Papua New Guinea is a diverse country in the Pacific, consisting of the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and offshore islands. It was formerly two territories, united in 1945 and gained independence from Australia in 1975. The country has over 850 native languages and a population of around 6 million. The economy is based on subsistence farming and mineral exports. The landscape features mountains, rainforests, and wetlands, with volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis being common. The official languages are English, Tok Pisin, and Hiri Motu, and Christianity is the dominant religion.
The Independent State of Papua New Guinea is a country just northeast of Australia. It consists of the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, along with a group of offshore islands. The country was formerly two territories, Papua and New Guinea. They were united in 1945 and the country gained peaceful independence from Australia in 1975.
Papua New Guinea is one of the most diverse nations in the world, with over 850 native languages and even more traditional societies, though the population is only around 6 million. The landscape is equally varied and 82% of the population lives in rural areas. The native population dates back at least 50,000 years and is thought to be of Southeast Asian origin.
Although Papua New Guinea had some interaction with traders from Southeast Asia and Europe before the 19th century, it was little known among Europeans until that time. In 1884, the country became two European colonies: German New Guinea to the north and British New Guinea, later called Papua, to the south.
Australia began administering Papua in 1915 and received a mandate to administer the northern colony, renamed New Guinea, after World War I. Papua and New Guinea were then both administered by Australia, but were separate political entities until 1945. The confusion caused by this situation continues to the present day, when some statutes apply to only half of the country, despite its unitary identity.
Papua New Guinea is a constitutional monarchy and a representative democracy. It is part of the Commonwealth of Nations and the English monarch is the head of state. The governor-general represents the head of state at the local level, and the prime minister is the head of government and holds executive power. He also has a unicameral parliament and a Supreme Court. There are 19 provinces in the country, along with a separate National Capital District.
The economy is based on subsistence farming and the export of mineral deposits including gold, oil and copper. The secession of Bougainville, once the wealthiest province in the nation with its large copper mine, has dealt a major blow to the nation’s economy. The revolt raged from 1988 to 1997.
Papua New Guinea’s landscape features mountains, rainforests, and wetlands. Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis are common. The country has been minimally explored and many unknown plant and animal species are believed to live on the islands.
There are three official languages of Papua New Guinea: English and two creoles, Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu. Tok Pisin serves as a lingua franca in most of the country. About 96% of the population identified as Christian in the 2000 census, but many people include indigenous practices in their religion. The traditional culture and religions in the country are as diverse as the languages. Sports, especially rugby, have great importance in the national culture of Papua New Guinea.
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