Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea, since 1975, independent nation in the Pacific located just north of Australia.

Land and climate

The eastern half of New Guinea Island comprises five-sixths of the nation's territory, which also includes the islands of Bougainville, Buka, and the Bismarck archipelago to the northeast and smaller islands to the southeast. Papua New Guinea is a mountainous, densely forested region with a monsoon climate and a rich variety of plant and animal life. The capital is Port Moresby.

People

The population consists of several distinct ethnic and cultural groups, including Stone Age peoples who inhabit the remote interior. A wide variety of native languages are spoken and Pidgin English is used as a common tongue. The majority of the population is Christian, some of whom also adhere to traditional animistic beliefs.

Economy

Plantation farming has replaced traditional subsistence agriculture in some areas. Exports include timber and coconut products, rubber, cocoa, tea, and coffee. Copper and gold are mined.

History

The northern region of present day Papua New Guinea was part of German New Guinea from 1884 to 1914, when it was seized by Australia and became the Trust Territory of New Guinea. The southern region was British New Guinea from 1884 to 1905, then, as the Territory of Papua, it was under Australian rule. The two regions were merged administratively in 1949 as the Territory of Papua and New Guinea and administered by Australia. It was renamed Papua New Guinea in 1971, became self governing in 1973, and independent in 1975. A treaty with Indonesia in 1979 ended efforts by Papuan nationalists in neighboring Irian Jaya to unite with Papua New Guinea. In 1988, an independence movement on the island of Bougainville led to an open rebellion. Despite several cease-fires and rounds of negotiations, fighting has continued throughout the 1990s. In 1997 and 1998 the country suffered from starvation and floods.