Country Details
| Land Area |
452,860 sq km |
Population |
4702000 |
| Capital City |
Port Moresby |
People |
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian |
| Language |
English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region
note: 715 indigenous languages |
Religion |
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% |
| Government Type |
constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democra |
Life Expectancy |
63.46 years |
| HIV/AIDS Rate |
0.22% (1999 est.) |
GNP per Capita |
$2,500 |
| Currency |
kina (PGK) |
Major Exports |
oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, coc |
| National Holiday |
Independence Day, 16 September (1975) |
Dialing Code |
675 |
| Electricity |
220V |
Malaria Risk |
High Risk |
| Water Quality |
Unsafe |
Inoculations |
Typhoid, Polio, Yellow Fever, Malaria, Hepatitis A |
| Crime |
Law and order at low level, armed robbery, sexual assaults. |
Driving License |
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| Photography |
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Entry Regs |
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| Time Zone |
GMT+10 |
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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.
