Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, located north of Australia and east of Indonesia. It is the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, along with many smaller islands. With a population of around 9 million people, it is the third most populous country in the Pacific region after Indonesia and Australia.

The capital of Papua New Guinea is Port Moresby. The country is known for its natural beauty, including tropical rainforests, coral reefs, and diverse wildlife. Papua New Guinea is home to over 850 different languages, making it the most linguistically diverse country in the world.

The economy of Papua New Guinea is largely based on agriculture, forestry, and mining. The country is rich in natural resources, including gold, copper, and oil. However, much of the population lives in poverty, and there are significant challenges related to economic development and social inequality.

Papua New Guinea has a unique cultural heritage, with many indigenous groups practicing traditional customs and beliefs. The country is also known for its colorful festivals and traditional dances, such as the Huli Wigmen's singsing in the highlands.

Papua New Guinea is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the Pacific Islands Forum. The country has close relationships with Australia, its former colonial ruler, and China, which has invested heavily in its natural resource industries.

Telephone Code
675

Local Emergency Phone
Fire: 110; Police: 000

Vaccinations
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends polio vaccinations, along with boosters for adults, for travel to Papua New Guinea. Vaccinations and boosters may be required for travel to Australia after extended stays in PNG. See WHO recommendations.

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

Currency (Code)
Kina (PGK)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
240 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): I

Major Languages
Tok Pisin, English, Hiri Motu, some 839 indigenous languages

Major Religions
Protestant 64.3%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 5.3%, non-Christian 1.4%

Potable Water
Opt for bottled water

International Driving Permit
Suggested

Road Driving Side
Left

Tourist Destinations
Varirata National Park; Rainforest Habitat in Lae; Port Moresby (includes Parliament House, Boman War Cemetery, National Museum & Art Gallery); Kokoda Track; Tari Basin; JK McCarthy Museum

Major Sports
Rugby, cricket, soccer, Australian football, basketball

Cultural Practices
People will often point with their chins instead of their fingers.

Tipping Guidelines
A tipping culture does not exist. Tips are neither required nor expected.

Souvenirs
Woven billum bags; tribal masks; wood-carved storyboards, spirit boards, and drums; inlaid wooden bowls; woven baskets

Traditional Cuisine
Mumu — pork, sweet potato, rice, and vegetables cooked in an earth oven filled with hot coals or stones

Geography
Area
total: 462,840 sq km
land: 452,860 sq km
water: 9,980 sq km

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

Natural resources
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries

People and Society
Population
9,819,350 (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Languages
Tok Pisin (official), English (official), Hiri Motu (official), some 839 indigenous languages spoken (about 12% of the world's total); many languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers

Religions
Protestant 64.3% (Evangelical Lutheran 18.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.9%, Pentecostal 10.4%, United Church 10.3%, Evangelical Alliance 5.9%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.8%, Salvation Army 0.4%), Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 5.3%, non-Christian 1.4%, unspecified 3.1% (2011 est.)

Population growth rate
2.31% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital
name: Port Moresby

Economy
Economic overview
lower middle-income Pacific island economy; very diverse, primarily informal agricultural labor force; natural resource rich extraction account for export volume; growing youth population faces lack of formal employment; hit by COVID-19

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$36.589 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$3,700 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products
oil palm fruit, bananas, coconuts, fruit, sweet potatoes, game meat, yams, roots/tubers nes, vegetables, taro

Industries
copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining (gold, silver, copper); crude oil and petroleum products; construction, tourism, livestock (pork, poultry, cattle), dairy products, spice products (turmeric, vanilla, ginger, cardamom, chili, pepper, citronella, and nutmeg), fisheries products

Exports
$10.597 billion (2018 est.)

Exports - partners
Australia 26%, China 26%, Japan 22%, Taiwan 7% (2019)

Exports - commodities
natural gas, gold, copper, lumber, crude petroleum, nickel, palm oil, fish, coffee (2019)

Imports
$4.844 billion (2018 est.)

Imports - partners
Australia 33%, China 19%, Singapore 14%, Malaysia 9% (2019)

Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, excavation machinery, crude petroleum, foodstuffs, delivery trucks (2019)