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East & Southeast Asia :: 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. Since 2001, Bougainville has experienced autonomy. Under the terms of a peace accord, 2015 is the year that a five-year window opens for a referendum on the question of independence.

- ## 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
  country comparison to the world: 55
  Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California
  Land boundaries:
  total: 824 km
  border countries (1): Indonesia 824 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:
  agricultural land: 2.6%
  arable land 0.7%; permanent crops 1.5%; permanent pasture 0.4%
  forest: 63.1%
  other: 34.3% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (2003)
  Total renewable water resources:
  801 cu km (2011)
  Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
  total: 0.39 cu km/yr (57%/43%/0%)
  per capita: 61.3 cu m/yr (2005)
  Natural hazards:
  active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis
  volcanism: severe volcanic activity; Ulawun (elev. 2,334 m), one of Papua New Guinea's potentially most dangerous volcanoes, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Rabaul (elev. 688 m) destroyed the city of Rabaul in 1937 and 1994; Lamington erupted in 1951 killing 3,000 people; Manam's 2004 eruption forced the island's abandonment; other historically active volcanoes include Bam, Bagana, Garbuna, Karkar, Langila, Lolobau, Long Island, Pago, St. Andrew Strait, Victory, and Waiowa
  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 and Society :: PAPUA NEW GUINEA

- Nationality:
  noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
  adjective: Papua New Guinean
  Ethnic groups:
  Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
  Languages:
  Tok Pisin (official), English (official), Hiri Motu (official), some 836 indigenous languages spoken (about 12% of the world's total); most languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers
  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%
  Religions:
  Roman Catholic 27%, Protestant 69.4% (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%), Baha'i 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census)
  Population:
  6,672,429 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 106
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 34.45% (male 1,169,870/female 1,128,631)
  15-24 years: 19.77% (male 668,327/female 650,672)
  25-54 years: 36.43% (male 1,253,827/female 1,177,004)
  55-64 years: 5.3% (male 179,075/female 174,721)
  65 years and over: 4.05% (male 139,060/female 131,242) (2015 est.)
  population pyramid:
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 67.1%
  youth dependency ratio: 62.1%
  elderly dependency ratio: 5%
  potential support ratio: 19.9% (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 22.6 years
  male: 22.8 years
  female: 22.5 years (2015 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  1.78% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 66
  Birth rate:
  24.38 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Death rate:
  6.53 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 147
  Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 85
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 13% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 2.12% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  PORT MORESBY (capital) 345,000 (2015)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  25-54 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 38.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 42.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 34.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 53
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 67.03 years
  male: 64.81 years
  female: 69.36 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 169
  Total fertility rate:
  3.16 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 51
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  32.4% (2006/07)
  Health expenditures:
  4.5% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 137
  Physicians density:
  0.06 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 88% of population
  rural: 32.8% of population
  total: 40% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 12% of population
  rural: 67.2% of population
  total: 60% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 56.4% of population
  rural: 13.3% of population
  total: 18.9% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 43.6% of population
  rural: 86.7% of population
  total: 81.1% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.72% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 53
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  31,900 (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 69
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  900 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 69
  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 (2013)
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  25.5% (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 115
  Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
  27.9% (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 19
  Education expenditures:
  NA
  Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 64.2%
  male: 65.6%
  female: 62.8% (2015 est.)
  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 27 S, 147 11 E
  time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  Administrative divisions:
  20 provinces, 1 autonomous region*, and 1 district**; Bougainville*, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Hela, Jiwaka, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital**, New Ireland, Northern, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain, West Sepik
  Independence:
  16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)
  National holiday:
  Independence Day, 16 September (1975)
  Constitution:
  adopted 15 August 1975, effective at independence 16 September 1975; amended many times, last in 2003 (2013)
  Legal system:
  mixed legal system of English common law and customary law
  International law organization participation:
  has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Michael OGIO (since 25 February 2011)
  head of government: Prime Minister Peter Paire O'NEILL (since 2 August 2011); Deputy Prime Minister Leo DION (since 9 August 2012)
  cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
  elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general nominated by the National Parliament and appointed by the chief of state; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general pending the outcome of a National Parliament vote
  election results: Peter Paire O'NEILL (PNC) elected prime minister; National Parliament vote - 94 to 12
  Legislative branch:
  description: unicameral National Parliament (111 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies - 91 local and 20 provincial - by majority preferential vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - the constitution allows up to 126 seats
  note: 14 other parties won 3 or fewer seats; association with political parties is fluid
  elections: last held from 23 June 2012 to 27 July 2012 (next to be held in June 2017)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's National Congress Party 27, Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party 12, PNG Party 8, National Alliance Party 7, United Resources Party 7, People's Party 6, People's Progess Party 6, other 22, independent 16
  Judicial branch:
  highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and 28 other judges); National Courts (10 courts located in the province capitals, with a total of 16 resident judges)
  judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the governor-general upon advice of the National Executive Council (cabinet) after consultation with the National Justice Administration Minister; deputy chief justice and other justices appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, a 5-member body to include the Supreme Court chief and deputy chief justices, the chief ombudsman, and a member of the National Parliament; citizen judges appointed for 10-year renewable terms; non-citizen judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms; appointment and tenure of National Court resident judges NA
  subordinate courts: district, village, and juvenile courts
  Political parties and leaders:
  National Alliance Party or NA [Patrick PRUAITCHI]
  Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Beldan NEMAH]
  People's National Congress Party or PNC [Peter Paire O'NEILL]
  People's Party or PP (merged with People's National Congress Party)
  People's Progress Party or PPP [Sir Julius CHAN]
  Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party or THE [Don POYLE]
  United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA]
  note: as of 13 March 2012, 41 political parties were registered
  Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Centre for Environment Law and Community Rights or Celcor [Damien ASE]
  Community Coalition Against Corruption
  National Council of Women
  Transparency International Papau New Guinea or TI PNG (chapter of Transparency International)
  International organization participation:
  ACP, ADB, AOSIS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (observer), C, CD, CP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rupa Abraham MALINA (since 10 March 2014)
  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 Walter E. NORTH (since 7 November 2012); note - also accredited to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu
  embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D.
  mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby Place, 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; red, black, and yellow are traditional colors of Papua New Guinea; the bird of paradise - endemic to the island of New Guinea - is an emblem of regional tribal culture and represents the emergence of Papua New Guinea as a nation; the Southern Cross, visible in the night sky, symbolizes Papua New Guinea's connection with Australia and several other countries in the South Pacific
  National symbol(s):
  bird of paradise; national colors: red, black
  National anthem:
  name: "O Arise All You Sons"
  lyrics/music: Thomas SHACKLADY
  note: adopted 1975

- ## Economy :: PAPUA NEW GUINEA

- Economy - overview:
  Papua New Guinea (PNG) is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain, land tenure issues, and the high cost of developing infrastructure. The economy has a small formal sector, focused mainly on the export of those natural resources, and an informal sector, employing the majority of the population. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the people. Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. Natural gas reserves amount to an estimated 155 billion cubic meters. A consortium led by a major American oil company is constructing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facility that could begin exporting in 2014. As the largest investment project in the country's history, it has the potential to double GDP in the near-term and triple Papua New Guinea's export revenue. An American-owned firm also opened PNG's first oil refinery in 2004 and is building a second LNG production facility. The government faces the challenge of ensuring transparency and accountability for revenues flowing from this and other large LNG projects. In 2011 and 2012, the National Parliament passed legislation that created an offshore Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) to manage government surpluses from mineral, oil, and natural gas projects. In recent years, the government has opened up markets in telecommunications and air transport, making both more affordable to the people. Numerous challenges still face the government of Peter O'NEILL, including providing physical security for foreign investors, regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and maintaining good relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including chronic law and order and land tenure issues. The global financial crisis had little impact because of continued foreign demand for PNG's commodities.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $18.07 billion (2014 est.)
  $17.07 billion (2013 est.)
  $16.18 billion (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 146
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $16.06 billion (2014 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  5.8% (2014 est.)
  5.5% (2013 est.)
  8.1% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 40
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $2,400 (2014 est.)
  $2,300 (2013 est.)
  $2,100 (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 198
  Gross national saving:
  9.1% of GDP (2014 est.)
  -6.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
  -27.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 155
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 58.6%
  government consumption: 10.6%
  investment in fixed capital: 14%
  investment in inventories: 0.5%
  exports of goods and services: 68.5%
  imports of goods and services: -52.2%
  (2014 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 26.3%
  industry: 39%
  services: 34.8% (2014 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla; poultry, pork; shellfish
  Industries:
  copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining (gold, silver, copper); crude oil and petroleum products; construction, tourism
  Industrial production growth rate:
  7.1% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 29
  Labor force:
  4.171 million (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 90
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 85%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA% (2005 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  1.9% (2008 est.)
  1.7% (2004)
  country comparison to the world: 10
  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: 17
  Budget:
  revenues: $4.464 billion
  expenditures: $5.592 billion (2014 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  27.7% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 101
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -7% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 191
  Public debt:
  32.3% of GDP (2014 est.)
  27.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 119
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.3% (2014 est.)
  3.5% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 173
  Central bank discount rate:
  14% (31 December 2010)
  6.92% (31 December 2009)
  country comparison to the world: 11
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  10.1% (31 December 2014 est.)
  10.13% (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 84
  Stock of narrow money:
  $5.388 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $4.975 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 96
  Stock of broad money:
  $8.085 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $7.477 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $5.922 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $5.312 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 116
  Market value of publicly traded shares:
  $10.71 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
  $8.999 billion (31 December 2011)
  $9.742 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 74
  Current account balance:
  -$1.947 billion (2014 est.)
  -$2.914 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 49
  Exports:
  $7.418 billion (2014 est.)
  $5.564 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 104
  Exports - commodities:
  oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns
  Exports - partners:
  Australia 23.6%, Japan 15.6%, China 9.1% (2014)
  Imports:
  $4.255 billion (2014 est.)
  $5.229 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 140
  Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
  Imports - partners:
  Australia 26.5%, Algeria 23.2%, Singapore 11.4%, China 8.7%, Malaysia 5.9% (2014)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $3.647 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $2.826 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 104
  Debt - external:
  $30.87 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $28.07 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 73
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
  $NA
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
  $NA
  Exchange rates:
  kina (PGK) per US dollar -
  2.435 (2014 est.)
  2.2445 (2013 est.)
  2.08 (2012 est.)
  2.371 (2011 est.)
  2.7193 (2010 est.)

- ## Energy :: PAPUA NEW GUINEA

- Electricity - production:
  3.325 billion kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 129
  Electricity - consumption:
  3.092 billion kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 131
  Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 185
  Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 189
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  700,000 kW (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 133
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  61.1% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 132
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  30.9% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 75
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  8% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 40
  Crude oil - production:
  28,090 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 66
  Crude oil - exports:
  28,400 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 51
  Crude oil - imports:
  14,880 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 73
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  185.9 million bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 61
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  17,330 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 96
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  22,170 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 127
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  3,536 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 95
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  5,937 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 144
  Natural gas - production:
  100 million cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 81
  Natural gas - consumption:
  100 million cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 106
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 164
  Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 119
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  155.3 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 48
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  3.385 million Mt (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 139

- ## Communications :: PAPUA NEW GUINEA

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 150,000
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 137
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 3.4 million
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 51 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 132
  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 although combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity has increased to roughly 40 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service (2009)
  Broadcast media:
  2 TV stations, 1 commercial station operating since the late 1980s, and 1 state-run station launched in 2008; satellite and cable TV services are available; state-run National Broadcasting Corporation operates 3 radio networks with multiple repeaters and about 20 provincial stations; several commercial radio stations with multiple transmission points as well as several community stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are accessible (2009)
  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 users:
  total: 164,500
  percent of population: 2.5% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 162

- ## Transportation :: PAPUA NEW GUINEA

- Airports:
  561 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 12
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 21
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 1 (2013)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 540
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 53
  under 914 m:
  476 (2013)
  Heliports:
  2 (2013)
  Pipelines:
  oil 264 km (2013)
  Roadways:
  total: 9,349 km
  paved: 3,000 km
  unpaved: 6,349 km (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 138
  Waterways:
  11,000 km (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 11
  Merchant marine:
  total: 31
  by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 22, petroleum tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 8 (Germany 1, Malaysia 1, UAE 6) (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 83
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Kimbe, Lae, Madang, Rabaul, Wewak
  LNG terminal(s) (export): Port Moresby

- ## Military :: PAPUA NEW GUINEA

- Military branches:
  Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF; includes Maritime Operations Element, Air Operations Element) (2013)
  Military service age and obligation:
  16 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription; graduation from grade 12 required (2013)
  Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 1,568,210
  females age 16-49: 1,478,965 (2010 est.)
  Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 1,130,951
  females age 16-49: 1,137,753 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 67,781
  female: 65,820 (2010 est.)
  Military expenditures:
  0.54% of GDP (2012)
  0.6% of GDP (2011)
  0.54% of GDP (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 127

- ## 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): 9,368 (Indonesia) (2014)
  IDPs: 22,500 (natural disasters, tribal conflict, inter-communal violence, development projects) (2015)
  Trafficking in persons:
  current situation: Papua New Guinea is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; foreign and Papua New Guinean women and children are subjected to sex trafficking and domestic servitude; parents may sell girls into forced marriages to settle debts or as peace offerings, leaving them vulnerable to forced domestic service, or may prostitute their children for income or to pay school fees; local and Chinese men are forced to labor in logging and mining camps through debt bondage schemes; migrant women from Malaysia, Thailand, China, and the Philippines are subjected to sex trafficking and domestic servitude at logging and mining camps, fisheries, and entertainment sites
  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; no law enforcement or government officials were investigated in 2013, despite reports of complicity in human trafficking at the highest levels of government; parliament in 2012 passed legislation prohibiting all forms of trafficking, but the bill did not enter into force during the reporting period; trafficking-related crimes were prosecuted in village courts rather than criminal courts, resulting in restitution to the victim but no prison time for offenders; no formal victim identification or referral mechanism exists, and the government did not fund shelters run by NGOS or international organizations (2014)
  Illicit drugs:
  major consumer of cannabis

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