Papua New Guinea

• tropical;
• northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October);
• slight seasonal temperature variation

• population concentrated in the highlands and eastern coastal areas on the island of New Guinea;
• predominantly a rural distribution with only about one fifth of the population residing in urban areas

• active volcanism;
• frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes;
• mud slides;
• tsunamis

volcanism:

• severe volcanic activity;
• Ulawun (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 (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
  ;
• see note 2 under "Geography - note"

noun:

Papua New Guinean(s)

adjective:

Papua New Guinean

total:

21.9 years (2025 est.)

male:

21.6 years

female:

21.9 years

• population concentrated in the highlands and eastern coastal areas on the island of New Guinea;
• predominantly a rural distribution with only about one fifth of the population residing in urban areas

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.97 male(s)/female

total population:

1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

31.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

35.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

28.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

70.1 years (2024 est.)

male:

68.3 years

female:

71.9 years

total:

1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

38.9% (2025 est.)

male:

53.4% (2025 est.)

female:

23.8% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

8% (2018)

women married by age 18:

27.3% (2018)

men married by age 18:

3.7% (2018)

• the indigenous population of Papua New Guinea (PNG) 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

• rainforest loss as a result of commercial demand for tropical timber;
• soil erosion, water-quality degradation, and loss of habitat from logging;
• effects of large-scale mining projects (discharge of heavy metals, cyanide, and acids into rivers);
• severe drought;
• land degradation from poor farming practices;
• poor fishing practices;
• coastal pollution due to runoff and oil spills

party to:

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

• tropical;
• northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October);
• slight seasonal temperature variation

urban population:

13.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

2.91% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

1 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

6.3% (2022 est.)

municipal:

223.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

167.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Independent State of Papua New Guinea

conventional short form:

Papua New Guinea

local short form:

Papuaniugini

former:

German New Guinea, British New Guinea, Territory of Papua and New Guinea

abbreviation:

PNG

etymology:

• the name derives from the Malay word pua-pua , describing the tightly curled hair of the Papuan people;
• Spanish explorer Ynigo ORTIZ de RETEZ applied the term "Nueva Guinea" to the island in 1545 because he thought the locals resembled the peoples of the Guinea coast of Africa

name:

Port Moresby

geographic coordinates:

9 27 S, 147 11 E

time difference:

UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

time zone note:

Papua New Guinea has two time zones, including Bougainville (UTC+11)

etymology:

named in 1873 by Captain John MORESBY in honor of his father, British Admiral Sir Fairfax MORESBY (1786-1877)

• 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

history:

adopted 15 August 1975, effective at independence 16 September 1975

amendment process:

proposed by the National Parliament; passage has prescribed majority vote requirements depending on the constitutional sections being amended – absolute majority, two-thirds majority, or three-fourths majority

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Papua New Guinea

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

8 years

chief of state:

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Grand Chief Sir Bob DADAE (since 28 February 2017)

head of government:

Prime Minister James MARAPE (since 30 May 2019)

cabinet:

National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister

election/appointment process:

• the monarchy is hereditary;
• governor general nominated by the National Parliament and appointed by the chief of state;
• following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister, pending a National Parliament vote

election results:

James MARAPE reelected prime minister; National Parliament vote - 105 out of 118

legislature name:

National Parliament

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

118 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

plurality/majority

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

5 years

most recent election date:

7/4/2022 to 7/22/2022

parties elected and seats per party:

• Papua & Niugini Union Pati (PANGU) (39);
• People's National Congress Party (PNC) (15);
• United Resource Party (URP) (11);
• Others (40);
• Independents (10)

percentage of women in chamber:

2.7%

expected date of next election:

July 2027

highest court(s):

• Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, 35 justices, and 5 acting justices);
• National Courts (consists of 13 courts located in the provincial capitals, with a total of 19 resident judges)

judge selection and term of office:

• Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor general on 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 that includes the Supreme Court chief and deputy chief justices, the chief ombudsman, and a member of the National Parliament;
• full-time citizen judges appointed for 10-year renewable terms;
• non-citizen judges initially appointed for 3-year renewable terms and after first renewal can serve until age 70;
• appointment and tenure of National Court resident judges NA

subordinate courts:

district, village, and juvenile courts, military courts, taxation courts, coronial courts, mining warden courts, land courts, traffic courts, committal courts, grade five courts

• Destiny Party
• Liberal Party
• Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP
• Melanesian Liberal Party or MLP
• National Alliance Party or NAP
• Our Development Party or ODP
• Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU PATI
• Papua New Guinea Greens Party
• Papua New Guinea National Party
• Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP
• People's First Party or PFP
• People's Movement for Change or PMC
• People's National Congress Party or PNC
• People’s National Party
• People's Party or PP
• People's Progress Party or PPP
• People's Reform Party or PRP
• Social Democratic Party or SDP
• Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party or THE
• United Labor Party or ULP
• United Resources Party or URP

chief of mission:

Ambassador Arnold Karibone AMET (since 5 September 2025)

chancery:

1825 K Street NW, Suite 1010, Washington, DC 20006

telephone:

[1] (202) 745-3680

FAX:

[1] (202) 745-3679

email address and website:

[email protected]; http://www.pngembassy.org/

chief of mission:

Ambassador Ann Marie YASTISHOCK (since 22 February 2024); note - also accredited to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu

embassy:

Harbour City Road, Konedobu, Port Moresby, NCD, Papua New Guinea

mailing address:

4240 Port Moresby Pl, Washington DC 20521-4240

telephone:

[675] 308-9100

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://pg.usembassy.gov/

description:

• divided diagonally from upper-left corner;
• the upper triangle is red and has a soaring yellow bird of paradise in the center;
• the lower triangle is black with five five-pointed white stars of the Southern Cross constellation

meaning:

• red, black, and yellow are the country's traditional colors;
• the bird of paradise is an emblem of regional tribal culture and represents the emergence of Papua New Guinea as a nation;
• the Southern Cross symbolizes the country's connection with Australia and several other countries in the South Pacific

• Papua New Guinea's coat of arms was adopted on July 1, 1971, and features the country's national symbol, the Raggiana bird-of-paradise;
• the bird stands for the nation's freedom and rich natural environment;
• the traditional spear under the bird represents the country's ethnic groups and the protection of its heritage, and the Kundu drum, which is used in ceremonies, represents local artistic traditions and communication

title:

"O Arise, All You Sons"

lyrics/music:

Thomas SHACKLADY

history:

adopted 1975

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Kuk Early Agricultural Site

• lower-middle-income Pacific island economy;
• primarily informal agrarian sector;
• natural-resource-rich and key exporter of liquified natural gas;
• collapse in betel nut prices, tighter monetary policy, and improved foreign-exchange availability contributing to declining inflation;
• challenges include lack of progress in infrastructure, agricultural reform, and corruption

• oil and gas;
• mining (gold, copper, and nickel);
• palm oil processing;
• plywood and wood chip production;
• copra crushing;
• construction;
• tourism;
• fishing;
• livestock (pork, poultry, cattle) and dairy farming;
• spice products (turmeric, vanilla, ginger, cardamom, chili, pepper, citronella, and nutmeg)

total:

3.8% (2024 est.)

male:

4.6% (2024 est.)

female:

3% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total petroleum production:

32,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

30,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves:

159.656 million barrels (2021 est.)

production:

11.57 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption:

677.736 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports:

10.892 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

183.125 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

• 5 TV stations: 1 commercial (TV Wan), 2 state-run (National Broadcasting Corporation and EMTV);
• 1 digital free-to-view network, and 1 satellite network (Click TV or PNGTV);
• the state-run NBC 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 (2023)

total:

22,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:

(2022 est.) less than 1

total ports:

22 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

6

very small:

16

ports with oil terminals:

8

key ports:

Kavieng Harbor, Kieta, Port Moresby, Rabaul, Vanimo, Wewak Harbor

Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF):

Land, Air, Maritime elements

Ministry of Internal Security:

Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) (2025)

refugees:

10,983 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

107,985 (2024 est.)

tier rating:

• Tier 3 — Papua New Guinea does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so;
• therefore, Papua New Guinea remained on Tier 3;
• for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/papua-new-guinea/