PNG Quick Facts
Independence: 16 September 1975
Government: constitutional, parliamentary democracy
Members in Parliament: 109 (20 provincial, 89 district)
Provinces: 19 plus the National Capital District (NCD)
Population: (1990) 3 761 954 - 52.7 per cent males, 47.3 per cent females;
(1995 estimate) 4 186 236, based on a 2.3 per cent growth rate.
Ethenticity: Melanesian
Official Language: Melanesian Pidgin, Motu, English
Place of residence: 14.8 per cent urban; 85.2 per cent rural
Population density: 8.1 people per square km
Median age: 18 years
Life expectancy: females, 51 years; males, 49 years
Economic output: (1992) K4 139 600 000
Land area: 462 840 square km:
- 0.5 per cent beaches and ridges
- 1.5 per cent mangroves
- 11 per cent swamps
- 15 per cent other lowlands
- 43 per cent foothills to mountains 1000 m
- 25 per cent mountains 1000 - 3000 m
- 4 per cent mountains above 3000 m
Rain Fall: Over 180 inches annually
Forests: 360 000 square km
Rivers: 10 940 km
Longest river: Fly - 1200 km
Biggest lake: Lake Murray - 647 square km
Coastline: (mainland and islands) 5152 km
Sea area: 1 900 000 square km
Deepest point: Solomon Sea - 8581 m below sea level
Reef area: (less than 30 m below sea level) 40000 square km
Islands: more than 1 400
Time zone: ten hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (London)
Neighboring countries: north - Federated States of Micronesia
east - Nauru and Solomon Islands
south - Australia
west - Indonesia.
The flag of Papua New Guinea:
