ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA
(observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias
chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Houston, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan
(Puerto Rico), Tampa
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William A. EATON
embassy: Edificio 783, Avenida Demetrio Basilio Lakas Panama,
Apartado Postal 0816-02561, Zona 5, Panama City
mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
telephone: [507] 207-7000
FAX: [507] 317-5568
Flag description:
divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white
(hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain
red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with
a red five-pointed star in the center
Economy
Panama
Economy - overview:
Panama's dollarized economy rests primarily on a well-developed
services sector that accounts for two-thirds of GDP. Services
include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone,
insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. Economic
growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that
began in 2007 and should be completed by 2014 at a cost of $5.3
billion (about 30% of current GDP). The expansion project will more
than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate ships
that are now too large to transverse the transoceanic crossway and
should help to reduce the high unemployment rate. The government has
implemented tax reforms, as well as social security reforms, and
backs regional trade agreements and development of tourism. Not a
CAFTA signatory, Panama in December 2006 independently negotiated a
free trade agreement with the US, which, when implemented, will help
promote the country's economic growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$34.81 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$19.74 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
11.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.6%
industry: 16.4%
services: 77% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.362 million
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled
labor (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 18%
services: 67% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
6.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
37% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 43% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56.1 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $5.505 billion
expenditures: $4.822 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
53% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.2% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.25% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$3.054 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$14.26 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$17.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp
Industries:
construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials,
sugar milling
Industrial production growth rate:
10.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
5.805 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
4.768 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
124.9 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
8.74 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 37%
hydro: 61.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 1.7% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
92,790 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
4,447 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
88,790 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.577 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$9.312 billion f.o.b.; note - includes the Colon Free Zone (2007
est.)
Exports - commodities:
bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing
Exports - partners:
US 35.6%, Netherlands 10.2%, China 6%, Sweden 5.5%, UK 5.4%, Costa
Rica 5.1%, Spain 5% (2007)
Imports:
$12.62 billion f.o.b.
note: includes the Colon Free Zone (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals
Imports - partners:
US 32.8%, Netherlands Antilles 7.6%, China 5.6%, Japan 5.1%, Costa
Rica 5.1%, South Korea 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$19.54 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.935 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$10.45 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.074 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
PAB; USD
Exchange rates:
balboas (PAB) per US dollar - 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1
(2004), 1 (2003)
Communications
Panama
Telephones - main lines in use:
491,900 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.392 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic and international facilities well
developed
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is
approaching 90 per 100 persons
international: country code - 507; landing point for the Americas
Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), the MAYA-1, and PAN-AM
submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US and
parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to
the Central American Microwave System (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
815,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
38 (including repeaters) (1998)
Televisions:
510,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.pa
Internet hosts:
7,858 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)
Internet users:
525,200 (2007)
Transportation
Panama
Airports:
116 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 54
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 29 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 62
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 50 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Railways:
total: 355 km
standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 278 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 11,978 km
paved: 4,300 km
unpaved: 7,343 km (2002)
Waterways:
800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 6,323
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2,143, cargo 1,208, carrier
13, chemical tanker 565, combination ore/oil 6, container 790,
liquefied gas 189, passenger 44, passenger/cargo 71, petroleum
tanker 557, refrigerated cargo 265, roll on/roll off 128,
specialized tanker 29, vehicle carrier 313
foreign-owned: 5,394 (Albania 2, Argentina 8, Australia 4,
Azerbaijan 1, Bahamas 9, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 2, British Virgin
Islands 1, Bulgaria 3, Burma 1, Canada 18, Chile 12, China 532,
Colombia 4, Croatia 3, Cuba 10, Cyprus 19, Denmark 40, Dominican
Republic 1, Ecuador 4, Egypt 17, Estonia 5, Finland 2, France 5,
Gabon 1, Germany 44, Gibraltar 1, Greece 510, Hong Kong 130, India
27, Indonesia 31, Iran 7, Israel 3, Italy 28, Japan 2,335, Jordan
13, North Korea 1, South Korea 303, Kuwait 2, Latvia 8, Lebanon 5,
Lithuania 7, Malaysia 12, Maldives 1, Malta 3, Mexico 2, Monaco 16,
Netherlands 14, Nigeria 10, Norway 89, Oman 2, Pakistan 9, Peru 16,
Philippines 7, Poland 11, Portugal 9, Qatar 1, Romania 7, Russia 18,
Saudi Arabia 16, Singapore 100, Spain 50, Sri Lanka 1, Sweden 6,
Switzerland 25, Syria 32, Taiwan 320, Thailand 10, Tunisia 1, Turkey
94, Turks and Caicos Islands 1, Ukraine 10, UAE 109, UK 59, US 126,
Venezuela 10, Vietnam 30, Yemen 6)
registered in other countries: 3 (Marshall Islands 1, Sierra Leone
1, Venezuela 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Balboa, Colon, Cristobal
Military
Panama
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes
the Panamanian National Police (PNP), National Maritime Service
(NMS), and National Air Service (NAS) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 851,044 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 673,103 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 31,042
female: 29,969 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1% of GDP (2006)
Military - note:
on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA
abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by
creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's
Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting
the creation of a standing military force but allowing the temporary
establishment of special police units to counter acts of "external
aggression"
Transnational Issues
Panama
Disputes - international:
organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within
the remote border region with Panama
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Panama is a source, transit, and destination
country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of
commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are
Panamanian women and children trafficked within the country into the
sex trade; rural children in Panama may be trafficked internally to
urban areas for labor exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Panama is on the Tier 2 Watch List
for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human
trafficking, particularly with respect to prosecuting, convicting,
and sentencing human traffickers for their crimes, and for failing
to provide adequate victim assistance (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering
center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is
especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center;
negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial
transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major
problem
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Papua New Guinea
Introduction
Papua New Guinea
Background:
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.
Geography
Papua New Guinea
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
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 147 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 462,840 sq km
land: 452,860 sq km
water: 9,980 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 820 km
border countries: Indonesia 820 km
Coastline:
5,152 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
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
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m
Natural resources:
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries
Land use:
arable land: 0.49%
permanent crops: 1.4%
other: 98.11% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
801 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.1 cu km/yr (56%/43%/1%)
per capita: 17 cu m/yr (1987)
Natural hazards:
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the
country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud
slides; tsunamis
Environment - current issues:
rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing
commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining
projects; severe drought
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest
swamps along southwest coast
People
Papua New Guinea
Population:
5,931,769 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.3% (male 1,124,174/female 1,086,478)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 1,791,342/female 1,690,089)
65 years and over: 4% (male 111,023/female 128,663) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.5 years
male: 21.6 years
female: 21.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.118% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
28.14 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.96 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 46.67 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 50.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66 years
male: 63.76 years
female: 68.35 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.71 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
60,000 (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
600 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean
Ethnic groups:
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Religions:
Roman Catholic 27%, Evangelical Lutheran 19.5%, United Church 11.5%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%, Evangelical Alliance
5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other Protestant 8.9%, Bahai
0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census)
Languages:
Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English spoken by
1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region
note: 820 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's
total)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.3%
male: 63.4%
female: 50.9% (2000 census)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government
Papua New Guinea
Country name:
conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
local short form: Papuaniugini
former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea
abbreviation: PNG
Government type:
constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Port Moresby
geographic coordinates: 9 30 S, 147 10 E
time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East
New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay,
Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE (since 29 June
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2
August 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Puka TEMU (since 29 August 2007)
cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by governor general on
recommendation of prime minister
elections: monarch is hereditary; governor general nominated by
parliament and appointed by chief of state; following legislative
elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition
usually is appointed prime minister by governor general
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (109 seats, 89 filled from open
electorates and 20 from provinces and national capital district;
members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms);
constitution allows up to 126 seats
elections: last held from 30 June to 10 July 2007; next to be held
in June 2012
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
National Alliance 27, PNGP 8, PAP 6, URP 6, PANGU 5, PDM 5,
independents 19, others 33; note - election to 1 seat was nullified
note: 15 other parties won 4 or fewer seats; 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:
National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE]; Papua and Niugini
Union Party or PANGU PATI [Andrew KUMBAKOR]; Papua New Guinea Party
or PNGP [Sir Mekere MORAUTA]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM
[Michael OGIO]; People's Action Party or PAP [Gabriel KAPRIS];
United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA] (2007)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ahora [Andrew MAMOKO] (represents local tribes); Centre for
Environment Law and Community Rights or Celcor [Damien ASE];
Community Coalition Against Corruption
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC
20036
telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Leslie V. ROWE
embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D.
mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State,
Washington DC 20521-4240
telephone: [675] 321-1455
FAX: [675] 321-3423
Flag 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
Economy
Papua New Guinea
Economy - overview:
Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but
exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost
of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence
livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including
copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export
earnings. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended much
of its energy remaining in power. He was the first prime minister
ever to serve a full five-year term. The government also brought
stability to the national budget, largely through expenditure
control; however, it relaxed spending constraints in 2006 and 2007
as elections approached. Numerous challenges still face the
government including regaining investor confidence, restoring
integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by
privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations
with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural
challenges could upend the economy including a worsening HIV/AIDS
epidemic and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia
will supply more than $300 million in aid in FY07/08, which accounts
for nearly 20% of the national budget.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.05 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$6.001 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 34%
industry: 37.3%
services: 28.7% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
3.557 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
1.9% up to 80% in urban areas (2004)
Population below poverty line:
37% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.7%
highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.9 (1996)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.363 billion
expenditures: $2.21 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
40.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7.38% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.78% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.685 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.482 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.486 billion (31 December 2007)
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
Industrial production growth rate:
6.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
2.875 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.674 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 54.1%
hydro: 45.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
42,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
29,050 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
39,310 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
24,150 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
88 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
140 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
140 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
226.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$125.8 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.686 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish,
prawns
Exports - partners:
Australia 27.3%, Japan 9.5%, China 5.7% (2007)
Imports:
$2.629 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels,
chemicals
Imports - partners:
Australia 51.3%, Singapore 11.6%, China 7.9%, Japan 5.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$266.1 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.087 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.646 billion (31 December 2007 est.)