
females age 16-49: 1,385,040 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 16-49: 1,110,175
females age 16-49: 1,127,758 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:male: 64,636
female: 62,803 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
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 country of destination for women and children from Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and China trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; internal trafficking of women and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude occurs as well
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; the current legal framework does not contain elements of crimes that characterize trafficking; the government lacks victim protection services or a systematic procedure to identify victims of trafficking; the government did not prosecute anyone in 2007 for trafficking; Papua New Guinea has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:major consumer of cannabis


In currencies, this is the abbreviation for the Papua New Guinea Kina.

Investopedia Says:
The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion.


National Anthem:

National Anthem of: Papua New Guinea

Top

O arise all you sons of this land,
Let us sing of our joy to be free,
Praising God and rejoicing to be
Papua New Guinea.

Chorus:

Shout our name from the mountains to seas
Papua New Guinea;
Let us raise our voices and proclaim
Papua New Guinea.
Now give thanks to the good Lord above
For His kindness, His wisdom and love
For this land of our fathers so free,
Papua New Guinea.

Chorus:

Shout again for the whole world to hear
Papua New Guinea;
We're independent and we're free,
Papua New Guinea.

Random House Word Menu:

categories related to 'Papua New Guinea'

Top
Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier
For a list of words related to Papua New Guinea, see:
  • Nations of the World - Papua New Guinea: group of islands in SW Pacific; capital Port Moresby; area 178,221 sq. mi., pop. 3,613,000; Pidgin English; Christian; kina


Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Papua New Guinea

Top
Independent State of Papua New Guinea
Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini
Flag Emblem
Motto: Unity in diversity[1]
Anthem: O Arise, All You Sons[2]
Capital
(and largest city)
Port Moresby
9°30′S 147°07′E / 9.5°S 147.117°E / -9.5; 147.117
Official language(s) English
Tok Pisin
Hiri Motu[3]
Demonym Papua New Guinean
Government Unitary parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy
 -  Monarch Elizabeth II
 -  Governor General Michael Ogio
or Jeffrey Nape (in dispute)
 -  Prime Minister Peter O'Neill
or Michael Somare (in dispute)
Independence
 -  from Australia 16 September 1975 
Area
 -  Total 462,840 km2 (54th)
178,703 sq mi 
 -  Water (%) 2
Population
 -  2011 estimate 6,187,591[4] (106th)
 -  2000 census 5,190,783 
 -  Density 13.37/km2 (201st)
34.62/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2010 estimate
 -  Total $14.947 billion[5] 
 -  Per capita $2,300[5] 
GDP (nominal) 2010 estimate
 -  Total $9.668 billion[5] 
 -  Per capita $1,488[5] 
Gini (1996) 50.9 (high
HDI (2010) increase 0.431 (low) (140th)
Currency Papua New Guinean kina (PGK)
Time zone AEST (UTC+10)
 -  Summer (DST) not observed (as of 2005) (UTC+10)
Drives on the left
ISO 3166 code PG
Internet TLD .pg
Calling code +675

Papua New Guinea (PNG; Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands (the western portion of the island is a part of the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua). It is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, in a region defined since the early 19th century as Melanesia. The capital is Port Moresby.

Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally diverse countries on Earth, with over 850 indigenous languages and at least as many traditional societies, out of a population of just under seven million. It is also one of the most rural, as only 18% of its people live in urban centres.[6] The country is one of the world's least explored, culturally and geographically, and many undiscovered species of plants and animals are thought to exist in the interior of Papua New Guinea.[7]

The majority of the population live in traditional societies and practise subsistence-based agriculture. These societies and clans have some explicit acknowledgement within the nation's constitutional framework. The PNG Constitution (Preamble 5(4)) expresses the wish for "traditional villages and communities to remain as viable units of Papua New Guinean society",[8] and for active steps to be taken in their preservation.

After being ruled by three external powers since 1884, Papua New Guinea gained its independence from Australia in 1975. It remains a Commonwealth realm of Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of Papua New Guinea. Many people live in extreme poverty, with about one third of the population living on less than US $1.25 per day.[9]

Contents

History

Human remains have been found which have been dated to about 50,000 BC although this is an estimate. These ancient inhabitants probably migrated from Southeast Asia, from people whose ancestors had originated in Africa 50,000 to 70,000 years ago. New Guinea was one of the first landmasses after Africa and Eurasia to be populated by modern humans, with the first migration at approximately the same time as that of Australia.

Kerepunu villagers, British New Guinea, 1885

Agriculture was independently developed in the New Guinea highlands around 7000 BC, making it one of the few areas in the world where people independently domesticated plants. A major migration of Austronesian speaking peoples came to coastal regions roughly 500 BC. This has been correlated with the introduction of pottery, pigs, and certain fishing techniques. More recently, in the 18th century, the sweet potato was taken to New Guinea, having been introduced to the Moluccas from South America by Portuguese traders, representing the locally dominant colonial power.[10] The far higher crop yields from sweet potato gardens radically transformed traditional agriculture; sweet potato largely supplanted the previous staple, taro, and gave rise to a significant increase in population in the highlands.

Although headhunting and cannibalism have been practically eradicated, in the past they occurred in many parts of the country as part of ritual practices.[11][12] For example, in 1901, on Goaribari Island in the Gulf of Papua, a missionary, Harry Dauncey, found 10,000 skulls in the island’s Long Houses.[13] According to the writer Marianna Torgovnick, "The most fully documented instances of cannibalism as a social institution come from New Guinea, where head-hunting and ritual cannibalism survived, in certain isolated areas, into the fifties, sixties, and seventies, and still leave traces within certain social groups."[14]

Little was known in the West about the island until the nineteenth century, although Portuguese and Spanish explorers, such as Dom Jorge de Meneses and Yñigo Ortiz de Retez, respectively, had encountered it as early as the sixteenth century. Traders from Southeast Asia had visited New Guinea as long as 5,000 years ago collecting bird of paradise plumes.[15] The country's dual name results from its complex administrative history before independence. The word papua is derived from pepuah, a Malay word describing the curly, coiled, Melanesian hair, and "New Guinea" (Nueva Guinea) was the name coined by the Spanish explorer Yñigo Ortiz de Retez. In 1545 he noted the resemblance of the people to those he had earlier seen along the Guinea coast of Africa. The northern half of the country was ruled as a colony for some decades by Germany, beginning in 1884, as German New Guinea.

Australian forces attack Japanese positions during the Battle of Buna–Gona. January 7, 1943.

During World War I, the territory was occupied by Australia, which had begun administering British New Guinea, the southern part, re-named Papua in 1904. After World War I, Australia was given a mandate to administer the former German New Guinea by the League of Nations. Papua, by contrast, was deemed to be an External Territory of the Australian Commonwealth, though as a matter of law it remained a British possession. This was significant for the country's post-independence legal system. The difference in legal status meant that Papua and New Guinea had entirely separate administrations, both controlled by Australia.

The New Guinea campaign (1942–1945) was one of the major military campaigns of World War II. Approximately 216,000 Japanese, Australian and U.S. soldiers, sailors and airmen died during the New Guinea Campaign.[16] The two territories were combined into the Territory of Papua and New Guinea after World War II, which later was simply referred to as "Papua New Guinea".

However, certain statutes[17] continued to have application only in one of the two territories. This territorial difference of law was complicated further by the adjustment of the former boundary among contiguous provinces with respect to road access and language groups. Some of such statutes apply on one side only of a boundary which no longer exists.[citation needed]

The administration of Papua became open to United Nations oversight; a peaceful independence from Australia occurred on September 16, 1975, and close ties remain (Australia continues as the largest bilateral aid donor to Papua New Guinea). Papua New Guinea was admitted to membership in the United Nations on 10 October 1975.[18]

A secessionist revolt in 1975–76 on Bougainville Island resulted in an eleventh-hour modification of the draft Constitution of Papua New Guinea to allow for Bougainville and the other eighteen districts to have quasi-federal status as provinces. A renewed uprising started in 1988 and claimed 20,000 lives until it was resolved in 1997. Following the revolt, the autonomous Bougainville elected Joseph Kabui as president. He was succeeded by his deputy John Tabinaman, who continued to be re-elected as leader until the election of December 2008, which James Tanis won.

Anti-Chinese rioting, involving tens of thousands of people, broke out in May 2009. The initial spark was a fight between Chinese and Papua New Guinean workers at a nickel factory under construction by a Chinese company. Native resentment against the numerous small businesses being run by Chinese led to the rioting.[19][20]

Politics

As a Commonwealth realm, Papua New Guinea's head of state is Queen Elizabeth II. It had been expected by the constitutional convention, which prepared the draft constitution, and by Australia, the outgoing metropolitan power, that Papua New Guinea would choose not to retain its link with the Commonwealth realms monarchy. The founders, however, considered that imperial honours had a cachet that the newly independent state would not be able to confer with a purely indigenous honours system – the Monarchy was thus maintained.[21] The Queen is represented by the Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, currently Michael Ogio. Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands are unusual among Commonwealth realms in that Governors-General are selected by the legislature rather than by the executive branch.

Actual executive power lies with the Prime Minister, who heads the cabinet. The current Prime Minister is Peter O'Neill. The unicameral National Parliament has 109 seats, of which 20 are occupied by the governors of the 19 provinces and the National Capital District (NCD). Candidates for members of parliament are voted upon when the prime minister asks the Governor-General to call a national election, a maximum of five years after the previous national election.

In the early years of independence, the instability of the party system led to frequent votes of no confidence in Parliament with resulting falls of the government of the day and the need for national elections, in accordance with the conventions of parliamentary democracy. In recent years, successive governments have passed legislation preventing such votes sooner than 18 months after a national election. This has arguably resulted in greater stability, though perhaps at a cost of reducing the accountability of the executive branch of government.

Elections in PNG attract large numbers of candidates. After independence in 1975, members were elected by the first past the post system, with winners frequently gaining less than 15% of the vote. Electoral reforms in 2001 introduced the Limited Preferential Vote system (LPV), a version of the Alternative Vote. The 2007 general election was the first to be conducted using LPV.

In foreign policy, Papua New Guinea was accorded Observer status within ASEAN in 1976 followed later by Special Observer status in 1981.

Since mid-2011, there has been an ongoing dispute between parliament and Peter O'Neill and the judiciary, governor-general and Sir Michael Somare. The crisis involved the status of the prime minister and who is the legitimate head of government between O'Neill and Somare.

Law

The Parliament building of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby

The unicameral Parliament enacts legislation in the same manner as in other jurisdictions that have "cabinet," "responsible government," or "parliamentary democracy": it is introduced by the executive government to the legislature, debated and, if passed, becomes law when it receives royal assent by the Governor-General. Most legislation is actually regulation implemented by the bureaucracy under enabling legislation previously passed by Parliament.

All ordinary statutes enacted by Parliament must be consistent with the Constitution. The courts have jurisdiction to rule on the constitutionality of statutes, both in disputes before them and on a reference where there is no dispute but only an abstract question of law. Unusual among developing countries, the judicial branch of government in Papua New Guinea has remained remarkably independent, and successive executive governments have continued to respect its authority.

The "underlying law" – that is, the common law of Papua New Guinea – consists of principles and rules of common law and equity in England[22] common law as it stood on September 16, 1975 (the date of Independence), and thereafter the decisions of PNG’s own courts. The courts are directed by the Constitution and, latterly, the Underlying Law Act, to take note of the "custom" of traditional communities, with a view to determining which customs are common to the whole country and may be declared also to be part of the underlying law. In practice, this has proved extremely difficult and has been largely neglected. Statutes are largely adapted from overseas jurisdictions, primarily Australia and England. Advocacy in the courts follows the adversarial pattern of other common law countries.

This national court system used in towns and cities is supported by a village court system in the more remote areas. The law underpinning the village courts is 'customary law' and these courts are discussed further on the Law of Papua New Guinea page.

Administrative divisions

Papua New Guinea is divided into four regions, which are not the primary administrative divisions but are quite significant in many aspects of government, commercial, sporting and other activities.

The nation has 20 province-level divisions: eighteen provinces, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and the National Capital District. Each province is divided into one or more districts, which in turn are divided into one or more Local Level Government areas.

Provinces[23] are the primary administrative divisions of the country. Provincial governments are branches of the national government – Papua New Guinea is not a federation of provinces. The province-level divisions are as follows:

  1. Central
  2. Chimbu (Simbu)
  3. Eastern Highlands
  4. East New Britain
  5. East Sepik
  6. Enga
  7. Gulf
  8. Madang
  9. Manus
  10. Milne Bay
  1. Morobe
  2. New Ireland
  3. Northern (Oro Province)
  4. Bougainville (autonomous region)
  5. Southern Highlands
  6. Western Province (Fly)
  7. Western Highlands
  8. West New Britain
  9. West Sepik (Sandaun)
  10. National Capital District
Provinces of Papua New Guinea.

Parliament has approved the creation of two additional provinces by 2012: Hela Province, which will consist of part of the current Southern Highlands Province, and Jiwaka Province, which will be formed by dividing Western Highlands Province.[24]

Geography

Map of Papua New Guinea

At 462,840 km2 (178,704 sq mi), Papua New Guinea is the world's fifty-fourth largest country. Including all its islands, it lies between latitudes and 12°S, and longitudes 140° and 160°E.

The country's geography is diverse and, in places, extremely rugged. A spine of mountains, the New Guinea Highlands, runs the length of the island of New Guinea, forming a populous highlands region mostly covered with tropical rainforest. Dense rainforests can be found in the lowland and coastal areas as well as very large wetland areas surrounding the Sepik and Fly rivers. This terrain has made it difficult for the country to develop transportation infrastructure. In some areas, airplanes are the only mode of transport. The highest peak is Mount Wilhelm at 4,509 metres (14,793 ft). Papua New Guinea is surrounded by coral reefs which are under close watch, in the interests of preservation.

The country is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, at the point of collision of several tectonic plates. There are a number of active volcanoes, and eruptions are frequent. Earthquakes are relatively common, sometimes accompanied by tsunamis.

The mainland of the country is the eastern half of New Guinea island, where the largest towns are also located, including the capital Port Moresby and Lae; other major islands within Papua New Guinea include New Ireland, New Britain, Manus and Bougainville.

Papua New Guinea is one of the few regions close to the equator that experiences snowfall, which occurs in the most elevated parts of the mainland.

Ecology

Papua New Guinea is part of the Australasia ecozone, which also includes Australia, New Zealand, eastern Indonesia, and several Pacific island groups, including the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

Geologically, the island of New Guinea is a northern extension of the Indo-Australian tectonic plate, forming part of a single landmass Australia-New Guinea (also called Sahul or Meganesia). It is connected to the Australian segment by a shallow continental shelf across the Torres Strait, which in former ages had lain exposed as a land bridge, particularly during ice ages when sea levels were lower than at present.

Mount Tavurvur in Papua New Guinea.

Consequently, many species of birds and mammals found on New Guinea have close genetic links with corresponding species found in Australia. One notable feature in common for the two landmasses is the existence of several species of marsupial mammals, including some kangaroos and possums, which are not found elsewhere.

Many of the other islands within PNG territory, including New Britain, New Ireland, Bougainville, the Admiralty Islands, the Trobriand Islands, and the Louisiade Archipelago, were never linked to New Guinea by land bridges. As a consequence, they have their own flora and fauna; in particular, they lack many of the land mammals and flightless birds that are common to New Guinea and Australia.

Australia and New Guinea are portions of the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana, which started to break into smaller continents in the Cretaceous era, 65-130 million years ago. Australia finally broke free from Antarctica about 45 million years ago. All the Australasian lands are home to the Antarctic flora, descended from the flora of southern Gondwana, including the coniferous podocarps and Araucaria pines, and the broadleafed southern beech (Nothofagus). These plant families are still present in Papua New Guinea.

As the Indo-Australian Plate (which includes landmasses of India, Australia, and the Indian Ocean floor in between) drifts north, it collides with the Eurasian Plate. The collision of the two plates pushed up the Himalayas, the Indonesian islands, and New Guinea's Central Range. The Central Range is much younger and higher than the mountains of Australia, so high that it is home to rare equatorial glaciers. New Guinea is part of the humid tropics, and many Indomalayan rainforest plants spread across the narrow straits from Asia, mixing together with the old Australian and Antarctic floras.

The green jungle of Papua New Guinea bears a sharp contrast to the nearby desert of Australia.

PNG includes a number of terrestrial ecoregions:

At current rates of deforestation, more than half of the country's forests could be lost or seriously degraded by 2021, according to a new satellite study of the region.[25] Nearly one quarter of Papua New Guinea's rainforests were damaged or destroyed between 1972 and 2002.[26]

Economy

Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but access has been hampered by rugged terrain, the high cost of developing infrastructure, serious law and order problems, and the system of land title which makes identifying the owners of land for the purpose of negotiating appropriate agreements problematic. Agriculture provides a livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings. The country also has a notable coffee industry and other crops include cocoa, oil palm and tea.

Former Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta 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 following the 1997 agreement which ended Bougainville's secessionist unrest. The Morauta government had considerable success in attracting international support, specifically gaining the backing of the IMF and the World Bank in securing development assistance loans. Significant challenges face the current Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, including gaining further investor confidence, continuing efforts to privatize government assets, and maintaining the support of members of Parliament.

In March 2006 the United Nations Development Programme Policy called for Papua New Guinea's designation of developing country to be downgraded to least-developed country because of protracted economic and social stagnation.[27] However, an evaluation by the International Monetary Fund in late 2008 found that "a combination of prudent fiscal and monetary policies, and high global prices for mineral commodity exports, have underpinned Papua New Guinea's recent buoyant economic growth and macroeconomic stability. Real GDP growth, at over 6% in 2007, was broad-based and is expected to continue to be strong in 2008."[28]

Land tenure

The PNG legislature has enacted various laws in which a type of tenure called "customary land title" is recognised, meaning that the traditional lands of the indigenous peoples have some legal basis to inalienable tenure. This customary land notionally covers most of the usable land in the country (some 97% of total land area);[29] alienated land is either held privately under State Lease or is government land. Freehold Title (also known as fee simple) can only be held by Papua New Guinea citizens.[30]

Only some 3% of the land of Papua New Guinea is in private hands; it[clarification needed] is privately held under 99 year state lease, or it is held by the state. There is virtually no freehold title; the few existing freeholds are automatically converted to state lease when they are transferred between vendor and purchaser. Unalienated land is owned under customary title by traditional landowners. The precise nature of the seisin varies from one culture to another. Many writers portray land as in the communal ownership of traditional clans; however, closer studies usually show that the smallest portions of land whose ownership cannot be further divided are held by the individual heads of extended families and their descendants, or their descendants alone if they have recently died.[citation needed]

This is a matter of vital importance because a problem of economic development is identifying the membership of customary landowning groups and the owners. Disputes between mining and forestry companies and landowner groups often devolve on the issue of whether the companies entered into contractual relations for the use of land with the true owners. Customary property – usually land – cannot be devised by will; it can only be inherited according to the custom of the deceased's people.[citation needed]

Demographics

Huli Wigman from the Southern Highlands

Papua New Guinea is one of the most heterogeneous nations in the world. There are hundreds of ethnic groups indigenous to Papua New Guinea, the majority being from the group known as Papuans, whose ancestors arrived in the New Guinea region tens of thousands of years ago. Many remote Papuan tribes still have only marginal contact with the outside world.

The others are Austronesians, their ancestors having arrived in the region less than four thousand years ago. There are also numerous people from other parts of the world now resident, including Chinese,[31] Europeans, Australians, Filipinos, Polynesians and Micronesians. At the brink of Papuan independence in 1975, there were 40,000 expatriates (mostly Australian and Chinese) in Papua New Guinea.[32]

Papua New Guinea has more languages than any other country, with over 820 indigenous languages, representing twelve percent of the world's total, but most have fewer than 1,000 speakers. The most widely-spoken indigenous language is Enga with about 200,000 speakers, followed by Melpa and Huli.[33] Indigenous languages are classified into two large groups: Austronesian languages and non-Austronesian (or Papuan languages). There are three official languages for Papua New Guinea. English is an official language and is the language of government and the education system, but it is not widely spoken.

The primary lingua franca of the country is Tok Pisin (commonly known in English as New Guinea Pidgin or Melanesian Pidgin), in which much of the debate in Parliament is conducted, many information campaigns and advertisements are presented, and until recently a national newspaper, Wantok, was published. The only area where Tok Pisin is not prevalent is the southern region of Papua, where people often use the third official language, Hiri Motu.

Although it lies in the Papua region, Port Moresby has a highly diverse population which primarily uses Tok Pisin, and to a lesser extent English, with Motu spoken as the indigenous language in outlying villages. With an average of only 7,000 speakers per language, Papua New Guinea has a greater density of languages than any other nation on earth except Vanuatu.[citation needed]

Health

Public expenditure was at 7.3% of all government expenditure in 2006,[34] whereas private expenditure was at 0.6 % of the GDP.[citation needed] There were five physicians per 100,000 people in the early 2000s.[35] Malaria is the leading cause of illness and death in New Guinea. In 2003, the most recently reported year, 70,226 cases of laboratory confirmed malaria were reported, along with 537 deaths. A total of 1,729,697 cases were probable.[36]

Papua New Guinea has the highest incidence of HIV and AIDS in the Pacific region and is the fourth country in the Asia Pacific region to fit the criteria for a generalised HIV/AIDS epidemic.[37] Lack of HIV/AIDS awareness is a major problem, especially in rural areas.

Asaro mudman with his unique clay mask

In June 2011, the United Nations Population Fund released a report on The State of the World's Midwifery. It contained new data on the midwifery workforce and policies relating to newborn and maternal mortality for 58 countries. The 2010 maternal mortality rate per 100,000 births for Papua New Guinea is 250. This is compared with 311.9 in 2008 and 476.3 in 1990. The under 5 mortality rate, per 1,000 births is 69 and the neonatal mortality as a percentage of under 5's mortality is 37. The aim of this report is to highlight ways in which the Millennium Development Goals can be achieved, particularly Goal 4 – Reduce child mortality and Goal 5 – Improve maternal health. In Papua New Guinea the number of midwives per 1,000 live births is 1 and 1 in 94 shows us the lifetime risk of death for pregnant women.[38]

Religion

The courts and government practice uphold the constitutional right to freedom of speech, thought, and belief, and no legislation to curb those rights has been adopted. The 2000 census found that 96% of citizens identified themselves as members of a Christian church; however, many citizens combine their Christian faith with some pre-Christian traditional indigenous religious practices.[39] The census percentages were as follows:

There are also approximately 4,000 Muslims in the country. Non-traditional Christian churches and non-Christian religious groups are active throughout the country. The Papua New Guinea Council of Churches has stated that both Muslim and Confucian missionaries are active, and foreign missionary activity in general is high.

Traditional religions, such as that of the Korowai, were often animist. Some also tended to have elements of ancestor worship, though generalisation is suspect given the extreme heterogeneity of Melanesian societies. Prevalent among traditional tribes is the belief in masalai, or evil spirits, which are blamed for "poisoning" people, causing calamity and death, and the practice of puripuri (sorcery).[40][41][42]

Culture

This rattle is made of leaves, seeds and coconut shell. The rattle is tied around a dancer’s ankle and makes a sound when the dancer moves.
This bilum bag is from Goroka, in the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea.
Resident of Bago-Bago, an island in the southeast of Papua New Guinea
20th century wooden Abelam ancestor figure (nggwalndu).

It is estimated that more than a thousand different cultural groups exist in Papua New Guinea. Because of this diversity, many different styles of cultural expression have emerged; each group has created its own expressive forms in art, dance, weaponry, costumes, singing, music, architecture and much more. Most of these different cultural groups have their own language. People typically live in villages that rely on subsistence farming. In some areas people hunt and collect wild plants (such as yam roots) to supplement their diets. Those who become skilled at hunting, farming and fishing earn a great deal of respect.

On the Sepik river, there is a tradition of wood carving, often in the form of plants or animals, representing ancestor spirits.

Sea shells are no longer the currency of Papua New Guinea, as they were in some regions – sea shells were abolished as currency in 1933. However, this heritage is still present in local customs; in some cultures, to get a bride, a groom must bring a certain number of golden-edged clam shells[43] as a bride price. In other regions, the bride price is paid in lengths of shell money, pigs, cassowaries or cash. Elsewhere, it is brides who traditionally pay a dowry.

People of the highlands engage in colourful local rituals that are called "sing sings". They paint themselves and dress up with feathers, pearls and animal skins to represent birds, trees or mountain spirits. Sometimes an important event, such as a legendary battle, is enacted at such a musical festival.

Sport

Sport is an important part of Papua New Guinean culture and rugby league is by far the most popular sport.[44] In a nation where communities are far apart and many people live at a minimal subsistence level, rugby league has been described as a replacement for tribal warfare as a way of explaining the local enthusiasm for the game (a matter of life and death). Many Papua New Guineans have become instant celebrities by representing their country or playing in an overseas professional league. Even Australian rugby league players who have played in the annual (Australian) State of Origin clash, which is celebrated feverishly every year in PNG, are among the most well known people throughout the nation.

State of Origin is a highlight of the year for most Papua New Guineans, although the support is so passionate that many people have died over the years in violent clashes supporting their team.[45] The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team usually plays against the Australian Prime Minister's XIII (a selection of NRL players) each year, normally in Port Moresby.

Other major sports which have a part in the Papua New Guinea sporting landscape are Aussie rules, soccer (football), rugby union and, in eastern Papua, cricket. Its football team ranked worst on FIFA ranking of all countries.[46]

Education

A large proportion of the population is illiterate.[34] Particularly women are affected.[34] Much of the education in the country is provided by church institutions.[47] This includes 500 schools of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea.[48] Papua New Guinea has six universities apart from other major tertiary institutions. The two founding universities are the University of Papua New Guinea based in the National Capital District,[49] and the Papua New Guinea University of Technology based outside of Lae, in Morobe Province.

The four other universities which were once colleges, were established recently after gaining government recognition. These are the University of Goroka in the Eastern Highlands province, Divine Word University (run by the Catholic Church's Divine Word Missionaries) in Madang Province, Vudal University in East New Britain Province and Pacific Adventist University (run by the Seventh Day Adventist Church) in the National Capital District.

Transport

Transport in Papua New Guinea is heavily limited by the country's mountainous terrain. Port Moresby is not linked by road to any of the other major towns, and many remote villages can only be reached by light aircraft or on foot. As a result, air travel is the single most important form of transport for human and high value freight. In addition to two international airfields, Papua New Guinea has 578 airstrips, most of which are unpaved.[50] Assets are not maintained to good operating standards and poor transport remains a major impediment to the development of ties of national unity.

See also

Lists:

Notes

  1. ^ Sir Michael Somare (2004-12-06). "Stable Government, Investment Initiatives, and Economic Growth". Keynote address to the 8th Papua New Guinea Mining and Petroleum Conference (Google cache). http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:our6ovOe0JUJ:www.pm.gov.pg/pmsoffice/PMsoffice.nsf/pages/B6475E51C894229B4A256F6900141A4B%3FOpenDocument. Retrieved 2007-08-09. 
  2. ^ "Never more to rise". The National (February 6, 2006). http://www.thenational.com.pg/020606/w5.htm. Retrieved 2005-01-19. 
  3. ^ Official languages of Papua New Guinea
  4. ^ Central Intelligence Agency (2011). "Papua New Guinea". The World Factbook. Langley, Virginia: Central Intelligence Agency. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nu.html. Retrieved 2011-10-05. 
  5. ^ a b c d "Papua New Guinea". International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2011/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2008&ey=2011&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=853&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=57&pr.y=1. Retrieved 2011-04-21. 
  6. ^ "World Bank data on urbanisation". World Development Indicators. World Bank. 2005. http://devdata.worldbank.org/wdi2005/Table3_10.htm. Retrieved 2005-07-15. 
  7. ^ Gelineau, Kristen (2009-03-26). "Spiders and frogs identified among 50 new species". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/spiders-and-frogs-identified-among-50-new-species-1654296.html. Retrieved 2009-03-26. 
  8. ^ "Constitution of Independent State of Papua New Guinea (consol. to amendment #22)". Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute. http://www.paclii.org/pg/legis/consol_act/cotisopng534/. Retrieved 2005-07-16. 
  9. ^ Human Development Indices, Table 3: Human and income poverty, p. 35. Retrieved on 1 June 2009
  10. ^ Swaddling (1996) p. 282
  11. ^ "From primitive to postcolonial in Melanesia and anthropology". Bruce M. Knauft (1999). University of Michigan Press. p.103. ISBN 0472066870
  12. ^ "Cannibalism Normal For Early Humans?". National Geographic News. April 10, 2003.
  13. ^ Laurence Goldman (1999).The Anthropology of Cannibalism. Greenwood Publishing Group. p.19. ISBN 0897895967
  14. ^ Marianna Torgovnick (1991). Gone Primitive: Savage Intellects, Modern Lives, University of Chicago Press. p.258 ISBN 0226808327
  15. ^ Swaddling (1996), Quote: "Such trade links and the nominal claim of the Sultan of Ceram over New Guinea constituted the legal basis for the Netherlands' claim over West New Guinea and ultimately that of Indonesia over what is new West Papua."
  16. ^ "Remembering the war in New Guinea". Australian War Memorial.
  17. ^ For example, the Creditors Remedies Act (Papua), Ch 47 of the Revised Laws of Papua New Guinea.
  18. ^ General Assembly resolution 3368 (XXX) of 10 October 1975
  19. ^ "Looters shot dead amid chaos of Papua New Guinea's anti-Chinese riots", The Australian, 23 May 2009
  20. ^ "Overseas and under siege", The Economist, 11 August 2009
  21. ^ Bradford, Sarah (1997). Elizabeth: A Biography of Britain's Queen. Riverhead Books. ISBN 1-57322-600-9. 
  22. ^ Papua New Guinea Constitution Schedule 2.2.2
  23. ^ The Constitution of Papua New Guinea sets out the names of the 19 provinces at the time of Independence. Several provinces have changed their names; such changes are not strictly speaking official without a formal constitutional amendment, though "Oro," for example, is universally used in reference to that province.
  24. ^ "''Post-Courier'', "Jiwaka, Hela set to go!" July 15, 2009". Postcourier.com.pg. 2009-07-15. http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090715/news05.htm. Retrieved 2010-06-27. 
  25. ^ "Satellite images show Papua New Guinea deforestation at critical level", Guardian, 2 June 2008.
  26. ^ "Satellite images uncover rapid PNG deforestation". ABC News. June 2, 2008.
  27. ^ "Overcoming economic vulnerability and creating employment" (PDF). Committee for Development Policy. 20–24 March 2006. p. 29. http://www.un.org/esa/policy/devplan/cdppublications/2006cdpreport_3.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-24. 
  28. ^ "Statement of an IMF Mission at the Conclusion of the Staff Visit to Papua New Guinea". Imf.org. 2008-05-12. http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2008/pr08107.htm. Retrieved 2010-06-27. 
  29. ^ Lynne Armitage. "Customary Land Tenure in Papua New Guinea: Status and Prospects" (PDF). Queensland University of Technology. http://dlc.dlib.indiana.edu/archive/00001043/00/armitage.pdf. Retrieved 2005-07-15. [dead link]
  30. ^ HBW International Inc. (September 10, 2003). "Facilitating Foreign Investment through Property Lease Options" (PDF). p. 9. http://www.mj.gov.tl/dntp/rel/DATA/LLP%20I/ARD%20Reports%20and%20studies/Compartive%20Study/Comparative%20study%20by%20HBW%20Inc.pdf. Retrieved 2007-08-28.  See footnote 30 which explains that the precise reference in legislation was not found.
  31. ^ "Chinese targeted in PNG riots – report". News.com.au. May 15, 2009.
  32. ^ "Papua New Guinea". Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
  33. ^ http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/21/languages-on-papua-vanish-without-a-whisper.html
  34. ^ a b c "UNDP.org". Hdrstats.undp.org. http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_PNG.html. Retrieved 2010-06-27. 
  35. ^ "Human Development Report 2009". http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_PNG.html. Retrieved 2010-02-19. 
  36. ^ "Papua New Guinea Overview of malaria control activities and programme results". http://www.rollbackmalaria.org/wmr2005/profiles/papuang.pdf. Retrieved 2010-02-19. 
  37. ^ "HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea". Australia's Aid Program (AusAID). http://www.ausaid.gov.au/country/png/hivaids.cfm. Retrieved 2005-12-16. 
  38. ^ "The State Of The World's Midwifery - Papua New Guinea". United Nations Population Fund. Accessed August 2011. http://www.unfpa.org/sowmy/resources/docs/country_info/profile/en_PapuaNewGuinea_SoWMy_Profile.pdf. 
  39. ^ "US Department of State International Religious Freedom Report 2003". http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2003/24317.htm. Retrieved 2006-03-23. 
  40. ^ "Amazon.com listing for the "Four Corners: A Journey into the Heart of Papua New Guinea"". http://www.amazon.com/Four-Corners-Journey-Heart-Guinea/dp/0792274172/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b. 
  41. ^ Salak, Kira. "Nonfiction book "Four Corners: A Journey into the Heart of Papua New Guinea"". http://www.kirasalak.com/FourCorners.html. 
  42. ^ http://coombs.anu.edu.au/SpecialProj/PNG/MIHALIC/M2/LetterP/puripuri.htm
  43. ^ "Papua New Guinea – culture". Datec Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 1999-02-10. http://web.archive.org/web/19990210114159/www.datec.com.au/png/culture.htm. Retrieved 2005-12-16. 
  44. ^ Hadfield, Dave (1995-10-08). "Island gods high in a dream world". The Independent (independent.co.uk). http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/island-gods-high-in-a-dream-world-1576603.html. Retrieved 2009-10-06. 
  45. ^ "BrisbaneTimes.com.au". BrisbaneTimes.com.au. 2009-06-26. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/three-dead-in-png-after-state-of-origin-violence-20090626-cywd.html. Retrieved 2010-06-27. 
  46. ^ http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ranking/lastranking/gender=m/fullranking.html#confederation=0&rank=205
  47. ^ "Kichte-in-not.de". Kirche-in-not.de. http://www.kirche-in-not.de/aktuelle-meldungen/2009/03-06-papua-neuguinea-weltgebetstag-frauen-2009. Retrieved 2010-06-27. 
  48. ^ "NMZ-mission.de". NMZ-mission.de. http://www.nmz-mission.de/de.partner/de.papua-neuguinea/de.papua-neuguinea.2/index.html. Retrieved 2010-06-27. 
  49. ^ Alfred Vahau, IT Services (2007-01-05). "University of Papua New Guinea". Upng.ac.pg. http://www.upng.ac.pg/index.html. Retrieved 2010-06-27. 
  50. ^ "Papua New Guinea". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pp.html. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 

References

  • Swadling, Pamela (1996). Plumes from Paradise. Papua New Guinea National Museum. ISBN 9980-85-103-1. 

Further reading

External links

Government
General information

Translations:

Papua New Guinea

Top

Dansk (Danish)
n. - Papua New Guinea

Français (French)
n. - Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée

Deutsch (German)
n. - Papua-Neuguinea

Português (Portuguese)
n. - Papua Nova Guinea

Español (Spanish)
n. - Papúa Nueva Guinea

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
巴布亚新几内亚

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 巴布亞紐幾內亞

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮פפואה גינאה החדשה, גינאה החדשה‬


 
 
Related topics:
.pg (abbreviation)
Kina (in banking)
Papuan (peoples)

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