Papua New Guinea

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.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook)

related countries: Australia, Germany, United Kingdom
border countries: Indonesia

Official Name:
Papuaniugini
short form: Papua New Guinea
int'l long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
int'l short form: Papua New Guinea
former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea
abbr.: PNG

ISO Country Code: pg

Time:
Local Time = UTC +10h

Country Calling Code: +675

Capital City: Port Moresby (pop. 255 000)

Other Cities: Lae (78 000), Mt. Hagen (28 000).

Government:
Type: Constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy.
Independence: 16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)
Constitution: September 16, 1975.

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.
Area: 462 860 sq. km.
Terrain: Mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills. The majority of the people live in fertile highlands valleys that were unknown to the outside world until the 1930s, but that supported agriculture some 10,000 years ago, possibly before agriculture was developed elsewhere.
Highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4 509 m

Climate: Tropical. NW monsoon, Dec-Mar. SE monsoon, May-Oct.

People:
Nationality: Papua New Guinean(s)
Population: 5.9 million.
Ethnic Groups: Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Religions: Christians 66%, indigenous beliefs 34%
Languages: Three official: English, Tok Pisin, and Motu. There are approximately 860 other languages.
Literacy - total population: 55-60%

Natural resources: Gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries.

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.

Exports partners: Australia 28.8%, Japan 8.6%, China 5.4% (2005)

Imports partners: Australia 54.7%, Singapore 13.4%, Japan 4.3%, Malaysia 4.2% (2005)

Currency: Kina (PGK)