Papua New Guinea

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

3 (2000)

Internet country code

.pg

Internet users

135,000 (2001)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Radios

410,000 (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: services are adequate and being improved; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services domestic: mostly radiotelephone international: submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service

Telephones - main lines in use

61,152 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular

3,053 (1996)

Television broadcast stations

3 (all in the Port Moresby area) note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned (2002)

Televisions

59,841 (1999)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $894 million expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $344 million (2000 est.)

Currency

kina (PGK)

Currency code

PGK

Debt - external

$2.6 billion (2000 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

51 (1996)

Economic aid - recipient

$400 million (1999 est.)

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 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings. The economy has declined over the past two years and will probably continue to falter in 2002. Prime Minister Mekere MORAUTA has 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. The government has had considerable success in attracting international support, specifically gaining the support of the IMF and the World Bank in securing development assistance loans. Significant challenges remain for MORAUTA, however, including gaining further investor confidence, specifically for the proposed Papua New Guinea-Australia oil pipeline, continuing efforts to privatize government assets, and maintaining the support of members of Parliament.

Electricity - consumption

1.535 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production

1.65 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 55% hydro: 45% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

kina per US dollar - 3.706 (January 2002), 3.374 (2001), 2.765 (2000), 2.539 (1999), 2.058 (1998), 1.434 (1997)

Exports

$1.8 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Australia 30%, Japan 11%, China 6%, Germany 4%, South Korea 4%, UK 3%, Philippines 1%, US 1% (2000)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $12.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 30% industry: 37% services: 33% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-2.5% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 41% (1996) (1996)

Imports

$1.024 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Australia 50%, Singapore 20%, Japan 4%, NZ 4%, Indonesia 3%, Malaysia 3%, US 2% (2000)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production; construction, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force

2.3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 85%, industry NA%, services NA%

Population below poverty line

37%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 462,840 sq km land: 452,860 sq km water: 9,980 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than California

Climate

tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

5,152 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Environment - current issues

rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought

Environment - international agreements

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates

6 00 S, 147 00 E

Geography - note

shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

total: 820 km border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Land use

arable land: 0.13% permanent crops: 1.35% other: 98.52% (1998 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

Natural hazards

active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills

Administrative divisions

20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain

Capital

Port Moresby

Constitution

16 September 1975

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Susan S. JACOBS embassy: Douglas Street (adjacent to the Bank of Papua New Guinea), Port Moresby mailing address: P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby, HCD121 telephone: [675] 321-1455 FAX: [675] 321-1593

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Silas ATOPARE (since 13 November 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since NA August 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Allan MARAT (since NA August 2002) cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the National Executive Council; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the governor general

Flag description

divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered

Government type

constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy

Independence

16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)

International organization participation

ACP, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (associate member), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission)

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14-28 June 1997 (next to be held 15 June 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - PPP 15%, Pangu Pati 14%, NA 14%, PDM 8%, PNC 6%, PAP 5%, UP 3%, NP 1%, PUP 1%, independents 33%; seats by party - PPP 16, Pangu Pati 15, NA 15, PDM 9, PNC 7, PAP 5, UP 3, NP 1, PUP 1, independents 37; note - association with political parties is very fluid

National holiday

Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Political parties and leaders

Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [leader NA]; National Alliance or NA [George MANDA, party president]; National Front Party [leader NA]; National Party or NP [Michael MEL]; Papua New Guinea Revival Party [John PUNDARI]; Papua New Guinea United Party or Pangu Pati [Chris HAIVETA]; People's Action Party or PAP [Ted DIRO]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Sir Mekere MORAUTA]; People's Labor Party or PLP [Peter YAMA]; People's National Congress or PNC [Bill SKATE]; People's Progress Party or PPP [Michael NALI]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Alfred KAIABE]; United Party or UP [Rimbiuk PATO] note: more than 40 political parties have registered to participate in the June 2002 elections

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

Military branches

Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Ground Force, Maritime Operations Element, and Air Operations Element)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$42 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,338,003 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 740,085 (2002 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 38.6% (male 1,013,936; female 980,841) 15-64 years: 57.7% (male 1,544,650; female 1,440,628) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 90,661; female 101,317) (2002 est.)

Birth rate

31.61 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate

7.75 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups

Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.22% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

450 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

5,400 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

56.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages

English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region note: 715 indigenous languages

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 63.83 years female: 66.03 years (2002 est.) male: 61.73 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 64.5% male: 72% female: 57% (2000)

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population

5,172,033 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate

2.39% (2002 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs 34%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.21 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

490 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 470 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 56 under 914 m: 403 (2002)

Heliports

2 (2002)

Highways

total: 19,600 km paved: 686 km unpaved: 18,914 km (1996)

Merchant marine

total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 40,911 GRT/58,723 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 2, United Kingdom 7 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 10, chemical tanker 1, combination ore/oil 3, container 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3

Ports and harbors

Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul

Railways

0 km

Waterways

10,940 km