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:
NA
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, Nationa