Papua New Guinea

The following is the entry for Papua New Guinea from the CIA World Fact Book, 1992 edition.

:Papua New Guinea Geography

Total area:

461,690 km2

Land area:

451,710 km2

Comparative area:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:

820 km; Indonesia 820 km

Coastline:

5,152 km

Maritime claims:

(measured from claimed archipelagic baselines)

Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Disputes:

none

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

Natural resources:

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

Land use:

arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures NEGL%; forest and woodland 71%; other 28%

Environment:

one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast; some active volcanos; frequent earthquakes

Note:

shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia

:Papua New Guinea People

Population:

4,006,509 (July 1992), growth rate 2.3% (1992)

Birth rate:

34 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate:

11 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Net migration rate:

0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

Infant mortality rate:

67 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth:

55 years male, 56 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate:

4.9 children born/woman (1992)

Nationality:

noun - Papua New Guinean(s); adjective - Papua New Guinean

Ethnic divisions:

predominantly Melanesian and Papuan; some Negrito, Micronesian, and Polynesian

Religions:

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

Languages:

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

Literacy:

52% (male 65%, female 38%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Labor force:

Organized labor:

more than 50 trade unions, some with fewer than 20 members

:Papua New Guinea Government

Long-form name:

Independent State of Papua New Guinea

Type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

Port Moresby

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

16 September 1975 (from UN trusteeship under Australian administration)

Constitution:

16 September 1975

Legal system:

based on English common law

National holiday:

Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Executive branch:

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, National Executive Council (cabinet)

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Parliament (sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Leaders:

Chief of State:

Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Wiwa KOROWI (since NA November 1991)

Head of Government:

Prime Minister Paias WINGTI (since 17 July 1992)

Political parties and leaders:

Papua New Guinea United Party (Pangu Party), Rabbie NAMALIU; People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Paias WINGTI; People's Action Party (PAP), Akoka DOI; People's Progress Party (PPP), Sir Julius CHAN; United Party (UP), Paul TORATO; Papua Party (PP), Galeva KWARARA; National Party (NP), Paul PORA; Melanesian Alliance (MA), Fr. John MOMIS

Suffrage:

universal at age 18

Elections:

National Parliament:

last held 13-26 June 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent by party NA; seats - (109 total) Pangu Party 24, PDM 17, PPP 10, PAP 10, independents 30, others 18

Member of:

ACP, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM (observer), SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation:

Ambassador Margaret TAYLOR; Chancery at 3rd floor, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 745-3680

US: Ambassador Robert W. FARRAND; Embassy at Armit Street, Port Moresby (mailing address is P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby, or APO AE 96553); telephone [675] 211-455 or 594, 654; FAX [675] 213-423

:Papua New Guinea Government

Flag:

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

:Papua New Guinea Economy

Overview:

Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by the rugged terrain and the high cost of developing an infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. Mining of numerous deposits, including copper and gold, accounts for about 60% of export earnings. Budgetary support from Australia and development aid under World Bank auspices have helped sustain the economy. Robust growth in 1991 was led by the mining sector; the opening of a large new gold mine featured in the advance.

GDP:

exchange rate conversion - $3.1 billion, per capita $800; real growth rate 9% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.8% (first half 1991)

Unemployment rate:

5% (1988)

Budget:

revenues $1.26 billion; expenditures $1.46 billion, including capital expenditures of $273 million (1992 est.)

Exports:

$1.14 billion (f.o.b., 1990)

commodities:

copper ore, gold, coffee, logs, palm oil, cocoa, lobster

partners:

FRG, Japan, Australia, UK, Spain, US

Imports:

$1.18 billion (c.i.f., 1990)

commodities:

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

partners:

Australia, Singapore, Japan, US, New Zealand, UK

External debt:

$2.2 billion (April 1991)

Industrial production:

growth rate 2.4% (1990 est.); accounts for 25% of GDP

Electricity:

397,000 kW capacity; 1,510 million kWh produced, 400 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries:

copra crushing, oil palm processing, plywood processing, wood chip production, gold, silver, copper, construction, tourism

Agriculture:

one-third of GDP; livelihood for 85% of population; fertile soils and favorable climate permits cultivating a wide variety of crops; cash crops - coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels; other products - tea, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, poultry, pork; net importer of food for urban centers

Economic aid:

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $40.6 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $6.5 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $17 million

Currency:

kina (plural - kina); 1 kina (K) = 100 toea

Exchange rates:

kina (K) per US$1 - 1.0413 (March 1992), 1.0508 (1991), 1.0467 (1990), 1.1685 (1989), 1.1538 (1988), 1.1012 (1987)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

:Papua New Guinea Communications

Railroads:

none

Highways:

19,200 km total; 640 km paved, 10,960 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized-soil surface, 7,600 km unimproved earth

Inland waterways:

10,940 km

Ports:

Anewa Bay, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul

Merchant marine:

8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 14,102 GRT/16,016 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 3 combination ore/oil, 1 bulk, 1 container

Civil air:

about 15 major transport aircraft

Airports:

503 total, 460 usable; 18 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 39 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications:

services are adequate and being improved; facilities provide radiobroadcast, radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radiocommunication services; submarine cables extend to Australia and Guam; 51,700 telephones (1985); broadcast stations - 31 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV (1987); 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

:Papua New Guinea Defense Forces

Branches:

Papua New Guinea Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air Force)

Manpower availability:

males 15-49, 1,013,812; 564,081 fit for military service

Defense expenditures:

exchange rate conversion - $42 million, 1.3% of GDP (1989 est.)

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