The 1996 CIA World Factbook page on Papua New Guinea

From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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Papua New Guinea

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Map

Location: 6 00 S, 147 00 E -- 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

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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

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Geography

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
Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 147 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total area: 461,690 sq km
land area: 451,710 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 820 km
border country: Indonesia 820 km
Coastline: 5,152 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International 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
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m
Natural resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil potential
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 71%
other: 28%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects
natural hazards: active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Rim of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides
international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Tropical Timber 94
Geographic note: shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast

People

Population: 4,394,537 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 906,709; female 860,534)
15-64 years: 57% (male 1,303,084; female 1,195,245)
65 years and over: 3% (male 59,513; female 69,452) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.29% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 32.93 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 10.01 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.07 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 60.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 57.25 years
male: 56.4 years
female: 58.15 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.45 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean
Ethnic divisions: Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, 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: English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region
note: 715 indigenous languages
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 72.2%
male: 81%
female: 62.7%

Government

Name of country:
conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
abbreviation: PNG
Data code: PP
Type of government: 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 the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1975)
Constitution: 16 September 1975
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 19 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch, represented by Governor General Wiwa KOROWI (since 11 November 1991), who was appointed by the National Executive Council
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Julius CHAN (since 30 August 1994) and Deputy Prime Minister Chris HAIVETA (since 7 September 1994) were appointed by the governor general
cabinet: National Executive Council was appointed by the governor general on recommendation of the prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Parliament (sometimes referred to as the House of A: elections last held 13-26 June 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (109 total) Pangu Party 24, PDM 17, PPP 10, PAP 10, independents 30, others 18; note - 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: Papua New Guinea United Party (Pangu Party), Chris HAIVETA; 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
International organization participation: ACP, APEC, AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kepas Isimel WATANGIA
chancery: 3rd floor, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. TEARE
embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby
mailing address: P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby
telephone: [675] 321-1455
FAX: [675] 321-3423
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

Economy

Economic 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 the bulk 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. In 1995, Port Moresby reached agreement with the IMF and World Bank on a structural adjustment program. PNG will receive loans totaling $350 million over the next two years from a variety of lenders including the Fund, the Bank, the Australian Government, and the Japanese Export-Import Bank. The loans will be provided only if Port Moresby implements significant reforms to liberalize trade and investment policies, reduce the public sector, and promote sustainable development of the forestry sector. At the start of 1996, Port Moresby is looking primarily to the exploitation of mineral and petroleum resources to drive economic development but new prospecting in Papua New Guinea has slumped as other mineral-rich countries have stepped up their competition for international investment. Output from current projects will probably begin to taper off in 1996, but no new large ventures are being developed to succeed them.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $10.2 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: -3% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $2,400 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (1995)
Labor force: 1.941 million
by occupation: agriculture 64% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $1.86 billion
expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Industries: copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity:
capacity: 490,000 kW
production: 1.8 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 390 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables; poultry, pork
Exports: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: gold, copper ore, oil, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, lobster
partners: Australia, Japan, US, Singapore, New Zealand
Imports: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
partners: Australia, Japan, UK, New Zealand, Netherlands
External debt: $3.2 billion (1995)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $291 million (1993)
Currency: 1 kina (K) = 100 toea
Exchange rates: kina (K) per US$1 - 0.7552 (October 1995), 0.9950 (1994), 1.0221 (1993), 1.0367 (1992), 1.0504 (1991); note - the government floated the kina on 10 October 1994
Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation

Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 19,088 km
paved: 640 km
unpaved: 18,448 km (1988 est.)
Waterways: 10,940 km
Ports: Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul
Merchant marine:
total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,565 GRT/27,114 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 3, combination ore/oil 5, container 1, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 451
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 12
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 5
with paved runways under 914 m: 371
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 11
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 51 (1995 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1995 est.)

Communications

Telephones: 63,212 (1986 est.)
Telephone system: 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
Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 298,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 10,000 (1992 est.)

Defense

Branches: Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Special Operations Unit)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 1,143,015
males fit for military service: 635,923 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $40 million, 0.9% of GDP (1995)

Papua New Guinea

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).