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:
6,057,263 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.9% (male 1,137,796/female 1,099,365)
15-64 years: 59% (male 1,836,272/female 1,735,298)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 114,789/female 133,743) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.7 years
male: 21.8 years
female: 21.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.069% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Birth rate:
27.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Death rate:
6.86 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 12% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 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 (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 45.23 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 57
male: 49.17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.34 years
country comparison to the world: 160
male: 64.08 years
female: 68.72 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.62 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.5% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
54,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
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 (2009)
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:
Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu are official languages; some 860
indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's total)
note: Tok Pisin, a creole language, is widely used and understood;
English is spoken by 1%-2%; Hiri Motu is spoken by less than 2%
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
People - note:
the indigenous population of Papua New Guinea is one of the most
heterogeneous in the world; PNG has several thousand separate
communities, most with only a few hundred people; divided by
language, customs, and tradition, some of these communities have
engaged in low-scale tribal conflict with their neighbors for
millennia; the advent of modern weapons and modern migrants into
urban areas has greatly magnified the impact of this lawlessness
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 and a Commonwealth realm
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 (autonomous region), 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 the governor
general on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
nominated by parliament and appointed by the chief of state;
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
leader of the majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister
by the governor general acting in accordance with a decision of the
parliament
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 Teddy B. TAYLOR
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 75% 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, currently the highest rate in all of East Asia and the
Pacific, and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia
supplied more than $300 million in aid in FY07/08, which accounts
for nearly 20% of the national budget. A consortium led by a major
American oil company hopes to begin the commercialization of the
country's estimated 227 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves
through the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) production
facility by 2010. The project has the potential to double the GDP of
Papua New Guinea.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$13.17 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
$12.3 billion (2007 est.)
$11.65 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.092 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
5.6% (2007 est.)
2.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,300 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
$2,200 (2007 est.)
$2,100 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 33.3%
industry: 36.3%
services: 30.4% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
3.639 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
1.9% (2004)
country comparison to the world: 17
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)
country comparison to the world: 19
Investment (gross fixed):
19.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Budget:
revenues: $2.62 billion
expenditures: $2.797 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
32.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
59.3% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.7% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
0.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 55
7.38% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.27% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 86
9.78% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.005 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 71
$1.685 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.726 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 86
$1.482 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.065 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 92
$1.486 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$NA (31 December 2007)
$6.632 billion (31 December 2006)
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:
5.6% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
Electricity - production:
2.885 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Electricity - consumption:
2.683 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
38,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
Oil - consumption:
33,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Oil - exports:
32,490 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Oil - imports:
14,380 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Oil - proved reserves:
88 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Natural gas - production:
100 million cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Natural gas - consumption:
100 million cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 131
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Natural gas - proved reserves:
226.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
Current account balance:
$710 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
$193.6 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$5.719 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
$4.748 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish,
prawns
Exports - partners:
Australia 27.2%, Japan 9.2%, China 5.1% (2008)
Imports:
$3.124 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
$2.629 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels,
chemicals
Imports - partners:
Australia 42.6%, Singapore 15.6%, China 11%, Japan 5.8%, Malaysia
4.3% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.987 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
$2.087 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.511 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
$1.646 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
kina (PGK) per US dollar - 2.6956 (2008 est.), 3.03 (2007), 3.0643
(2006), 3.08 (2005), 3.2225 (2004)
Communications ::Papua New Guinea
Telephones - main lines in use:
60,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 158
Telephones - mobile cellular:
600,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 152
Telephone system:
general assessment: services are minimal; facilities provide
radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and
international radio communication services
domestic: access to telephone services is not widely available;
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 11 per 100
persons
international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and
Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);
international radio communication service (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (all in the Port Moresby area; stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae,
and Rabaul are planned) (2004)
Internet country code:
.pg
Internet hosts:
3,432 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 140
Internet users:
120,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 147
Transportation ::Papua New Guinea
Airports:
560 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 12
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 539
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 63
under 914 m: 467 (2009)
Heliports:
2 (2009)
Pipelines:
oil 195 km (2008)
Roadways:
total: 19,600 km
country comparison to the world: 111
paved: 686 km
unpaved: 18,914 km (2000)
Waterways:
11,000 km (2006)
country comparison to the world: 12
Merchant marine:
total: 21
country comparison to the world: 98
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 17, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned: 6 (UAE 6) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Kimbe, Lae, Madang, Rabaul, Wewak
Military ::Papua New Guinea
Military branches:
Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF; includes Maritime Operations
Element, Air Operations Element) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental
consent); no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,481,417
females age 16-49: 1,385,040 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,110,175
females age 16-49: 1,127,758 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 64,636
female: 62,803 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Transnational Issues ::Papua New Guinea
Disputes - international:
relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border
activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods smuggling,
illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 10,177 (Indonesia) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Papua New Guinea is a country of destination for
women and children from Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and
China trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation;
internal trafficking of women and children for the purposes of
sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude occurs as well
tier rating: Tier 3 - Papua New Guinea does not fully comply with
the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not
making significant efforts to do so; the current legal framework
does not contain elements of crimes that characterize trafficking;
the government lacks victim protection services or a systematic
procedure to identify victims of trafficking; the government did not
prosecute anyone in 2007 for trafficking; Papua New Guinea has not
ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major consumer of cannabis
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Paracel Islands (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Paracel Islands
Background:
The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and
by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed
the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island;
maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has
occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a
South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. China built
a military installation on Mischief Reef in 1999. The islands are
claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.
Geography ::Paracel Islands
Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South
China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the
northern Philippines
Geographic coordinates:
16 30 N, 112 00 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
NA
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
518 km
Maritime claims:
NA
Climate:
tropical
Terrain:
mostly low and flat
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Natural resources:
none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
typhoons
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the
northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group
People ::Paracel Islands
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons
Government ::Paracel Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands
Economy ::Paracel Islands
Economy - overview:
The islands have the potential for oil and gas development. Waters
around the islands support commercial fishing, but the islands
themselves are not populated on a permanent basis. China announced
plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.
Transportation ::Paracel Islands
Airports:
1 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 227
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Ports and terminals:
small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island
being expanded
Military ::Paracel Islands
Military - note:
occupied by China
Transnational Issues ::Paracel Islands
Disputes - international:
occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
page last updated on September 22, 2009
======================================================================
@Paraguay (South America)
Introduction ::Paraguay
Background:
Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain in 1811. In the
disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between Paraguay
and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - Paraguay lost two-thirds of all
adult males and much of its territory. The country stagnated
economically for the next half century. Following the Chaco War of
1932-35 with Bolivia, Paraguay gained a large part of the Chaco
lowland region. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo
STROESSNER ended in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in
political infighting in recent years, Paraguay has held relatively
free and regular presidential elections since then.
Geography ::Paraguay
Location:
Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Geographic coordinates:
23 00 S, 58 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 406,752 sq km
country comparison to the world: 59
land: 397,302 sq km
water: 9,450 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries:
total: 3,995 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern
portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Terrain:
grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco
region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river,
and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 7.47%
permanent crops: 0.24%